6 Recipes for a Christmas Eve Feast - Louisiana Cookin' (2024)

  • Blog
  • TK Tony Chachere

FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsApp

    Gather around the table for a flavor-packed Yuletide celebration with these 6 recipes for a Christmas Eve Feast. Find more holiday recipes here.

    6 Recipes for a Christmas Eve Feast - Louisiana Cookin' (2)This bold and flavorful New Orleans co*cktail gets a warm spice makeover in this incredibly easy batched version.

    Save Recipe Print

    Winter Spiced Vieux Carré Freezer co*cktail

    Makes 8 to 10 Servings

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup cognac
    • 5 whole cloves
    • 1 whole star anise
    • 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
    • 1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, cut in half
    • 1 cup sweet vermouth
    • 1 cup rye whiskey
    • ¾ cup distilled water
    • 1½ tablespoons Bénédictine
    • 1 teaspoon Angostura bitters
    • 1 teaspoon Peychaud’s bitters
    • Garnish: dried orange slices

    Instructions

    1. In a pint-size Mason jar or other sealable container, combine cognac, cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, and ginger. Seal, and place in a cool, dark place until desired flavor is achieved, 3 days to 1 week. Strain, discarding solids.
    2. In a large pitcher or glass bottle, combine spiced cognac, sweet vermouth, whiskey, ¾ cup distilled water, Bénédictine, and all bitters. Freeze for 4 hours or up to overnight.
    3. To serve, pour desired amount into a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with orange slice, if desired.

    6 Recipes for a Christmas Eve Feast - Louisiana Cookin' (3)These puffs can be frozen ahead of time and baked up in a jiffy.

    Save Recipe Print

    Andouille Puffs with Creole Mustard Sauce

    Makes 32

    Ingredients

    • 1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
    • 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, divided
    • 1 (1-pound) package andouille sausage, cut diagonally into ¾-inch pieces
    • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • ¼ cup Creole mustard
    • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
    • ½ teaspoon grated garlic

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
    2. On a lightly floured surface, cut each puff pastry sheet into 16 (2½-inch) squares. Using a fork, prick each square all over. Spread about ⅛ teaspoon Dijon mustard in center of each square. Top each with 1 piece andouille. Fold two opposite corners of each puff pastry square over andouille; brush with egg, and pinch to seal. Secure with wooden picks. Place on prepared pan, and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
    3. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, Creole mustard, hot sauce, garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard.
    4. Brush puffs all over with egg.
    5. Bake until lightly golden, about 18 minutes. Carefully remove wooden picks, turn puffs, and bake for 5 minutes more. Serve hot with mustard sauce.

    6 Recipes for a Christmas Eve Feast - Louisiana Cookin' (4)If you have leftover dressing, you’re in for a treat. Check out the Oyster Dressing-Stuffed Mirlitons.

    Save Recipe Print

    Oyster Cornbread Dressing

    Makes 6 Servings

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup unsalted butter
    • 1½ cups chopped yellow onion
    • 1 cup chopped celery
    • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
    • ⅓ cup chopped green onion
    • 2 cups chopped baby spinach
    • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    • 10 cups ¾-inch-cubed day-old cornbread (about 1¾ pounds)
    • ½ cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
    • 1½ teaspoons Creole seasoning
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 (16-ounce) containers shucked oysters, drained (reserve oyster liquor)
    • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
    • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
    2. In a medium skillet, melt ¼ cup butter over medium-high heat. Add yellow onion, celery, bell pepper, and green onion; cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add spinach, parsley, sage, thyme, and garlic; cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl, and add cornbread, bread crumbs, Creole seasoning, salt, and black pepper; stir until combined.
    3. Coarsely chop any large oysters, and pat dry. Add oysters, 1 cup reserved oyster liquor, broth, eggs, and lemon juice to cornbread mixture; stir gently. Spoon into prepared pan. Drizzle with melted butter. Loosely cover with foil.
    4. Bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake until bread is lightly browned and oysters are curled around edges, about 30 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

    6 Recipes for a Christmas Eve Feast - Louisiana Cookin' (5)Celebrate Louisiana’s citrus season with this bright and colorful salad.

    Save Recipe Print

    Bitter Lettuces with Orange, Goat Cheese, and Pecans

    Makes 6 to 8 Servings

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
    • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 2 teaspoons honey
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼ cup extra-light olive oil
    • 1 medium head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
    • 2 heads frisée, washed and trimmed (2 cups)
    • 1 (5-ounce) container spinach and greens mix
    • ⅓ cup chopped toasted pecans, plus more to serve
    • ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese, plus more to serve
    • 2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
    • 2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick

    Instructions

    1. In the container of a blender, place orange juice, vinegar, shallot, thyme, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper; process until blended. With blender running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until blended.
    2. In a large bowl, combine radicchio, frisée, greens mix, pecans, and goat cheese. Top with orange slices. Drizzle with half of dressing. Serve with pecans, goat cheese, and dressing

    6 Recipes for a Christmas Eve Feast - Louisiana Cookin' (6)Treat your loved ones to a very special treat with this luxurious rib roast.

    Save Recipe Print

    Herbed and Spiced Standing Rib Roast

    Makes 10 to 12 Servings

    Ingredients

    • 1 (6- to 7-pound) 3-rib standing rib roast, fat cap trimmed to ¼ inch
    • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
    • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • ⅓ cup minced garlic
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh thyme
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
    • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
    • 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning*
    • 8 to 10 large sprigs fresh rosemary
    • 2 medium yellow onions, cut into ¼-inch wedges
    • 1 head garlic, cut in half
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 1 cup dry red wine
    • 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
    • 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

    Instructions

    1. Pat rib roast dry with paper towels; rub evenly with salt.
    2. In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic, thyme, parsley, mustard, peppercorns, and Creole seasoning. Spread butter mixture evenly over roast. Place rosemary on top of fat cap; secure with butcher’s twine. Place roast on a large platter or baking sheet; wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or up to overnight.
    3. Let roast stand, uncovered, at room temperature for 2 hours.
    4. Preheat oven to 250°.
    5. In a large roasting pan, place onion and garlic cut side up; drizzle with oil. Place V rack over vegetables, if desired. Place roast, fat cap side up, on vegetables.
    6. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of meat registers about 118°, 3 hours and 15 minutes to 3 hours and 45 minutes, or to desired degree of doneness. Transfer roast to cutting board, and loosely cover with foil. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 500°.
    7. Line a baking sheet with foil, and place a wire rack on top.
    8. Place roasting pan over medium-high heat; add wine, and cook, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon, until wine is reduced by half. Pour mixture into a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
    9. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup broth and cornstarch. Add cornstarch mixture and remaining 2¾ cups broth to wine, whisking until combined. Simmer until liquid is reduced by one-third and mixture is velvety in texture, about 15 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
    10. Discard butcher’s twine and rosemary. Move roast to prepared rack.
    11. Bake until exterior is browned and sizzling, about 10 minutes. Transfer roast to cutting board. Let cool enough to handle. Remove bones. Thinly slice against the grain, and serve hot with warm au jus.

    Notes

    *We used Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning.

    6 Recipes for a Christmas Eve Feast - Louisiana Cookin' (7)Save yourself time by roasting this dish ahead of time and reheating it, covered, at 325° for 15 minutes.

    Save Recipe Print

    Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Salsa Verde

    Makes 6 Servings

    Ingredients

    • 6 medium sweet potatoes, skins scrubbed
    • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons plain bread crumbs
    • 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
    • 2 tablespoons drained capers
    • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
    • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
    • 3 cups fresh parsley leaves
    • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
    • Crushed red pepper, to serve

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with foil.
    2. Cut ⅛-inch-thick slits crosswise into potatoes, going most but not all the way through. (Potatoes should remain intact at least ¼ inch from bottom.) Brush with 2 tablespoons oil, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Place on prepared pan, and cover with foil.
    3. In the container of a blender, place vinegar, bread crumbs, anchovy fillets, capers, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper, remaining ¾ cup oil, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt; process until finely chopped and well combined. Add parsley and cilantro, and process until finely chopped but not smooth.
    4. Bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake until fork-tender and lightly crisp, about 10 minutes more. Serve immediately with salsa verde and red pepper.

    6 Recipes for a Christmas Eve Feast - Louisiana Cookin' (2024)

    FAQs

    What is a good Christmas Eve meal? ›

    Christmas Eve recipes
    • Gratin of fresh & smoked salmon, beetroot, potatoes & dill. A star rating of 4.6 out of 5. ...
    • Cauliflower purée. A star rating of 0 out of 5. ...
    • Festive seafood sharing platter. ...
    • Air-fryer beef joint. ...
    • App onlyElote muffins. ...
    • Red velvet brownies. ...
    • Comté & rosemary shortbread. ...
    • Salted caramel crispy Rudolphs.

    What is traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve? ›

    Traditional dishes like pasties and ravioli with cabbage stuffing or dumplings with mushrooms and cabbage. Dumplings with potatoes and cottage cheese or stuffed only with mushrooms are other frequent Christmas Eve table items.

    What is a traditional Cajun Christmas dinner? ›

    Entrees: Dried Cranberry and Wild Pecan Rice® Dressing. Wild Pecan® Rice and Cornbread Dressing. Holiday Glazed Roast Pork with Apples. Roast Turkey with Sausage-Gumbo Stuffing.

    What do they eat for Christmas in Louisiana? ›

    Many holiday dinners include having seafood dishes like seafood gumbo and oyster dressing. Look for Cajun sausage and fried turkey — or a signature Louisiana turducken! Bread pudding, pralines, fudge candy, pound cake and divinity are some of the desserts served.

    What are the 7 dishes for Christmas Eve? ›

    Recipes for the “seven fishes” vary from region to region; this one uses crab, shrimp, calamari, clams, mussels, scallops and white fish.

    What do Catholics eat on Christmas Eve? ›

    The long tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat on the eve of a feast day. As no meat or animal fat could be used on such days, observant Catholics would instead eat fish (typically fried in oil).

    How can I make Christmas Eve special? ›

    12 Old-School Christmas Eve Traditions We'll Never Give Up
    1. Setting the Table for Christmas Dinner.
    2. Attending a Church Service.
    3. Leaving Cookies and Milk for Santa.
    4. Reading The Night Before Christmas.
    5. Wearing Matching Pajamas.
    6. Singing Carols.
    7. Watching It's A Wonderful Life.
    8. Opening One Round of Gifts Early.
    Nov 22, 2023

    How many dishes are served on Christmas Eve? ›

    This is a Provencal tradition that occurs nowhere else in France. In Poland 12 dishes -- one for each Apostle -- are traditionally served on Christmas Eve, or Wigilia (vigil), and all are set out at once.

    What is the most popular takeaway on Christmas Eve? ›

    TOP FIVE CUISINES ON CHRISTMAS EVE
    • PIZZA (32%)
    • CHINESE (27%)
    • FRIED CHICKEN (10%)
    • INDIAN (9%)
    • BURGER (7%)
    Dec 22, 2022

    What are 3 traditionally Cajun meals? ›

    7 Popular Cajun Cuisines You Need to Try
    • Gumbo. Gumbo is one of the favorite stews among Cajun enthusiasts. ...
    • Etouffee. A ubiquitous Cajun cuisine, etouffee is made using a popular cooking method known as smothering. ...
    • Jambalaya. ...
    • Crawfish Boil. ...
    • Boudin Sausage. ...
    • Alligator. ...
    • Corn Maque Choux. ...
    • Bottom-Line.

    What do New Orleans eat for Christmas? ›

    New Orleans Holiday Recipes
    • Crawfish Etouffee, Paul Broussard.
    • Bananas Foster, Cheryl Gerber.
    • Pralines, Rebecca Todd.
    • BBQ Shrimp, Justen Williams.
    • Chive Buttermilk Biscuits with Honey Butter; StarChefs, Compere Lapin.
    • Brandy Milk Punch, Paul Broussard.
    • Ramos Gin Fizz, Rebecca Todd.
    • Cafe Brulot, Paul Broussard.
    Dec 21, 2020

    What do Cajuns do for Christmas? ›

    Bread pudding, pralines, fudge candy, pound cake and divinity are some of the desserts served. There's music, laughter, and dancing as all make merry on Christmas Eve as they bring each other glad tidings. Stockings or socks are hung by the fireplace for Père Noël to leave candies, fruit, and small gifts.

    What is the Christmas dessert in New Orleans? ›

    Holiday Favorites
    Pfeffernusse Spice CookiesBread Pudding With Irish Whiskey Sauce
    Bread Pudding with Rum SauceDeep Dish Apple Cranberry Pie
    Sweet Potato Pie with Sesame Praline CrustPumpkin-Pecan Layer Cake
    Sugar and Spice CookiesSweet Potato Pie
    New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with Hard SauceGrand Marnier Creme Brûlée
    8 more rows

    What is the most Christmassy town in Louisiana? ›

    Natchitoches (NACK-a-tish) has been called the “City of Lights” since 1927, when the city's chief electrician decided that stringing Christmas lights along Front Street would be a nice gift to the town's residents.

    Do people eat Christmas dinner on Eve? ›

    It depends on your family traditions. Some families all get together on Christmas Eve and do it then. Some on Christmas Day.

    What do you put on a Christmas Eve buffet? ›

    Best Dishes for an Easy Christmas Buffet
    1. 1/16. Ham and Cheese Board. ...
    2. 2/16. Cranberry-Orange Holiday Punch. ...
    3. 3/16. Chocolate-Dipped Chips. ...
    4. 4/16. Asparagus Tart. ...
    5. 5/16. Holiday Wreath Cheese Ball. ...
    6. 6/16. Whole Roasted Salmon. ...
    7. 7/16. Turkey with Stuffing. ...
    8. 8/16. Slow Cooker Pot Roast.
    Feb 10, 2022

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Article information

    Author: Barbera Armstrong

    Last Updated:

    Views: 5862

    Rating: 4.9 / 5 (79 voted)

    Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Barbera Armstrong

    Birthday: 1992-09-12

    Address: Suite 993 99852 Daugherty Causeway, Ritchiehaven, VT 49630

    Phone: +5026838435397

    Job: National Engineer

    Hobby: Listening to music, Board games, Photography, Ice skating, LARPing, Kite flying, Rugby

    Introduction: My name is Barbera Armstrong, I am a lovely, delightful, cooperative, funny, enchanting, vivacious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.