Top 20 Christmas starters
Kick off your Christmas dinner with a delicious, festive starter, from traditional terrines and baked camembert, to sensational soups and salads
Chances are, when you settle down to your festive starter, there’s still a whole lot going on in the kitchen. It’s certainly a challenge to produce a stunning dish while simultaneously grappling with steaming vegetables, resting meat and bubbling gravy, but it’s possible with careful planning and clever ingredients.
Our Christmas starter ideas range from creamy vegetable soups and opulent salads to meaty terrines and vegan spring rolls. There are plenty of make-ahead options, too, saving you time and effort on the big day. See our cookery team's best suggestions for how to prep your starters seamlessly.
Top tips for the best Christmas starters
- All the dishes below can be prepared ahead as this is key to minimising stress. Unless you’re a picture of pure placidity, this is not a time for soufflés.
- Try to serve up light bites. While the indigestion tablets will be on standby, it’s easy to spoil the main course by overindulging at the first furlong.
- Try to cater for everyone in one go. If you have a few vegetarian guests, try out a meat-free starter rather than making a separate dish for them. There’s plenty of meat to come!
- Think of your crockery situation and avoid using anything that needs to be washed before the main course. Lay out a nice wooden chopping board and serve something that can be sliced and nibbled from napkins, and use teacups for potting and pâté.
- Don’t forget your drinks. Draft in a sous chef to serve up fizz, cocktails and mocktails. Visit our drinks section for inspiration.
Take a look at these ideas below, then get more inspiration from our collection of Christmas starters. In a hurry? Read our guide to 10 quick Christmas starters, all ready in 20 minutes or under.
Our top 20 festive starters
1. Spiced honey-glazed halloumi & fig salad
Juicy baked figs pair beautifully with grilled honey-glazed halloumi and ras el hanout spice in this opulent starter. Combined with salted prosciutto, toasted almonds and peppery rocket, each mouthful delivers multi-layered flavours and textures. You could also divide it up into smaller canapés on cocktail sticks for a festive party.
Spiced honey-glazed halloumi & fig salad
Serve up more light Christmas salad recipes.
2. Cauliflower cheese soup with crispy sage & hazelnuts
This silky smooth, cauliflower cheese soup is topped with crispy sage leaves and hazelnuts for a touch of colour and crunch. The rich, wintry flavours are perfect to kick off your Christmas dinner.
Cauliflower cheese soup with crispy sage & hazelnuts
Blitz up more smooth and creamy Christmas soup recipes. Our vegan celeriac, hazelnut & truffle soup also makes another luxurious festive blend.
3. Smoked salmon with prawns
Looking for a sophisticated starter? We've teamed classic smoked salmon with prawns and punchy horseradish cream, drizzled in a zingy lime, honey and ginger dressing. Finish with a few handfuls of leafy salad and you have a light, elegant and refreshing appetiser, leaving ample room for the heavier festive fare.
Smoked salmon with prawns, horseradish cream & lime vinaigrette
Put on a splendid spread with more Christmas smoked salmon recipes.
4. Chicken terrine with leeks & apricots
A lighter take on traditional duck terrine, this impressive loaf is bursting with fruity flavours. Each slice reveals a beautiful mosaic of chicken, streaky bacon, apricots and leeks, interspersed with herbs and topped with bay leaves. This terrine is best chilled overnight and can be made up to three days in advance. Serve with toast and a side of yogurt piccalilli & crisp kale salad.
Chicken terrine with leeks & apricots
Check out more Christmas terrine recipes.
5. Vegan rainbow spring rolls
Kick off your Christmas dinner with a vibrant selection of vegan spring roll canapés. Peeled carrots, courgettes and spring onions are combined with juicy mango, salted peanuts and chillies, all encased in delicate spring roll wrappers. Serve with sweet chilli sauce for a sensational meat-free starter.
Browse our vegan Christmas starters for more plant-based ideas.
6. Truffled mushroom pâté
Not all pâtés have to be meat-based. This easy veggie alternative combines rich truffle oil with porcini and chestnut mushrooms, and is topped with a sprinkle of crunchy peppercorns and thyme. Make it up to a day ahead to allow for chilling and enjoy served with toast, mini crispbreads or cornichons.
Find more perfect vegetarian pâtés.
7. Festive filled brioche centrepiece with baked camembert
Looking for a showstopping sharing starter? This celebratory tear-and-share brioche with melty camembert centre is a perfect crowd-pleaser. To make it extra special, each of the individual bread buns are filled with a choice of festive flavours such as quince paste, chestnuts, cranberry sauce and roasted garlic. Make the dough the day ahead and then bake until the bread is golden and crusty, before garnishing with herbs and fresh cranberries.
Festive filled brioche centrepiece with baked camembert
Indulge in more creamy camembert recipes or also try our decadent potted stilton and baked brie wrapped in prosciutto.
8. Smoked salmon coddled eggs
Try a fun twist on the classic smoked salmon starter with Tom Kerridge's luxuriously creamy version featuring coddled eggs, capers and gruyère cheese. It can be made in individual ramekins or a large sharing dish and is ideal for dunking with crispy sourdough soldiers. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's a quick and simple starter which the whole family will love.
Check out more twists on this traditional starter, including our smoked salmon pâté, smoked salmon fillets and salmon tartare.
9. Griddled pears with goat's cheese & hazelnut dressing
Impress your guests with a simple yet stylish veggie starter, ready in just 15 minutes. Griddled pears take on a beautiful caramelised flavour which pairs well with tangy goat's cheese and peppery watercress. A light toasted hazelnut dressing brings it all together and adds a satisfying crunch.
Griddled pears with goat's cheese & hazelnut dressing
Discover more easy vegetarian Christmas starters.
10. Oysters with apple & horseradish dressing
Fuss-free entertaining at its best – this sophisticated seafood starter takes just five minutes to prepare but makes an eye-catching centrepiece served on a bed of ice or rock salt. Crucially, oysters need to be opened just before serving, so watch our video for how to shuck oysters. The punchy horseradish, apple, peppercorn & honey dressing provides the perfect balance of sweetness, acidity and spice to go with the fresh oysters.
Oysters with apple & horseradish dressing
Celebrate the festive season with more sharing platter recipes.
11. Seafood cocktail platter
Everyone has their own idea of what makes a great prawn cocktail. The easy solution to this? Rustle up an epic DIY seafood platter. We've included the likes of prawns, white crabmeat, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, avocado and lemon wedges, but the choice is really up to you and your budget. This means guests can create their cocktail according to their own preference, so everyone at the table remains happy.
Find more delicious prawn cocktail ideas with our prawn cocktail recipes.
12. Honeyed beetroot & carrot salad with feta & hazelnuts
This stunning winter salad is sure to impress whoever's at the table, boasting wonderful seasonal flavours such as carrot, beetroot and hazelnuts. Simply toss together beetroot, carrot, feta, hazelnuts, plus herbs and the zesty orange and lemon on a quinoa and bulgur wheat base. If you don't have any quinoa or bulgur mix to hand, feel free to use couscous instead.
Honeyed beetroot & carrot salad with feta & hazelnuts
See more seasonal salads with our winter salad recipes.
13. Baked ham hock pots
Set the festive mood with these no-fuss, budget-friendly baked ham hock pots. They're surprisingly easy to rustle up, plus they make a brilliant time and energy saver, ready in all their golden, wobbly glory in just 30 minutes. Serve with crusty bread for dunking into the rich, creamy mix, if you like.
Take your pick from our collection of budget Christmas starters for more fuss-free cooking.
14. Smashed cannellini bean crostini
Catering to veggies and vegans this year? Fret not, this smashed cannellini bean dip will win over the hearts of your plant-based guests, and may even satisfy the staunchest of meat-eaters. Using cheap, everyday ingredients, it makes a great budget Christmas starter, served with shop-bought crostini or breadsticks for dipping. Plus, it's ready on the table in just 20 minutes. Just note: the more oil you add, the silkier it becomes.
Smashed cannellini bean crostini
Discover more of our Christmas snack recipes.
15. Cucumber prawn cocktail cups
A speedy no-cook starter helps make your seasonal kitchen a stress-free zone, especially one which is ready on the table in just 15 minutes. Serving up to four, these cucumber prawn cocktail cups are presented on lettuce leaves and topped with crispy shallots, making a perfect festive starter which grants you more time to focus on mains. A also discover our bloody mary pepper prawns recipe.
Browse more nifty no-cook ideas with our best no-bake Christmas recipes.
16. Baked camembert
If you're looking for an irresistible last-minute crowd-pleaser, this gooey baked camembert is just the ticket. Try oven-cooking or air frying this popular soft cheese until it turns wonderfully gooey. Served with toasted bread or crackers for dipping, this may just become your new go-to for easy entertaining.
Cast your eyes over our melted cheese recipes for more gooey perfection.
17. Mackerel paté
This mackerel paté makes for a sophisticated and simple Christmas starter. Blend smoked mackerel with soft cheese, horseradish sauce and lemon juice, top with a sprinkling of cayenne and serve with crispy toast. It's a flavour-packed, no-cook starter which can be whizzed up and at the table in just 15 minutes.
If you like the look of this, take a look at our range of pâté recipes.
18. Christmas tree cheeseboard
Rustle up this Christmassy cheeseboard for a low-effort starter – simply assemble cheese, crackers, cucumber and grapes. Decorate with rosemary and pomegranate seeds to look like a festive tree.
Check out more of our seasonal Christmas cheeseboard recipes.
19. Halloumi, pomegranate & walnut salad
Tuck into this halloumi, pomegranate, fennel & walnut salad for a fresh and flavour-packed starter. Golden, za'atar-spiced halloumi and sweet pomegranates are the perfect marriage, along with crunchy walnuts, fresh peppery rocket and fennel for a lovely aniseed flavour. It's easy to put together, plus it take just 15 minutes to make.
Halloumi, pomegranate & walnut salad
Take a browse through our halloumi salad recipes.
20. Air fryer clementine & chilli halloumi skewers
Make the most of your trusty air fryer with these salty morsels. Perfect for Christmas lunch or a dinner party, skewers are flavoured with festive clementines as well as chilli flakes for an added kick. The beauty of this recipe is most of the work is done the night before – on the day, simply take out the fridge, thread onto skewers and cook in the air fryer. Serve with your choice of dips – we like sweet chilli sauce or sriracha mayo.
Air fryer clementine & chilli halloumi skewers
For more idea, see our round-up of the best vegetarian Christmas party food.
Get more Christmas recipe inspiration...
10 quick Christmas starters
Christmas canapés you can make in minutes
30 best ever Christmas recipes
Five ways with baked camembert
Best ever Christmas sides
What will you be serving as your starter this Christmas? See more suggestions at our Christmas dinner hub.
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