Get ahead christmas recipes

Get-ahead for Christmas with our wonderful collection of recipes, tips and tricks. Make what you can in advance so you can spend more time with the people you love on the day.

Get-ahead Christmas cooking tips

Pigs in blankets get ahead recipe

How to get ahead for Christmas

Get ahead with a few key Christmas dishes will save you time and reduce stress on The Big Day. Start by prepping these festive favourites.

Jamie in the kitchen making Get-ahead gravy

Making the most of your Get-ahead gravy

You’re gonna love our Get-ahead gravy tips and tricks, from flavour boosters and easy swaps to loving those leftovers.

Christmas pudding flaming blue with holly as decoration

Stir-up Sunday: perfect Christmas pudding recipes

Making your own Christmas pudding and mincemeat means you can get the recipe just as you like it. Here's what we think is the perfect Christmas pudding

Get-ahead starters

A plate of smoked salmon pȃté with celery and a plate of toasted bread

Smoked salmon pâté

30 mins

Christmas salad

Christmas salad

20 mins

Scrumptious garlic bread

Scrumptious garlic bread

Smoked salmon oat blinis

Smoked salmon oat blinis

sloe gin gravadlax

Sloe gin gravlax

40 mins

Get-ahead mains

Preparing the turkey

Prepping the turkey

30 mins

Jamie's easy turkey – 2 ways

Jamie's easy turkey – 2 ways

2 hrs 15 mins

Roast turkey for 12

Roast turkey for 12

3 hrs 45 mins

Roast turkey for 6

Roast turkey for 6

2 hrs 25 mins

Mulled wine glazed ham

Mulled wine glazed ham

2 hrs 40 mins

Epic mixed roast

Epic mixed roast

beef bourguignon with beef cheeks, bacon button mushrooms & baby onions

My sumptuous beef bourguignon

5 hrs

Veggie crown

Veggie crown

Nut roast recipe

Incredible nut roast

2 hrs 20 mins

Get-ahead sides

Crispy roast potatoes on a baking tray with sage and garlic

Best roast potatoes

2 hrs

Christmas meat stuffing

Meat stuffing

1 hr 15 mins

Apricot & sausage stuffing

Apricot & sausage stuffing

1 hr 20 mins

Hands holding a terracotta bowl of cauliflower cheese topped with almonds

Cauliflower cheese

1 hr 35 mins

Pigs in blankets recipe

Pigs in blankets

45 mins

Braised red cabbage

Red cabbage

35 mins

Christmas turkey

Christmas butter

25 mins

Comforting mash

Comforting mash

Christmas gravy recipes

Get-ahead gravy

2 hrs

Veggie gravy

Veggie gravy

apple and cranberry sauce

Apple & cranberry sauce

30 mins

Bread sauce

Beautiful bread sauce

25 mins

Fennel gratin

Fennel gratin

Amazing hasselback potatoes

Amazing hasselback potatoes

Easy Yorkshire pudding recipe on a baking tray

Amazing Yorkies

30 mins

Get-ahead desserts

Mince pies

Classic mince pies

2 hrs 15 mins

My Christmas cake

My Christmas cake

3 hrs 30 mins

Gluten-free Christmas pudding

Gluten-free Christmas pudding

30 mins

fruit and nut topped Christmas cake

Fruit & nut topping for Christmas cake

15 mins

Yule log

Chocolate log

1 hr

Taron's mum's Christmas trifle

Taron's mum's Christmas trifle

1 hr

Anything goes Christmas strudel

Anything goes Christmas strudel

1 hr

Buddy's mince pie pinwheels

Buddy's mince pie pinwheels

40 mins

Banana panettone pudding

Banana panettone pudding

Christmas Cosmopolitan

Christmas Cosmopolitan

15 mins

Bramble

Bramble

Winter pudding bombe

Winter bombe

20 mins

Christmas tiramisu in a large serving bowl with grated chocolate on top

Tiramisù

40 mins

Christmas trifle

Retro trifle

30 mins

Jamie Oliver standing with friends and family while holding a tray with a bombe cake that has sparklers and two oranges.

Festive feasts

Christmas hub

All the recipes you need to make cooking this Christmas easy and downright delicious.