It is a universal truth that preparing a Christmas lunch or dinner can bring untold stress to the home cook. Stay sane with these make-ahead Christmas recipes – their components can be prepared days in advance and, for the most part, refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to serve.
From simple make-ahead Christmas dinner ideas such as cured seafood, vibrant salads, and terrines to easy make-ahead Christmas desserts in the form of trifles in a glass dish, tarts and a semifreddo cake dessert – these are the make-ahead dishes for Christmas that you can make ahead of time and simply assemble or pop in the oven. And they’re guaranteed to keep your guests well-fed while allowing you to escape the kitchen unscathed.
The best make-ahead Christmas recipes for easy entertaining
Scallop crudo with crisp ginger and pomegranate
This elegant summer starter comes together in just 15 minutes.
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Prawn and avocado salad with spiced tomato dressing
How to improve on fresh prawns with avocado? Adding a smoky, spicy tomato dressing to the mix.
Prawn and avocado with lime
With creamy avocado and the zing of lime juice, this Mexican-ish prawn cocktail is perfect for the summer. Just add corn chips.
Rockmelon, lime and poppy-seed prawn cocktails
We’re saying cheers to a classic with this tweak of the unbeatable prawn cocktail. Thinly mandolined rockmelon adds a sweet touch, which you can always offset with as little or as much Tabasco as you’d like.
Turkey and pistachio terrine with pickled nectarines
Pickled nectarines on the side are the perfect accompaniment for this turkey and pistachio terrine, cutting through the richness with light and fruity notes.
Crab crostini by Leonardo’s Pizza Palace
Spanner crab, avocado and toast. Is there a more Australian way to start your dinner party?
White fish crudo with avocado, herbs and cucumber-lime dressing
In this white fish crudo, the fish in question can also be marinated in a little dressing, ceviche-style – for 15 minutes or a couple of hours, depending how “cooked” you like it.
Citrus-cured salmon with horseradish cream and bagels
This summery spin on lox and bagels is a breeze to make.
Fleet’s cured mackerel with tomatoes and sourdough bread
Curing fish is easier than you think.
Lemongrass and lime-cured trout with rice paper crackers
This cured ocean trout is cured in a soy souce, kaffir lime, chilli and lemongrass sauce for light Southeast Asian notes. Seafood might be a Christmas classic, but we’re making this one all summer long.
Smoked ocean trout with beans, peas and mint
If you’re not smoking your own fish, you’re missing out.
Cured salmon with Bloody Mary salad
Emma Knowles recipe for cured salmon with Bloody Mary salad
Mike McEnearney’s fig salad with roast onions, walnuts and radicchio
A purple-hued salad that celebrates the best of fig season.
Roast ocean trout with cucumber and preserved lemon salad
Excellent served warm or cold, so you could cook the trout a day ahead and just whip up the salad before serving.
Prawn cocktail tower
And that’s a wrap – the perfect self-serve summer dish.
Tomato tart with whipped feta
This tomato tart recipe crowned with whipped feta is summer on a plate.
Green beans with tarragon, preserved lemon and fried almonds
Butter makes everything better, and butter-fried almonds complete this green bean salad.
Fig, watermelon and jamón salad
A pretty-in-pink plate that’s perfect for summer.
Simple tomato and onion salad with vincotto dressing
A simple, summer-ready tomato salad.
Goat’s cheese and potato salad
A fast and fresh take on the classic potato salad, with creaminess from goat’s cheese and crunch from roasted almonds.
Burrata with herb oil and cucumber
A simple, vibrant spring salad.
Lauren Eldridge’s eggnog custard tarts
Portuguese tarts meet bourbon-spiked eggnog in this Christmas-ready treat.
How to make semifreddo
The lesser known sibling of gelato makes for a cool and colourful Christmas centrepeice. Plus, it’s easy to prepare ahead.
White Christmas with sour cherries, almonds and Grand Marnier
A grown-up version of the yuletide treat.
Mango macadamia merveilleux with Dulcey cream
This meringue spectacle is sure to be the star at Christmas lunch.
Jaclyn Koludrovic’s gluten-free lemon verbena, white chocolate and fig tart
A contemporary trio of flavours in a dietary-friendly tart.
AP Bakery’s buckwheat ginger biscuits for Christmas
A quick and easy Christmas ginger biscuit recipe for festive feasting.
Fig and raspberry crostata
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for fig and raspberry crostata by Catherine Adams from Rockpool.
Sparkling shiraz jelly with almond granita
Opposites attract in this cooling dessert of milky granita and bold fruity jelly.
Mango, macadamia and spiced white chocolate pavlova wreath
Inspired by the flavours of Australian summer, this stunning pavlova wreath is the perfect festive centrepiece. Begin this recipe the day before.
Pistachio and rose roulade with lychees and raspberries
This elegant dessert combines a light, pistachio-flecked sponge with a decadent chocolate-cream filling.
Fruit-salad punch
Party punch meets fruit salad in this light and refreshing dessert.
David Moyle’s sparkling shiraz and vanilla ice-cream spider
We love the ruby colour of this dessert cocktail, as well as its make-ahead potential. It has easy entertaining written all over it.
Hazelnut and chocolate swirl nougat
This nutty nougat can be made a few days ahead, leaving you with one less thing to prepare on the day.
White chocolate and raspberry ice-cream choux stack
A tower of pastry and ice-cream, crowned with fresh and freeze-dried raspberries? Now that sounds fun.
Frozen spiced chocolate pavlova
Dark chocolate semifreddo is topped with a cinnamon, clove and nutmeg-spiced pavlova for a show-stopping finish to a meal.
Frozen bûche de Noël
This hazelnut-semifreddo version of the classic Yule log is here to save your Australian Christmas.
Peach pavlova trifle with brandy custard
Two favourite desserts combine in this peach and pavlova trifle.
Flour and Stone’s trifle with madeleines, lemon curd and peaches
Nadine Ingram of Sydney’s Flour and Stone shares her showstopping Christmas dessert.
How to make salmon gravlax
Set up a celebration station at your next party with this show-stopping gin-cured salmon gravlax as the hero.
Lauren Eldridge’s apricot, honey, coffee and macadamia trifle
The Berowra Waters Inn pastry chef is known for her original take on desserts, and this trifle is her latest Christmas-ready offering.
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