If you are looking for some easy inspired starters for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, or if you are simply in the mood for some festive recipes, you’ve come to the right place.
These are some of my favourite Christmas starters of all time!
9 Best Christmas Starters
These easy recipes are perfect as Christmas dinner starters as well as Christmas Day starters. There is something incredibly satisfying making meals out of premium ingredients and enjoying them with your loved ones.
Lobster bisque is a delicious silky-smooth seafood soup made with lobster shells and cream. It is a total delicacy and is perfect as a Christmas dinner starter.
The origin of this dish is French. The term bisque is derived from the word 'Biscay'.
A bisque basically involves extracting as much flavour as possible from the shells of crustaceans such as lobster, crab, langoustine, shrimp and crayfish. This of course makes the recipe so exquisite.
What's more, if you want to take things to the next level, poach the lobster tails in butter and serve them with the lobster bisque. Divine starter, worthy of any party.
This lobster bisque pairs really well with tarragon, these tarragon substitutes and other fresh herbs such as chives or parsley. Don't forget to pair this soup with a full-bodied, aged white wine. A 4-year-old Chardonnay or Riesling will do the trick!
Handy tip: If you can't get a hold of lobster, you can use shrimp shells instead. Besides, it's an excellent way to save some cash.
Duck liver parfait is a brillliant way to start Christmas dinner! In fact, you would find duck liver pâté in most Danish and French households at some point during the Christmas holidays.
It is a flavourful, smooth pâté, combining the rich flavours of the duck liver that work so well with a glass of heavy red wine. If you happen to enjoy some red wine from a sunny region like South Africa, Italy, Spain or California, this liver pâté recipe should make your list of starter recipes for this Christmas.
What's best about this dish is that it is easy to make and only requires a handful of ingredients.
Pair the duck liver parfait with a fresh piece of baguette and a dark fruit compote or jam. For instance, this homemade seedless blackberry jam will complement the richness of the duck liver parfait perfectly.
Handy tip: Top the pâté with almond flakes for a bit of texture.
This smoked salmon pate makes a fantastic starter recipe for a dinner party. You can make it in just a few simple steps. Yes, this recipe is super duper easy!
What's more, this pâté is made with inexpensive ingredients. You can practically use any brand of smoked salmon, so you don't need to worry about going for the most expensive one.
Remember, you'll add additional ingredients to the pâté and put your own twist on it anyway.
Pair this starter with fresh dill and serve it on some crackers. It'll make the perfect festive starter finger food.
Handy tip: For extra flavour, you can top it off with caviar and sour cream. Just take a look at these fabulous salmon rissoles. That is finger food at its best!
This delicate prawn cocktail makes the perfect Christmas starter. Although some may perceive this as 70s retro, this starter takes the cake when it comes to flavour and simplicity.
Serve the prawns with a side of homemade marie rose sauce and slices of avocado. The sauce is easy to master as well and serves as an excellent dip with other food.
Handy tip: Serve the prawn cocktails in a clear glass so that you can tempt your guests at the dinner party from a distance.
This Parma ham & melon salad recipe is one of the easiest starter recipes ever. Plus, what's best is that you can make an easy vegetarian version of it.
Instead of the Parma ham, you can wrap the melon in thin slices of courgette or thin slices of carrot (rubbed with miso). This will replicate the umami flavour of the ham.
Easy vegetarian recipes have never been more sought after. Make sure you have some vegetarian options at your dinner party. It's always good to have some variation regarding food.
Handy tip: Serve it with these baked Parma ham croquettes. They make an excellent party food. On top of that, they are super-easy to make.
These peri peri prawns are an excellent idea for those who wish to enjoy food with an extra bit of flavour for Christmas. The total time to make this easy dish from scratch is 35 minutes.
Serve with a glass of dry white wine.
Handy tip: Use the seasoning on some vegetables or tofu and make an easy vegetarian starter. Feeding vegetarian guests with this recipe will be really easy.
This flavourful salmon terrine takes a total of 30 minutes to make. It's an easy-to-master recipe which results in a gourmet-style starter!
Top with fresh dill and serve with a dry white wine.
Handy tip: Serve it with a lightly dressed leafy salad. It will provide just the right amount of freshness.
This chicken liver pate is one of my favourite pâté recipes, which combines the distinct flavour of the chicken liver with the sweetness and nuttiness of the butternut squash.
This easy starter pairs very nicely with a glass of light sherry. Go for the Fino sherry variety.
Handy tip: Crusty bread or melba toast is divine with this pâté.
Chicken terrine is best served with a cheese board. The best part about this impressive starter is that you prepare it days in advance and it will still be popular at dinner.
Handy tip: Serve it with a fruit conserve or this exceptional dried fruit compote. You can also dip your Christmas cookie into this compote.
Decisions, decisions, decisions!
Which Christmas starter recipes appeal to you most? Let me know in the comments below.
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