Our healthy Christmas recipes keep a check on saturated fat, sugars and salt, without compromising on flavour! From tasty Christmas dinner sides to clever ways with leftovers, our healthy Christmas food recipes are perfect for seasonal feasts, big and small. Check out lots more Christmas recipes for further festive inspiration, plus our healthy recipes for everyday lighter meals and snacks.
A milder, sweeter alternative to onions, echalion shallots elevate any dish into something special, and these pickled shallots are the perfect example.
Give carrots and parsnips the VIP treatment at your next Sunday roast with this extra-special side dish. The combination of maple syrup, mustard and orange creates a sticky glaze that works well with both veg. Guests will be asking for more.
A festive bake that everyone can enjoy, these vegan scones are gluten-free and dairy-free. We love them served with a dollop of fruity compote and creamy coconut yogurt on the side.
Combine classic seasonal flavours in this easy cornbread recipe, with sage and gloriously sharp cheddar
If you're looking for a new Christmas canapé idea, look no further. Smoked salmon and cream cheese is a classic festive flavour combo, but we've added a little heat with wasabi paste and zingy lime.
Take your bread sauce to the next level by swapping in rich focaccia. This bread sauce recipe has all the classic features of your much-loved roast dinner side – gently spiced, aromatic and indulgently creamy. Put this dish on your Christmas lunch menu!
Here's a stunning veggie main for your Christmas dinner that's a doddle to make. This tart features a trio of red onions, leek and shallots to make a gorgeous caramelised topping, reminiscent of the classic French dessert tarte Tatin.
These are the crispiest roast potatoes, ever! Giving the par-boiled spuds a good shake helps to fluff them up and if you're veggie, see our tip for which fat to roast them in.
Charring sprouts gives them a lovely nutty flavour in this seasonal twist on a classic Caesar salad. It's a great way of using up festive leftovers – perfect for a Boxing Day buffet or light lunch over the holidays.
Shredded sprouts sautéed in butter and thyme and sprinkled with pecorino makes for a special side dish to serve with your Christmas dinner or any Sunday roast. This recipe would also be great tossed through pasta for a quick midweek meal!
Wow guests with this spicy reinvention of a classic Christmas starter.
For a veggie starter on Christmas Day, try these simple chestnut-stuffed mushrooms. With a herby chestnut stuffing and crisp, nutty garlic breadcrumb topping, these are a great fuss-free way to start the festivities.
This gorgeous salad uses seasonal clementines tossed in a sweet dressing with some added crunch from nuts and pomegranates. Perfect for a festive starter or healthy, colourful lunch over the Christmas holidays.
Bite-sized, starring two fry-up favourites and puffed up like mini toad-in-the-holes, these delicious popovers are sure to fly off your breakfast table
Sweet carrots and parsnips with apple, bacon, honey and thyme: what's not to love about this colourful Christmas side dish?
This miso-roasted salmon makes a fab, festive dinner party main or stunning party platter. Served with soya bean mash and a cucumber watercress salad, it's fresh, vibrant and healthy too. You could even swap the salmon for trout or mackerel.
Dips make great party food especially at Christmas time and this musabaha, which is a deconstructed version of houmous, is something special! Topped with caramelised lemons and pine nuts for crunch, it's totally delicious with toasted pitta bread.
Chef, author and TV presenter, Kwoklyn Wan shares his simple, yet totally delicious twist on sesame prawn toast. Kwoklyn says: "Christmas is a time for sharing, and a plate stacked high with glistening, golden sesame chicken toasts is the perfect festive finger food for a gathering."
Crispy and golden on the outside and fluffy within, these zesty smashed potatoes are a delicious side to add to your Christmas lunch table. You can even get ahead and prep them the day before!
Take your sprouts to the next level by roasting them in honey, chillies and walnuts for a sweet, spicy and earthy crunch. A crumble of tangy blue cheese on top and you've got an epic side dish for Christmas lunch.
This colourful, flavour-packed side is a star supporting act for Christmas lunch or any Sunday roast. Carrots and beetroot are coated in balsamic vinegar and roasted until golden and sticky – simple yet impressive!
These vibrant red cabbage 'steaks' are roasted until tender and crispy and are topped with chestnuts for extra festive flavours. They'll make a deliciously different side for your Christmas dinner!
An elegant starter that's colourful, light and quick to prepare, this smoked salmon recipe is just the ticket to kick off the proceedings on Christmas Day
Transform green beans with this vegan and gluten-free side dish this Christmas. Beans are topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and coated in a sticky maple and mustard glaze. You won't be able to get enough of this.
Who says mincemeat is only for mince pies? Its rich, spiced flavour makes it an ideal ingredient for a whole host of Christmas baking ideas. Try this twist on the classic shortcake recipe for a delightful festive dessert or teatime treat.
These flaky filo pastry pies pack a festive flavour punch! Filled with a scrumptious mix of roasted butternut squash, miso and caramelised onion, with toasted pecans and zesty orange, they make the perfect veggie and vegan Christmas dinner main.
Lightly charred cabbage meets buttery walnut gremolata in this vibrant roast cabbage recipe – the perfect vegetarian main for your Christmas dinner table.
Quick pickled vegetables are so easy to make, and this red cabbage is no exception. It's a great side to serve with cold cuts at Christmas and makes a fab and festive edible gift.
Give your Christmas veg a spicy twist with this fragrant Thai red curry. This easy one-pot is a great vegan and gluten-free option for your Boxing Day celebrations.
Sweet, fresh and zesty, this twist on the classic prawn cocktail is the best way to get your festivities underway
Coat sweet carrots in a punchy whisky glaze and scatter with bittersweet tarragon for the ultimate vegan side dish that will definitely take your guests by surprise.
A stunning Christmas dinner main, an easy meal for over the holiday season or an impressive New Year's Day lunch. Whenever you choose to enjoy this salmon recipe, it won't disappoint! A sticky, sweet and spicy clementine syrup is brushed over the salmon and then baked till golden. Delicious!
This festive tart combines sweet roasted carrots, savoury shallots, punchy pesto and a hint of orange. Extra pesto can be saved in an airtight container for up to 5 days.