Christmas starter recipes
Showing 1 to 24 of 107 results
Smoked salmon terrine
A show-stopping layered fish centrepiece with cream cheese and lemon filling, flavoured with dill and chives
Bourbon-glazed pork belly chunks
Your guests will snap up these cubes of crispy belly pork in sticky, sweet whiskey marinade with soy, anise and honey flavours
Dressed crab cups
A simple, stylish canapé of shellfish with Dijon mustard and lemon, served in individual lettuce cups
Scandi smoked salmon
Try a Scandinavian approach to your smoked fish by adding dill, horseradish, lemon and red onion - great as part of a sharing platter
Prawn & fennel bisque
A luxurious seafood soup that is rich in flavour, perfect for formal entertaining and low in calories too
Giant smoked salmon & beetroot blini
These super-sized buckwheat pancakes make a great dinner party or festive starter for sharing
Shukhi – warm beetroot & mushroom salad
This Ukrainian dish is traditionally eaten at Christmas - serve on toasted rye bread for a crostini-like starter or party canapé
Smoked salmon carpaccio
James Martin's stunning seafood starter is guaranteed to impress at any dinner party - layer with beetroot, orange and tangy horseradish cream
Whipped brie salad with dates & candied walnuts
This sumptuous salad is perfect for a group starter and can be whipped up the night before
Smoked trout pâté & pitta crisps
Cheaper than smoked salmon, this smoked trout dip makes a smart party nibble or simple starter
Clementine, feta & winter leaf salad
This wonderfully light salad is packed with easy-to-find seasonal ingredients and makes a great Christmas starter
Creamy smoked salmon, leek & potato soup
Creamy and low-fat aren't words you often hear together, but that's exactly what you get with this freeze-ahead starter
Fresh & smoked salmon rillettes
A simple starter, fresh and rich, that makes a bit more of a pack of smoked salmon - serve instead of pâté on rye or piled into chicory leaves
Potted ham
This simple starter is a great way to use up leftover ham and you can freeze it ahead
Venetian-style scallops
A quick but impressive starter of plump scallops scattered with toasted breadcrumbs
Truffled parsnip & parmesan bruschetta
Scented truffle oil and fresh parmesan make humble parsnips the star in this tasty Christmas canapé
Baked camembert pie for sharing
Baked cheese gets even more indulgent. A layer of quince or cranberry jelly adds an extra dimension to this group-sized starter
Crab, avocado & herby hollandaise tarts
These versatile crab tarts are perfect for Christmas or celebratory meals
Smoked salmon & avocado terrines
A light, elegant make-ahead starter to ease you into the Christmas Day blow-out, or to kick off a dinner party menu
Potted stilton
Crack the buttery crust to reveal delicious blue cheese flavoured with sherry and green peppercorns – it's great on toast
Pear & manchego salad
Spruce up a salad with a rosemary, honey and hazelnut crumb to accompany Spanish cheese, sweet fruit and bitter leaves
Goat's cheese, spring onion & parsley soufflés
These soufflés may take a while to perfect but once mastered, they'll be a starter you return to time and again
Three-cheese soufflés
With a double layer of goat's cheese and a coating of cream, these bistro-style bakes are authentically rich
Prawn, pomegranate & grapefruit salad
Bypass bread croutons and a heavy cream dressing and instead serve up a crispy, fruity salad with shellfish