Simple and Tasty Additions to Your Christmas Dinner
Discover easy and flavorful appetizer ideas to elevate your Christmas dinner. From colorful salads to elegant toasts, these simple recipes will impress your guests and enrich your holiday feast with minimal effort.
Simple and Tasty Additions to Your Christmas Dinner
A festive Christmas feast typically features roasted turkey, honey-glazed ham, roasted goose, lamb racks, or a classic roast chicken. Complement your main course with delightful desserts for a memorable celebration. To enhance your meal, start with light appetizers that curb hunger and leave plenty of room for the main dishes. Here are some easy-to-prepare appetizer ideas perfect for Christmas:
Beet and Yogurt Toasts: A flavorful starter that doubles as a side dish, combining marinated beets with creamy yogurt on toasted bread.
To prepare the beet and yogurt toasts, gather 1 pound of pre-cooked vacuum-packed beets sliced into quarters, a small finely chopped shallot, 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 4 tablespoons olive oil divided, a teaspoon of kosher salt divided, freshly ground black pepper, 1½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, a loaf of whole-grain bread sliced and toasted, thinly sliced radishes, and chopped chives. Mix shallots, beets, vinegar, 3 tablespoons oil, half the salt, and pepper; set aside. In another bowl, combine horseradish, yogurt, remaining oil, salt, and pepper. Spread yogurt mixture on each toast, top with marinated beets, radishes, and chives.
For a quick and elegant appetizer, try Pears with Blue Cheese and Prosciutto. Slice 2 pears into wedges and toss with lemon juice. Layer each prosciutto slice with a pear wedge, arugula, and blue cheese, then roll and serve. Another vibrant option is a mixed greens salad with champagne vinaigrette. Whisk Dijon mustard, Champagne vinegar, honey, and finely chopped shallot; gradually add olive oil while whisking. Toss fresh lettuce, dill, parsley, tarragon, chives, and chervil with the vinaigrette and serve.
