10 Jamie Oliver Christmas Eve Dinner Recipes

Christmas Eve calls for food that is cosy and comforting but does not keep you in the kitchen all night. These ten recipes, inspired by Jamie Oliver’s relaxed, generous home cooking, include a creamy fish pie, a gooey baked camembert to share, hearty pies and stews, a quick prawn pasta and a warm chocolate pudding to finish.

Many can be made earlier in the day and simply baked or reheated in the evening, leaving you free to wrap the last presents and get ready for the big day. Choose one main and maybe the camembert to start, and Christmas Eve sorts itself out.

1. Fish Pie with Prawns and Smoked Haddock

A creamy fish pie with smoked haddock, salmon and prawns under crispy mash is a Christmas Eve tradition in many homes. Make it in the morning and bake it in the evening.

Servings: 6 · Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 400g smoked haddock, skinless
• 300g salmon fillet, skinless
• 600ml whole milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 200g raw peeled king prawns
• 100g baby spinach
• 50g butter, plus extra for the mash
• 50g plain flour
• Small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1.2kg floury potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 50g mature Cheddar, grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas mark 6. Poach the haddock and salmon in the milk with the bay for 5 minutes. Lift out, flake into a dish with the raw prawns and spinach. Keep the milk.
2. Melt the butter, stir in the flour and gradually whisk in the poaching milk until thick. Add the parsley and lemon zest, season and pour over the fish.
3. Boil and mash the potatoes with butter and seasoning, spread over the top and sprinkle with Cheddar.
4. Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and bubbling, the prawns are pink and opaque and the filling is piping hot.

2. Baked Camembert with Garlic and Rosemary

A whole camembert baked until molten and studded with garlic and rosemary is the perfect sharing starter. Dunk in crusty bread and crunchy veg.

Servings: 4 · Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 x 250g camembert in its wooden box
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp runny honey (optional)
• Crusty bread, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas mark 6. Remove any plastic wrapping and put the cheese back in its box.
2. Score the top, poke in the garlic slivers and small rosemary sprigs and drizzle with oil.
3. Bake on a tray for 15–20 minutes until soft and molten in the middle. Drizzle with honey if you like and serve straight away with bread.

3. Prawn Spaghetti with Chilli and Lemon

Garlicky prawns, chilli, lemon and parsley tossed through spaghetti make a light, quick supper before the big day. It is on the table in fifteen minutes.

Servings: 4 · Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 400g dried spaghetti
• 300g raw peeled king prawns
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water according to the packet, keeping a mugful of the cooking water.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic and chilli for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the prawns and cook for 2–3 minutes until pink and opaque all the way through.
4. Toss in the drained spaghetti with the lemon zest and juice, parsley and a splash of cooking water. Season and serve.

4. Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie

A creamy chicken, leek and mushroom filling under a golden puff pastry lid is pure comfort. Make the filling ahead and top with pastry just before baking.

Servings: 6 · Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 800g skinless chicken thighs, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks, sliced
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 400ml chicken stock
• 150ml double cream
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 320g ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Brown the chicken in the oil in a large pan, then add the leeks, mushrooms and garlic and cook for 8 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour, then add the stock, cream and thyme and simmer for 15 minutes until thick and the chicken reaches 75°C. Season and spoon into a pie dish.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas mark 6. Top with the pastry, trim, crimp and brush with egg.
4. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and the filling is piping hot.

5. Salmon and Crispy Potato Traybake

Everything cooks in one tray: crispy potatoes, sweet tomatoes, olives and tender salmon. It is a light, easy supper with almost no washing up.

Servings: 4 · Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets, skin on
• 800g new potatoes, halved
• 250g cherry tomatoes on the vine
• 50g black olives
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Small bunch fresh basil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas mark 6. Toss the potatoes with 3 tbsp oil, oregano and seasoning and roast for 30 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, olives and lemon slices, then nestle in the salmon skin-side up. Drizzle with the remaining oil.
3. Roast for 12–15 minutes until the salmon is opaque and reaches 63°C. Scatter with basil and serve.

6. Beef Stew with Herby Dumplings

A rich beef stew topped with fluffy herby dumplings is the ultimate cosy supper. It can be made a day ahead, with the dumplings added when you reheat it.

Servings: 6 · Total time: 3 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1.2kg braising steak, diced
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 litre beef stock
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• For the dumplings: 200g self-raising flour
• For the dumplings: 100g vegetable suet
• For the dumplings: 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan), gas mark 3. Toss the beef in seasoned flour and brown in batches in the oil in a large casserole.
2. Add the onions, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes, stir in the tomato purée, then the stock, Worcestershire sauce and bay. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours 30 minutes.
3. Mix the dumpling ingredients with a pinch of salt and enough cold water to make a soft dough. Shape into 12 balls.
4. Sit the dumplings on the stew and cook uncovered for 25–30 minutes until risen and golden, and the stew is piping hot.

7. Squash and Spinach Risotto

A creamy risotto with sweet roasted squash, spinach and crispy sage is comforting yet light enough before Christmas Day. It is lovely for vegetarian guests too.

Servings: 4 · Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 500g butternut squash, diced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 300g risotto rice
• 1.2 litres hot vegetable stock
• 100g baby spinach
• 25g butter
• 50g vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, grated
• Small bunch fresh sage
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas mark 6. Roast the squash in 1 tbsp oil for 25 minutes.
2. Fry the onion and garlic in 1 tbsp oil for 5 minutes, stir in the rice, then add the stock a ladle at a time, stirring, for 18–20 minutes until creamy and tender.
3. Stir in the spinach, half the squash (mashed), the butter and cheese. Season.
4. Fry the sage in the remaining oil until crisp and serve on top with the rest of the squash.

8. Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Spiced lamb meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce and finished with feta and mint are full of flavour. Serve with crusty bread, couscous or pasta.

Servings: 4 · Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 500g lamb mince
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 75g feta, crumbled
• Small bunch fresh mint
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Mix the lamb with the cumin, oregano, lemon zest and seasoning and roll into 20 meatballs.
2. Brown the meatballs in the oil in a large pan and set aside.
3. Fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, add the tomatoes and chilli and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Return the meatballs and simmer for 12–15 minutes until they reach 75°C in the centre. Scatter with feta and mint.

9. Cheese and Onion Tart

A golden cheese and caramelised onion tart is lovely warm with salad or cold the next day. It makes an easy Christmas Eve lunch or supper.

Servings: 6 · Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 320g ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 3 large eggs
• 250ml double cream
• 150g mature Cheddar, grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), gas mark 6. Line a 23cm tart tin with the pastry and bake blind for 15 minutes, then 5 minutes without beans.
2. Cook the onions in the oil gently for 20 minutes until golden. Add the thyme.
3. Reduce the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), gas mark 4. Spread the onions and cheese in the case. Whisk the eggs and cream, season and pour over.
4. Bake for 30 minutes until just set and golden. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

10. Self-Saucing Chocolate Puddings

Little chocolate sponges bake on top of their own rich, glossy sauce, so you get a gooey treat in every spoonful. They are easy to make and impossible to resist.

Servings: 4 · Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 100g self-raising flour
• 25g cocoa powder, plus 2 tbsp for the sauce
• 75g caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 75ml whole milk
• 50g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 75g light brown sugar
• 200ml boiling water
• Ice cream and raspberries, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), gas mark 4. Grease 4 ovenproof mugs or ramekins and place on a baking tray.
2. Mix the flour, 25g cocoa and caster sugar. Whisk in the egg, milk and melted butter to make a smooth batter and divide between the ramekins.
3. Mix the brown sugar and 2 tbsp cocoa and sprinkle over each pudding, then carefully pour 50ml boiling water over each.
4. Bake for 18–20 minutes until the sponge is risen and set on top with a pool of sauce underneath. Serve with ice cream and raspberries.