Stress-Free Christmas Lunch Recipes for an Effortless Holiday Menu
It’s the holiday season, and this means…FOOD! When it comes to Christmas recipes, we all know the major meals we have to cover. Christmas Day and all the Christmas dinner ideas, obviously! And, we all usually have our favourites (or at least a plan) for Christmas Eve and Christmas breakfast too. Christmas cookies? New Year’s Eve buffet? Already on it! But there is one meal that I know I tend to neglect, and maybe you do too: Christmas lunch! So, I decided to put together a Christmas menu of lunch ideas to help me feed a crowd (or just my family) during the midday hour. And, I thought I would share these Christmas lunch ideas with you too, in case you have the same struggle as me!
Let’s begin!
Sliders, Sandwiches and Flatbreads
Let’s start with the obvious: everyone loves a good sandwich! This is the perfect easy meal to put together for lunch during the holidays. But simple doesn’t need to be boring, and there’s so much more than grilled cheese waiting for you out there! I’ve got some delicious, exciting sandwich ideas that are sure to please your family or guests without a lot of effort.
A Leftover Turkey Favourite
Baked Turkey Cheddar Ranch Pull-Apart Sliders
These sliders are perfect for AFTER Christmas dinner when you need to figure out what to do with all your main course turkey leftovers. Gather your leftover turkey, some cooked & crumbled bacon, red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, mustard, and ranch dressing, and smush it all inside some soft tray buns. Seriously. Assemble in minutes, pop them in the oven to bake, and the result is a warm, cheesy, flavourful turkey sandwich. You’ll never dread turkey leftover day again, I promise!
A Crowd Favourite
Easy Pepperoni Pizza Sliders
These Easy Pull Apart Pepperoni Pizza Sliders are made with soft buns stuffed full of pepperoni, pizza sauce and ooey gooey cheese, then slathered in delicious garlic butter. Layer the ingredients then pop them in the oven to bake, and the result is a warm, cheesy, flavourful pepperoni pizza slider, without all the work of actually making pizza! This is one of our family favorites that I’m so excited to share.
The Ultimate Wow
Prime Rib Sliders with Caramelized Onions and Horseradish Cream
If you’re looking for the ultimate Christmas appetizers or lunch recipe to wow your guests, this fun twist on one of those classic mains is it. After all, what’s more delicious than prime rib? Prime rib sliders with caramelized onions and horseradish cream sauce! And for the extra wow factor, make gravy from the prime rib drippings to dip your sandwich in or add an extra layer of goodness to the sandwich itself. Yum!
The perfect easy lunch
Caramelized Onion, Apple and Brie Flatbread Pizzas
There are certain ingredients that I always have in the house during the holidays. Onion is found in almost all my holiday recipes, I’m a big maker of apple pies, and brie is one of my favourite appetizer building blocks! So, these easy and delicious pizzas are simple for me to throw together at the last minute. They are loaded with balsamic caramelized onions, sliced Granny Smith apples, double cream Brie cheese, and spicy arugula. The perfect easy lunch that’s ready in minutes!
Delicious and Flavourful
Easy Meatball Subs
If you’re trying to plan ahead and looking for ideas to make in advance before the holidays get busy, you need to try these Easy Meatball Subs! You just can’t go wrong with saucy, meaty buns, loaded with 3 kinds of cheese. I keep a bag of frozen cooked meatballs, buns, and jars of pasta sauce ready for when the mood strikes me and I want to make these delicious cheese melts. This would be a very easy holiday meal to prep and everyone is sure to love it!
Casual Yet Fancy
Easy Italian Sandwich
This family favourite requires nothing more than a trip to your local Italian deli to prep! I know I always visit mine around the holidays to stock up on cheese and other goodies for festive recipes for appetizers, and I make sure I get what I need for these delicious sandwiches too. They are loaded with Capicola meat, thinly sliced Mortadella sausage, Genoa salami, Provolone cheese, red pepper vegetable spread and fresh basil, all squished between a fresh loaf of French bread. The perfect casual yet fancy midday meal.
Soups and Salads
Nothing rounds out a rich and complicated holiday menu like a good old-fashioned soup and salad lunch! I’ve put together some nice options for this easy, light meal that won’t fill your guests up too much before the main event! Feel free to mix and match the salad options as either full meals or side dishes for the soups, and just have fun with it!
A Party Perfect Salad
Avocado Corn Couscous Salad
This Avocado Corn Couscous Salad is simple and delicious! It’s made with pearl couscous, roasted corn, avocado, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, and bocconcini cheese all tossed in a tangy dressing. It’s a complete meal that takes only minutes to throw together! Perfect.
easy & Delicious
French Onion Soup
This classic recipe for French Onion Soup can be on your table in 1 hour! Made with sweet onions, flavourful vegetable broth, fresh thyme, chunks of crusty bread and loads of cheese, it’s a whole meal all by itself, but you can add a green salad if you want more veggies. Either way, it’s easy peasy and so delicious!
Comfort Food at it’s best
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
There’s nothing fancy in this soup, just simple easy-to-find ingredients that come together to make the most rich and delicious comfort food. Tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, hearty veggies and a rich, creamy broth are ready for eating in about 35 minutes. A perfectly nice soup for the holidays when you just want to be lazy and comfy!
Simple and Hearty
Easy Sausage Potato Soup
On cold, wintery, Christmas-y days, I think chatting over a hearty bowl of thick soup is the perfect way to spend an afternoon with family or friends. This Easy Sausage Potato Soup checks all the boxes and is ready to eat in an hour. Brown the sausage, then sauté the potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and spices in the same pot with the drippings. Add the chicken broth, cream, and cheese, simmer, and lunch is ready!
A Twist on a Classic
Cobb Pasta Salad
This Cobb Pasta Salad is a delicious twist on a classic favourite! Made with lettuce, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, onions, chicken, avocado, and crumbled cheese then tossed with cooked noodles and a tangy vinaigrette, this is a complete meal in a bowl that is packed full of flavour. And it’s so convenient too!
A Make Ahead Recipe
Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad
This Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad is quick, easy and so delicious! It’s loaded with noodles, chunks of cheddar cheese, bacon, fresh peas, celery, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli, all mixed with a creamy ranch dressing. Add chicken and it becomes a full meal! Make it ahead of time and have zero lunchtime stress this holiday season.
The Perfect PAir
Bread Machine Parker House Rolls
If you really want to sell these soups and salads as a full meal, why not add some delicious homemade buns? These Parker House Rolls are the ultimate dinner roll! They’re so soft and buttery and a little bit salty. They pair with everything and also make great sandwiches. Plus, you can make the dough in your breadmaker to save you so much time and effort during this busy season!
One-Pot Meals and Casserole Dishes
A big time-saver for any season is a good one-pot meal. Minimal cleanup, a short prep time, and recipes you can easily adjust for the size of your crowd mean they are a great Christmas lunch idea! Here are some of my favourite one-pot Christmas lunch recipes for you to choose from.
PErfect for the Holidays
Three Cheese Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Make this Three Cheese Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese recipe in less than 1 hour! Three cheeses make it just a little bit fancy and you can use whatever cheeses you like best. Add a green salad (and maybe some leftover Christmas ham!) for a complete and easy meal.
Perfect for Breakfast or Lunch
Bacon & Cheese Quiche
I love a good quiche! Most think of quiches as breakfast food, but they’re great for lunch too. You can load them up with your favourite vegetables, use your preferred cheese, add ham, bacon, pancetta…tailor them to your tastebuds! Quiches are great because the ingredients are so simple, chances are you have everything you need right in your fridge. The perfect way to keep your fridge under control and your guests happy over the holidays!
A Warm MExican Dish
Easy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Mexican food is one of my favourites, especially during the cold months! The flavours are warm and cozy and are a nice change from the other staple foods in my house. And with just a few simple ingredients like sour cream, enchilada sauce, cheese, and cooked shredded chicken breast, nothing could be easier than this Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole!
A Classic Casserole
Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
I think it’s so important to remember that meals don’t always have to be fancy or complicated. A simple noodle casserole like this one hits all the major food groups (especially if you add broccoli or peas) and is easy to prepare. Noodles and cheese are always a good idea for lunch, don’t you think?
Perfect for Christmas lunch
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Plus 7+ Delicious Serving Ideas
There are few things more delicious and versatile than pulled pork cooked to perfection in the slow cooker! In this post, I’m sharing my recipe for cooking it to perfection with all the right spices, and then seven easy ways to serve it, including pulled pork sandwiches, stuffed peppers, and more! All of them are perfect for Christmas lunches.
Classic comfort food for a crowd
Classic Lasagna Recipe
This lasagna is the perfect make ahead lunch to feed a crowd and a firm favourite in my house! Made with layers of rich tomato sauce and ground beef, noodles, ricotta cheese, and loads of shredded mozzarella and parmesan, you really can’t go wrong with this classic comfort food.
Appetizers and Ideas for Grazing
Sometimes we don’t want to serve actual meals over the holidays, and that’s ok! The meals that follow are perfect to be left out to graze on or as a casual come as you go lunch too. (They also double as holiday appetizers!)
An Easy Lunch Dip
Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip
This Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip is a spicy, tangy, creamy dip that’s perfect for a party or every day! Bake it in a sourdough bread bowl and serve it hot with carrot and celery sticks, crackers, and chunks of sourdough bread. Perfect for an easy Christmas season lunch!
A Tried and True Favourite
Classic Spinach Dip Recipe
Looking for a tried-and-true recipe that’s perfect for a snack-turned-lunch? This Classic Spinach Dip is made with Knorrs Vegetable Soup Mix as a secret ingredient. It’s truly delicious served in a bread bowl as a dip for fresh vegetables, crackers, and chunks of bread!
Charcuterie for a crowd
How to Make a Charcuterie Board
This list would be incomplete without a recipe for the best appetizer/grazing food of all: a classic charcuterie board! There’s something so appealing about a board loaded up with all kinds of olives, meats, cheeses, crackers, fruit, and nuts. Let me show you how to put together a beautifully balanced and visually appealing snack board.
Sweet & SAvoury
Dessert Cheese Plate
I’m a big fan of grazing on sweet items during the holidays, not just savoury! So, try thinking outside the charcuterie board, and make a Dessert Cheese Plate instead! This plate is loaded up with delicious cheese, chocolate, nuts, and fruit! Perfect for entertaining or just hanging out at home and not cooking!
Satisfy that Craving
Cheese Fondue Appetizer
I don’t know what it is about the holiday season, but it makes me crave a good cheese fondue. Just the idea of dipping into a rich bowl of melted cheese on a cold winter’s day is enough to set Christmas carols playing in my head! And it’s such an easy lunch: Choose your cheese, add some lemon juice juice, and put out a variety of meats, breads, and veggies for dipping. Who says you need a special occasion to eat this for lunch?
Something for the Kids
Kid-Friendly Snack and Cheese Plate
Kids don’t always love the same things adults do, so I always like to put out something I know they will be excited about. This Kid-Friendly Snack and Cheese Plate is full of things that all ages will enjoy! It’s loaded up with apple chips, fruit, veggies, cheese and delicious finger foods that will be enjoyed by kids and adults alike!
And that’s it! A list of lunch menu ideas for a less stressful and deliciously merry Christmas season! I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as my family does.
a complete guide
Christmas Dinner Ideas
All the Best Christmas Dinner Ideas you need to inspire and create your Christmas Dinner Menu! Main dishes, side dishes, desserts and drinks. FREE printable menu included.
Finish with a delectable dessert
Best Christmas Desserts
A collection of my favourite Christmas dessert and candy recipes, from cakes to squares, nougat, pavlovas, cupcakes, and more!
Have a delicious day!
