It’s time to put the final touches on the Christmas dinner menu. This means it’s time to think about all those delicious Irish Christmas foods you’ll be serving up next week!
Whether you call it Christmas dinner, dinner, or dinner on Christmas, here are the most traditional Irish Christmas foods everyone expects to see on their table.
If you’re celebrating in an Irish-American home, you can probably expect some of these dishes to pop up. Especially alongside ham and green bean casserole or honey-glazed ham!
1. Pudding & Fruit Cakes
The starter of our Irish Christmas foods list is Pudding. This is a traditional Irish dessert served at the end of a meal. It’s a thick, rich custard made from milk and eggs, often flavored with vanilla and cinnamon.
Usually, Pudding is boiled in a large basin on the stove before being poured into individual serving bowls.
Fruit cakes are typically dense, heavy cakes with dried fruit, nuts, and spices mixed into their batter. They’re usually moistened with butter or oil to keep them from drying out during baking.
2. Chocolate Kimberleys
Chocolate Kimberleys are delicious and traditional Irish Christmas foods. The best bit about these treats is that they can be made as a part of a shared dessert or as an individual sweet treat. It is just perfect for indulging after dinner.
Firstly, cut three fingers from an angel food cake to form the base layer. Frost this with buttercream frosting, then place another piece on top, sticking it down with a little more frosting.
Next, roll up two-thirds of your chocolate wafers and place them on one side of the cake. This leaves enough room for more chocolate Kimberley to be placed around the edge.
3. Ferrero Rocher
Ferrero Rocher is the third on our list of Irish Christmas foods, an Italian confectionery made with hazelnuts, cocoa, and sugar. It was created in 1982 by Michele Ferrero, who died on April 18th at the age of 89.
Ferrero Rocher is eaten all year round, but it’s especially popular during the holiday season. This is because it’s a festive food that symbolizes happiness and joy. The chocolate-covered rounds are sold in two sizes: 14 pieces for $14.99 or 33 pieces for $24.99.
4. Cold Turkey/Ham Sandwiches An Hour After The Dinner
An hour after dinner, cold turkey/ham sandwiches are traditionally eaten as a post-meal snack in Ireland. The sandwich is served with bread, butter, mustard; mayonnaise; or butter and ketchup.
This can be consumed with either hot or cold tea. Think about the mind-blowing awesomeness Irish Christmas foods give; this sandwich has it!
5. Mince Pies
Mince pies as Irish Christmas foods? Yes, that’s right! Another type of food that’s considered to be festive is mince pies – they’re very popular at this time of year.
Usually, they’re made up of fruit like apples, raisins, and cherries mixed with a pastry filling. Sometimes you might see these filled with cream too! You will also find other desserts on offer, like chocolate cake or apple pie.
6. Sausage Stuffing
Irish Sausage Stuffing is an appetizer or side dish that is often served at Christmastime, especially in the South. It consists of ground sausage and bread crumbs cooked together with onions, celery, carrots, and spices.
The mixture is then placed in a baking dish and covered with crushed butter crackers or bread crumbs before being baked.
What’s more? The buttery layer on top gives it a crispy crust. It can be served hot as an appetizer (with cranberry sauce) or cold as a side dish (with cranberry sauce, green beans, and potatoes).
A variant has bacon added to it, although this version may not be suitable for vegetarians. Do you want to go all out with Irish Christmas foods? Start with Sausage Stuffing!
7. The Uneaten Blue Cheese
We are still on our list of different Irish Christmas foods. For a more traditional take on holiday, try the uneaten blue cheese as an appetizer. It may not be for everyone, but this is a particular favorite in Ireland.
Meanwhile, the uneaten blue cheese consists of two pieces of cheese that have been aged for several months: one is moldy, and the other is still fresh.
It’s a rich, tangy taste that can be washed down with a glass of red wine or Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur. You are sure going to love this!
8. Hot Pudding and Cold Trifle in the Same Bowl
Hot pudding is a staple on the Irish Christmas foods list. Made from mashed potatoes, butter, sugar, and milk, it’s been a favorite for many generations.
Also, a Cold trifle is served as an accompaniment to the main meal at many family events in Ireland. Cold trifle is made from layers of sponge cake soaked in sherry or white wine. It is then layered with jam and topped with cream – delicious!
9. Wensleydale with Cranberries
Wensleydale with cranberries is a traditional dish served during the Christmas season. The combination of sweet and tart cranberries, creamy cheese, and buttery bread makes this a perfect starter to any meal. It’s also delicious when grilled or baked with sugar and cinnamon.
Often, this festive dish is served as an appetizer at parties. However, it can also make a great dessert when accompanied by ice cream or whipped cream.
Do you wish to surprise your beloved and guests this season with some Irish Christmas foods? Include the Wensleydale with cranberries; you’ll never go wrong with them!
10. Smoked Salmon
Christmas is a time for celebrating, and food is an important part of any celebration. From appetizers to main dishes to desserts, there are many dishes you can make for the Irish Christmas feast. One dish that is featured in many homes on the holiday table is smoked salmon.
Smoked salmon, one of the delightful Irish Christmas foods, tastes great and versatile enough to be served hot or cold. Also, it can be served as an appetizer with crackers and cream cheese or as a main course with rice or potatoes.
11. Brussels Sprouts
Of all the Irish Christmas foods, Brussels sprouts are a fantastic vegetable that is high in vitamin C, folate, potassium, and beta-carotene.
The presence of these nutrients will help you ward off colds and flu when you’re exposed to people with these illnesses.
For those who aren’t fans of the vegetables, try roasting them for a sweeter taste that is reminiscent of candy canes.
12. Potato
This dish is an absolute must for any Irish Christmas table. There are many different versions, but the most traditional recipe is potatoes cooked in milk, butter, and salt.
The potatoes can be mashed or boiled before adding the other ingredients or mashed after cooking.
This dish, which is equally one of the Irish Christmas foods, is delicious and will warm you up on a cold winter’s day. It goes well with ham, bacon, or sausage, and it’s also great to serve as a side dish with roast turkey or beef.
13. Cranberry Sauce
The traditional stuffing consists only of breadcrumbs and flavorings, but you can also add all kinds of vegetables, like carrots and celery.
You can add nuts like pine nuts or walnuts for texture and flavor and dried fruits for sweetness, like raisins or cranberries.
If you desire, fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme for additional flavor can likewise be added. In fact, you might also consider adding some meat to the stuffing, such as sausages, bacon, or ham.
Thin slices of pumpkin are usually baked on a large tray with melted butter and brown sugar. They are baked until they’re tender enough to mash in the same way that potatoes are mashed with cream, milk, and butter. You could alternatively fry them in oil before baking them for an extra crunchy finish.
14. Yorkshire Pudding
Compared to other Irish Christmas foods, this dish is a traditional English dessert that can be served as part of a full holiday meal.
It’s typically made from flour, eggs, and milk that are mixed to form a batter which is then baked in the oven.
The batter puffs up while cooking and becomes crispy on the outside while remaining fluffy and soft on the inside.
Moreso, Yorkshire pudding is traditionally served with gravy or other sauce to add flavor to this dish. It’s also often eaten alongside roast beef or ham for lunch during the holidays when people feel extra festive!
Conclusion
People around the world celebrate Christmas differently and in their unique ways. So we thought it would be fun to highlight some of the more traditional Irish Christmas foods you may see on December 25th!
Whether you’re preparing or snacking on these dishes yourself or sharing them with your friends and family, we hope you enjoy our list of Irish Christmas foods. Happy holidays from your friends at The Work Cafe!
