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Christmas Dinner Sides The Whole Family will Love
When it comes to Christmas, I’m all for the classics. Every now and then I’ll throw something a little different onto the table, but Christmas dinner is one of those meals where tradition really does matter. People look forward to those familiar flavours all year, and half the excitement is seeing the same dishes appear alongside the turkey or roast. The only problem is that not every classic recipe is actually that good. Some are bland, some are overcomplicated, and some are made once a year before being forgotten again until next December. That’s exactly why I’ve put together this collection. These are the side dishes I come back to time and time again because they’re reliable, full of flavour, and easy enough that they don’t add unnecessary stress to an already busy day.
12 Sides for Thanksgiving & Christmas Dinner
These roasted Brussels sprouts with pancetta are crisp at the edges, tender in the middle and packed with salty, savoury flavour. I roast the sprouts until beautifully caramelised, then toss them with golden pancetta for an easy side dish that works just as well with a Sunday roast as it does with a simple weeknight dinner. It’s the kind of Brussels sprouts recipe that converts even the sceptics, and I’ll quite happily eat the crispy bits straight from the roasting tray.
My spiced braised red cabbage is slowly cooked until soft, glossy and full of sweet, gently tangy flavour. Warming spices turn this simple vegetable side dish into something properly comforting, making it perfect with roast pork, beef, sausages, duck or a festive Christmas dinner. I love how the cabbage keeps its rich colour while becoming beautifully tender, and it can be made ahead and reheated easily. It’s practical, budget-friendly and exactly the sort of side dish that makes a roast feel complete.
These mustard crusted roast potatoes are golden, crisp and packed with savoury flavour, with crunchy bacon scattered through every serving. I coat the potatoes in mustard before roasting, which creates a beautifully seasoned crust while keeping the centres soft and fluffy. They’re a bold alternative to classic roast potatoes and make a fantastic side dish for roast beef, chicken, pork or a relaxed Sunday dinner. Just be warned, the crispy bacon bits have a habit of disappearing before the tray reaches the table.
My cauliflower cheese bake combines tender cauliflower florets with a rich, creamy cheese sauce, then bakes everything until bubbling and golden on top. It’s a classic comfort food side dish that works beautifully with a Sunday roast, slow-cooked lamb, roast chicken or creamy mashed potatoes. I keep the method simple and the sauce properly cheesy, because cauliflower cheese should never feel like the sensible vegetable option. It should be the dish everyone secretly wants seconds of.
These spicy chorizo pigs in blankets are wrapped in smoky bacon, roasted until crisp and finished with a sticky sweet chilli glaze. I love the combination of rich chorizo, salty bacon and that glossy hit of sweetness, which makes them a brilliant festive side dish, party snack or addition to a Christmas grazing table. They’re quick to assemble, full of bold flavour and just different enough from traditional pigs in blankets to make everyone reach for another one.
My carrot and swede mash is a simple, comforting side dish made with tender root vegetables, plenty of butter and a good pinch of seasoning. The natural sweetness of the carrots balances the earthy swede beautifully, creating a smooth and colourful mash that’s perfect with roast beef, sausages, lamb or a classic Sunday dinner. It’s easy to prepare, naturally budget-friendly and a lovely alternative when you fancy something a little different from ordinary mashed potatoes.
My bacon stuffing is packed with crispy bacon, fragrant herbs and plenty of rich, savoury flavour. It’s an easy homemade stuffing recipe that works beautifully with roast chicken, turkey, pork or a classic Sunday roast. I love the contrast between the golden, slightly crisp top and the soft, buttery centre, and the bacon makes every bite feel a little more generous. It’s simple to prepare, easy to make ahead and far too good to save only for Christmas dinner.
These crispy roast potatoes with lemon and thyme are golden on the outside, fluffy in the middle and full of fresh, fragrant flavour. I roast the potatoes until properly crunchy, then let the lemon and thyme cut through all that rich, savoury goodness. They’re an easy roast potato recipe for Sunday lunch, roast chicken, lamb, fish or a relaxed family dinner. Bright, crisp and deeply comforting, they’re the sort of side dish I keep pinching from the tray before serving.
My honey roasted carrots are tender, caramelised and coated in a glossy glaze that brings out their natural sweetness. This easy roasted carrot recipe makes a lovely side dish for roast chicken, beef, lamb, pork or a festive dinner, without needing much effort at all. I love how the edges turn slightly sticky and golden while the centres stay soft. They’re simple, colourful and reliable, which is exactly what I want from a vegetable side dish when the rest of dinner is demanding my attention.
These classic puff pastry pork sausage rolls have a rich, seasoned pork filling wrapped in crisp, golden layers of flaky pastry. I keep the recipe simple and properly satisfying, making them perfect for parties, lunchboxes, picnics, afternoon snacks or an easy family lunch. Homemade sausage rolls always taste better than shop-bought, especially when they’re still warm from the oven. They’re easy to prepare, freezer-friendly and guaranteed to vanish far faster than I expect.
These Buttery Mashed Potatoes are everything I want from a bowl of mash: creamy, fluffy, and loaded with rich buttery flavour. Made with simple ingredients and a few easy techniques, they come out silky smooth every time. Whether I’m serving them alongside sausages, roast meats, casseroles, or a hearty gravy, they always disappear quickly. This is the kind of comforting side dish that never goes out of style and deserves a place on every dinner table.
My Cheesey Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Bake turns a simple bag of sprouts into a rich, comforting side dish. Tender Brussels sprouts are baked with smoky bacon and plenty of cheddar until creamy, golden, and bubbling around the edges. It’s easy enough for a Sunday roast but special enough for Christmas dinner, especially when you want something a little more indulgent than plain vegetables. Simple, hearty, and a very good reason to give Brussels sprouts another chance.
The Sides That Make Christmas Dinner
If you ask me, the side dishes are what make Christmas dinner memorable. The roast might be the centrepiece, but it’s everything around it that people keep going back for. The crispy potatoes. The buttery mash. The stuffing that’s somehow disappeared before everyone sits down. The vegetables that even the fussy eaters suddenly decide they like because they’ve actually been cooked properly. A great Christmas dinner isn’t about showing off. It’s about putting comforting, familiar food on the table that everyone genuinely wants to eat.
That’s why I always keep my Christmas sides fairly traditional. A few little twists here and there are fun, but I don’t think Christmas dinner needs reinventing every year. Instead, I’d rather have recipes I know will work every single time. Dishes I can prepare ahead where possible, recipes that don’t need constant attention, and flavours that pair beautifully with everything else on the table. Christmas Day is busy enough without trying to juggle overly complicated recipes that promise the world and deliver very little.
Whether you’re cooking your very first Christmas dinner or you’ve been hosting for years, these recipes cover all the classics. From crispy roast potatoes and buttery mash to rich cauliflower cheese and perfectly cooked Brussels sprouts, they’re the sort of recipes you’ll find yourself making long after the decorations have come down.
The Recipes
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta: Crisp, caramelised Brussels sprouts are tossed with golden pancetta for a side dish that’s packed with savoury flavour. Even people who usually avoid sprouts tend to come back for seconds.
Spiced Braised Red Cabbage: Slow-cooked until tender with warming spices, this glossy red cabbage is sweet, gently tangy, and perfect alongside any festive roast. It’s also brilliant made ahead.
Mustard Crusted Roast Potatoes with Crispy Bacon: Golden roast potatoes develop an incredible savoury crust thanks to mustard, while crispy bacon adds even more flavour. Soft in the middle, crisp on the outside, and impossible to resist.
Cauliflower Cheese Bake: Tender cauliflower is smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce before baking until bubbling and golden. Comfort food disguised as a vegetable side dish.
Spicy Chorizo Pigs in Blankets with Sweet Chilli Glaze: Smoky chorizo wrapped in bacon and finished with a sticky sweet chilli glaze makes a bold twist on the Christmas classic. They’re guaranteed to disappear quickly.
Carrot & Swede Mash: Creamy, buttery mash made with sweet carrots and earthy swede creates a colourful alternative to traditional mashed potatoes. Simple, comforting, and always welcome.
Bacon Stuffing: Crispy bacon, fragrant herbs, and buttery breadcrumbs come together in a stuffing that’s rich, savoury, and full of flavour. Just as good with a Sunday roast as it is at Christmas.
Crispy Roast Potatoes with Lemon & Thyme: Perfectly crunchy roast potatoes are lifted with fresh lemon and fragrant thyme for a lighter take on the classic. Crisp outside, fluffy inside, exactly as they should be.
Honey Roasted Carrots: Roasted until caramelised and coated in a glossy honey glaze, these carrots are sweet, tender, and beautifully simple. They add colour and warmth to any Christmas table.
Classic Puff Pastry Pork Sausage Rolls: Flaky golden pastry wrapped around a rich, seasoned pork filling creates homemade sausage rolls that are perfect for Christmas entertaining, Boxing Day, or festive grazing boards.
Buttery Mashed Potatoes: Creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes loaded with butter make the perfect partner for gravy and roast meats. It’s the sort of side dish that never goes out of fashion.
Cheesy Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Bake: Brussels sprouts are baked with smoky bacon and plenty of cheddar until golden and bubbling. Rich, indulgent, and a brilliant way to win over anyone who’s still suspicious of sprouts.
