
Christmas starter recipes
Discover delicious and elegant starters to ease you into Christmas dinner. Choose from smoked salmon, soups, pâtés, sharing platters, cheese tarts and more.
Showing 1 to 24 of 113 results
Classic prawn cocktail
This classic retro starter packed with juicy prawns will never go out of fashion
Smoked salmon with beetroot & vodka crème fraîche
A hit of vodka gives this classic a new edge. Serve with a shot of vodka for full effect
Baked ham hock pots
Save time and energy with these easy, no-fuss baked ham hock pots as a starter. They’re great to begin a Christmas menu and set the festive mood
Mushroom & tarragon pâté
This low-fat, easy pâté is a perfect vegetarian starter
Smoked salmon & avocado terrines
A light, elegant make-ahead starter to ease you into the Christmas Day blow-out, or to kick off a dinner party menu
Sausage roll wreath
Bring a festive theme to the buffet table with a sausage roll wreath. It's a great sharing dish at Christmas when you have a friends and family over
Carbonara arancini
Make these moreish arancini for a party. Once they’re breadcrumbed, they can be popped in the freezer – on party day, you can simply fry straight from frozen
Baked camembert with bacon-wrapped breadsticks
Gooey, melted cheese and crispy, golden bread make a stunning centrepiece to share with friends over drinks or as a dinner party starter – make ahead for fuss-free entertaining
Goat’s cheese, pear & walnut tartines
Top toasted sourdough with goat's cheese, honey-roasted pears and walnuts to make these tasty tartines. They take just two minutes to prep and deliver one of your 5-a-day
Charred brussels sprouts with Marmite butter
Marmite and brussels sprouts may sound like an unusual combination, but trust us: it works. Try this recipe for your next Christmas feast or as a winter side dish
Nut roast rolls
Bake these vegetarian nut roast rolls for a Boxing Day buffet or summer picnic. They're packed with mushrooms, lentils and nuts, and encased in puff pastry
Grilled goat's cheese with cranberry dressing
A smart veggie starter that will impress even the biggest foodie at your dinner table
Halloumi, pomegranate & walnut salad
Enjoy our easy halloumi salad as a festive starter or light lunch – it takes just 15 minutes to make
Creamy smoked salmon, leek & potato soup
Creamy and low-fat aren't words you often hear together, but that's exactly what you get with this freeze-ahead starter
Multi-seed cheese straws
Make cheese straws with the added flavours of sesame and poppy seeds, dried onion flakes and sea salt. They're great snacks to serve with cocktails
Pull-apart garlic rolls with baked camembert
Create a memorable sharing experience with our pull-apart garlic rolls – they're baked with a wheel of gooey baked camembert, making them ideal for big gatherings such as Boxing Day
App onlyChristmas tree cheeseboard. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
Rustle up this sharing platter made with cheese, crackers, cucumber and grapes. Decorate with rosemary and pomegranate seeds to look like a festive tree
Smoked mackerel on toasted crumpets
Try our easy starter – the filling can be made well in advance and chilled. Once your guests arrive, toast the crumpets and pile the filling on top
Smoked salmon coddled eggs. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
Enjoy smoked salmon with coddled eggs, capers and gruyère cheese for a Christmas starter. It’s also great for breakfast or brunch over the festive holidays
Butter-fried sprouts with crispy shallots & almonds. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
Serve up a feast on Christmas Day and add these buttery sprouts with crispy shallots and almonds to your festive dinner table
Hot smoked salmon & beetroot platter
Serve this smoked salmon dish as a starter on a special occasion such as at Christmas. With beetroot, rocket and walnuts, it‘s full of colour and texture.
App onlyBaked camembert with brioche bun wreath. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
Elevate the classic tear-and-share bread with molten cheese with Tom Kerridge's recipe. It's perfect for a special occasion when you need to feed a crowd
Sticky sage & onion sausage roll wreath with baked camembert. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
Make this glorious wreath with all the colours of Christmas in less than an hour. It transforms classic baked camembert into a tear-and-share event
App onlyMelty chilli cheese & thyme fondue dip. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
Serve this glorious melty cheese fondue dip when you're hosting a gathering for friends. A base of sweet chilli jam balances the richness of brie and gruyère





























