This is the season for planning and celebration, and I am excited to share our second annual Christmas Eve (and morning) menu. You can check out last year's menu [here]. In this post, you'll find ideas for a Christmas Eve menu that will delight family and friends. This menu includes both beloved classics and new recipes that have quickly become our favorites. Additionally, we've included our 2024 menu and a timetable to help ensure a stress-free Christmas Eve. As a bonus, we’ve shared our favorite breakfast for Christmas morning, which, by tradition, must be sweet.
While this is our second Christmas Eve menu, it is not our first year hosting the celebration. We've been hosting Christmas Eve dinner for four consecutive years since our oldest child was born. We can confidently say that with this timetable and menu, you can successfully host even with a baby or toddler around. Planning is key!
Without further ado, let's dive in. We’ve included our actual menu along with suggestions for everything from appetizers to soups, main dishes, and desserts. Vegetarian options are available for every meal type, allowing you to easily create a menu that suits your family and friends. Alternatively, you can use our menu to make things even easier.
We would love to hear your feedback and see photos of your Christmas Eve dinner. Feel free to tag us on social media when you make recipes from our blog or send pictures via email at [email protected] menu and suggestions for everything from appetizers to soups, mains, and desserts. We included vegetarian options for every meal type. You can easily create a menu that fits your family and friends, or you can use our menu and have even less stress choosing.
We would love to hear your feedback and see photos of your Christmas Eve dinner, so feel free to tag us on social media when making recipes from our blog or send pictures via mail [email protected]
CRATE YOUR MENU
APPETIZER
Have the appetizers ready when your guests arrive. We place them in the center of the table. We like to have a few, ideally, two different appetizers for snacking and a light salad to balance the flavors and food and to keep it light.
Najini favoriti:
- Baked Camembert (on our 2024 menu)
- Steak Tartare (coming soon) (on our 2024 menu)
- Chicken Liver Pate
- Simple Charcuterie Board
- Fried Mozzarella Balls with Cherry Tomato Sauce (vegetarian)
- Cured Salmon Gravlax
- Black Olive Tapenade (vegetarian)
- Frika - Potato and Cheese Hash (vegetarian)
- Easy Octopus Salad
SOUP
Appetizers are enjoyable and provide initial satisfaction, but we truly love soup, which is also a favorite among the little ones. Soup is cozy, hearty, and perfect for cold weather.
These are our favorites:
- Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk (on our 2024 menu)
- French Onion Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Garlic Soup with Croutons
- Beef Broth Soup
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
MAIN DISH
We’ve arrived at the main event, the centerpiece of the meal that we have all been eagerly awaiting. Typically, we prepare two main meat dishes, but if you’re hosting a large gathering, it's a good idea to include a vegetarian main dish as well. Below, we’re sharing our favorites. We also enjoy mixing things up with seafood, so we’ve included some of our top seafood recipes.
Here are our favorite dishes:
- Slow Roasted Pork Belly (on our 2024 menu)
- Steak Diane (coming soon) (on our 2024 menu)
- Roasted Stuffed Whole Chicken
- Stuffed Beef Rolls (coming soon)
- Braised Short Ribs
- Pork Medallions with Apples and Onion
- Beef Meatloaf with Eggs
- Salt Crusted Branzino
- Baked Octopus with Potatoes
- Rice Stuffed Tomatoes (vegetarian)
- Eggplant Parmesan (vegetarian)
SIDE DISH
We enjoy including light vegetable side dishes and potato dishes in our meals. For each main dish, we aim to choose at least one side dish. We plan to prepare two side dishes and one salad (listed below). All the recipes provided are vegetarian-friendly.
These are our favorites:
- Roasted Smashed Potatoes (on our 2024 menu)
- Slovenian Cheese Dumplings (on our 2024 menu)
- Best Mashed Potatoes
- Orange Glazed Carrots
- Olive Focaccia
- Buckwheat Stir Fry with Vegetables
- Swiss Chard with Peas and Spinach
- Slovenian Cheese Dumplings
SALAD
Salads add lightness and freshness to our dinner table. We usually only prepare one salad, as our hands are full with other dishes. We enjoy making an autumn-winter-inspired salad that provides comfort and can be prepared quickly.
These are our favorites:
- Radicchio Salad with Grilled Halloumi (on our 2024 menu)
- Autumn Panzanella Salad
- Olivier Salad
- Kale Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potato
- Roasted Beets with Mint and Sultanas
- Bacon Caesar Salad with Apples
DESSERT
For the sweetest part of our dinner, we like to make a delicious make-ahead dessert that doesn't stress us out.
These are our favorites:
- Chocolate Budino (on our 2024 menu)
- Chocolate Babka
- Berry Pavlova with Whipped Cream
- Christmas Strudel
- Brigadeiro tart
- Giant Molten Chocolate Raspberry Lava Cake
- Spiced Apple Tarte Tatin
- Blackberry Mousse with Rosemary Crumble
- Pineapple Sorbet
CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST
Christmas morning is always magical. The kids wake up feeling super excited and rush to check the Christmas tree to see if they received any presents. After they look at the gifts, we always prepare a delicious, sweet breakfast.
These are our favorites:
- Dairy-free Waffles (on our 2024 menu)
- Rabanadas, or Brazilian French Toast
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
- Quick Blueberry French Toast
- Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes
GUIDE AND TIMETABLE
Here you will find our guide and advice for preparation, along with a timetable for Christmas Eve, ensuring everything runs smoothly and stress-free.
Friday (20.12)
- write down your Christmas Eve menu
- think about decoration and how you will set your table
- check the ingredients in your fridge and pantry
- write a grocery list
Saturday (21.12.)
- grocery shopping
- don't forget about beverages (juice, wine, champagne, cocktails and mocktails)
Sunday (22.12)
- make Slovenian cheese dumplings and store cooked (and chilled) in the fridge, then reheat on the Christmas Eve
- prepare everything necessary for setting the table
Monday (23.12)
- season the pork belly and place it in the fridge
- prepare the chocolate budino and store it in the fridge
- cook the soup, store it in the refrigerator, and reheat it the next day
- clean the raddicio for the salad, cover it with a damp paper towel, and store it in an airtight container
Tuesday (24.12) - CHRISTMAS EVE
We will provide our exact timetable for you. We recommend setting the table before you start cooking. Also, place the beverages in the fridge to keep them cool.
1 PM Take the pork belly from the fridge and set aside.
2 15 PM Place the pork belly in the oven.
3 PM Prepare the steak tartare.
3 30 PM Cook the potatoes for smashed potatoes.
4 PM Make the radicchio salad.
4 30 PM Prepare the smashed potatoes for roasting.
5 PM - Take the roasted pork belly from the oven
5 05 PM Cut the bread into slices for the appetizers and toast in the oven or toaster. Prepare the fresh fruit for decoration.
5 15 PM Roast the potatoes in an oven.
5 30 PM Prepare everything necessary for steak Diane (cut the steaks and sear them, then set aside).
5 45 PM Reheat the cheese dumplings.
5 45 PM Finish the steak Diane (prepare the sauce) - If your dinner is running late, make this step later, as they shouldn't be done later than 20 minutes before serving.
5 45 PM Reheat the soup over low heat.
5 55 PM Place the Camembert in the oven and bake (it takes 15 minutes). Set a timer so it does not overbake once your guests start to arrive. Serve immediately.
6 PM DINNER
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I hope you guys will have an amazing Christmas celebration. Happy holidays.
We would love to hear your feedback and see photos of your Christmas Eve dinner, so feel free to tag us on social media when making recipes from our blog or send pictures via mail [email protected]
