Try This European Menu for a New Twist on Christmas Dinner
If Mediterranean food is your favorite, this European Christmas menu will be the ultimate gift come holiday season. This holiday menu features recipes from Italy, Greece, Spain, and France, plus bonus items from Denmark and Germany to expand the flavor territory a bit more. Add a cocktail of your choice and invite your friends from near and far. No one will be able to deny that this Christmas dinner menu is delicious!
Salad: Italian Bread Salad
For the salad course, head to Tuscany, where chunks of crusty Italian bread get equal play with fresh vegetables. Can you say "bravo"?
The salad gets a smoky twist when you add roasted red peppers. You can buy them roasted and jarred, or go the DIY route.
To roast your own red peppers:
Remove the stems and seeds from red sweet peppers.
Place the prepared peppers cut side down on a foil-lined sheet pan.
Roast 20 to 25 minutes at 425 degrees.
Remove from the oven. Carefully bring foil around peppers to enclose.
Allow to stand 15 minutes, then use a sharp knife to peel off skins.
Get the recipe: Italian Bread Salad
Soup: Danish Gronkaaal Soup
The secret to making ham and potato soup even cozier is a handful of rolled oats. That's right, your go-to breakfast food adds a nutty wholesomeness to this traditional Danish soup.
Hands-Off Hint: Prepare this soup in your slow cooker ($17, Target) so you save more time (and oven space) for the other European Christmas recipes.
Get the recipe: Danish Gronkaal Soup
Bread: Greek Flatbreads
Serve these Greek flatbreads as a side dish or as an entree for your vegetarian guests. With heaps of fresh, savory toppings, including artichoke tapenade and gooey fontina cheese, they showcase what Mediterranean cooking is known for.
Holiday Recipe Tip: If time isn't on your side, use store-bought dough. You can still dust the crust with cornmeal for a homemade feel.
Get the recipe: Greek Flatbreads
Entree: German Roast Duck with Blackberry Orange Sauce
The star of your European Christmas menu is no secret. Simple roasted duck gains annual tradition potential thanks to a mouthwatering glaze of orange, blackberry, and ginger. A splash of orange liqueur, molasses, and ginger infuse this rustic yet regal duck dinner with even more holiday flavors.
Get the recipe: German Roast Duck with Blackberry Orange Sauce
Cheese Course: French Baked Brie en Croute
Stuffed with jam and surrounded with flaky pastry, this soft-baked Brie recipe is sweet enough to be served as dessert. Pop it in the oven when you're about to start your entree for a perfectly timed post-dinner treat to serve alongside a big tray of cookies.
Get the recipe: Baked Brie en Croute
Cookie: Spanish Rousquilles
These traditional pastries were made to top off your European Christmas menu, with their wreath-like shape and shimmering glaze. Just add decaf!
Ingredient Swap: If you can't find orange flower water, trade in a white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.
Get the recipe: Spanish Rousquilles
