Alternative Christmas roast recipes
Not a fan of turkey or just fancy doing something different this year? Browse our alternative Christmas roast recipes for some new festive inspiration. Choose from beef, game, chicken, goose and showstopping vegetarian dishes.
If you want to stay along the lines of traditional, we’ve got easy twists like our air fryer festive traybake, roast chicken with comté sauce, or Christmas roast goose.
Want something completely different? Herby tamarind lamb with baked jollof rice takes things to the next level. Serve curried lamb shanks with roast potatoes, or try pernil (Puerto Rican slow-roasted pork).
Got the savoury side of things sorted? Satisfy your sweet tooth with our best Christmas baking recipes.
Our Glow Up mini recipes, including a luscious sage and nutmeg garlic butter to rub under the turkey’s skin or toss with veg, are a great way to jazz up your festive alternatives too.
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Lamb shank recipes
Curried lamb shanks with roast potatoes and red cabbage
Food writer Lara Luck's curried lamb shanks make a wonderful alternative to a classic roast, served with golden roasties and red cabbage.
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Alternative Christmas roast recipes
Air fryer festive traybake with gravy mayo
Everything you love about Christmas dinner in a single traybake, all cooked in the air fryer – perfect if you can’t wait until the big day.
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Alternative Christmas roast recipes
Roast guinea fowl with fennel, shallot and white wine sauce
Guinea fowl with thyme butter, bacon and a rich white wine sauce to serve four: a special roast for a smaller gathering.
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Roast recipes
Slow-cooked pork shoulder stuffed with orange and prunes
This roast pork shoulder is rich and tender, cut through with apple, orange and sweet prunes. The perfect special occasion roast.
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Christmas recipes from around the world
Pierna mechada (Mexican roast pork leg)
This flavour-packed Mexican roast pork leg with adobo is enjoyed at Christmas, says chef Adriana Cavita, who shares her traditional recipe.
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Alternative Christmas roast recipes
Herby tamarind lamb with baked jollof rice
This tamarind and herb-stuffed lamb with baked jollof rice recipe is a celebratory Senegalese-inspired one-pot by Lerato Umah-Shaylor.
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Alternative Christmas roast recipes
Christmas roast goose
Take a break from turkey and make roast goose the star of Christmas dinner. The spice rub in our roast goose recipe adds aromatic flavour.
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Duck recipes
Sauerkraut-stuffed duck with roast apples and mulled wine gravy
This festive roast duck sings with mulled wine flavours. A rub spices the duck's skin while a mulled wine gravy adds richness.
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Chestnut recipes
Pot-roast guinea fowl with chestnuts and spiced gravy
Guinea fowl is perfect for a pot-roast, a method ideal for keeping this lean bird moist and tender. The perfect autumnal Sunday lunch.
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Alternative Christmas roast recipes
Pernil (Puerto Rican slow-roasted pork)
Pernil is Puerto Rican slow-roasted pork with tender meat and crispy crackling, often served at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
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Alternative Christmas roast recipes
Brioche and thyme butter-stuffed chicken crown
Chicken crown, slathered in butter and whizzed up with thyme and brioche, makes an incredible Christmas main for four. Who needs turkey?
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Alternative Christmas roast recipes
Marmalade porchetta with salsa verde
Cherie Denhamputs a British spin on slow-roast porchetta. The citrussy sweetness in the marmalade works wonders with the punchy salsa verde.
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Alternative Christmas roast recipes
Roast chicken with comté mushroom sauce
Take Sunday roast up a level with this incredible creamy roast chicken. It has a fondue-like Comté sauce, boosted by umami-rich mushrooms.
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Easy vegan recipes
Nut roast balls, onion gravy and greens
Clodagh McKenna's nut roast balls with onion gravy and greens makes a fantastic vegan alternative to roast dinner or a simple Christmas lunch.
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Christmas recipes for four
Salt-baked celeriac with tahini
Salt-baked celeriac makes an easy but impressive vegan centrepiece. Serve on a colourful lentil and pomegranate salad with tahini sauce.
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Favourite lamb recipes
Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with sherry and green olives
José Pizarro's slow-cooked lamb shoulder is poached with oregano, olives and sherry to create a wonderful mix of flavours and tender meat.
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