Quick and easy recipes that will save your Christmas
Christmas can be a stressful time of the year, especially when you discover last-minute that dinner will be at your place, and you didn’t prepare anything! But don’t panic just yet. We have the perfect solution for your problem. In this gallery, you’ll find a selection of quick and easy recipes that will save your Christmas. A big roast turkey might be out of the question, but there are plenty of delicious (and a lot easier) alternatives for a last-minute Christmas meal.
Click through and start cooking!
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Roast lemon chicken
It doesn’t get easier than this. Stuff a whole chicken with a peeled lemon, pour some olive oil on it, and then rub it with whatever herbs you have at home.
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Roast lemon chicken
Season it with salt and pepper, pop it in the oven for around 25-30 minutes at 220ºC (420°F) and voilá!
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Garlic butter steak and potatoes skillet
You’ll need 650 g (1 1/2 lb) of sliced steak, the same quantity of baby yellow potatoes, quartered, 1 tablespoon (tbsp) olive oil, 3 tbsp butter, 5 garlic cloves, minced, 1 teaspoon of thyme, rosemary, oregano, all chopped. Salt and pepper.
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Garlic butter steak and potatoes skillet
Marinade the beef in 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp hot sauce, and pepper. Saute the potatoes first, then put them to a side. Cook the beef with the rest of the ingredients, and then add the potatoes in the end.
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Lemon garlic butter salmon with pineapple
You’ll need salmon, 1/2 pineapple, sliced, 1 stick butter, 2 tbsp honey, 4 large cloves garlic, crushed, juice of half a lemon, parsley, salt and pepper.
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Lemon garlic butter salmon with pineapple
First, mix the butter with all the ingredients, (except the pineapple and salmon) in a saucepan. Then get some aluminum foil, make a “bed” with the pineapple, and place the salmon on top. Pour the mixture on it and close it. Place it in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for around 15 minutes.
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Garlic parmesan butter pasta
You’ll need around 225g (8oz) of spaghetti, 1 tbsp instant bouillon (beef, chicken, or vegetable), 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 3 cloves garlic, sliced, 1 or 2 tbsp of hot sauce, 1/4 teaspoon (tsp) black pepper, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup chopped parsley.
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Garlic parmesan butter pasta
Cook the pasta in water with the bouillon. Mix all the other ingredients (except the Parmesan cheese and the parsley) in a separate skillet to make the sauce. In the end, toss everything and add the remaining two ingredients. The beauty of this recipe is that you can add whatever you want to it (e.g. prawns).
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Frittata
Fritattas are life (and time) savers when you have to come up with something delicious and nutritious on the spot.
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Frittata
Just add whatever ingredients you want to raw beaten eggs and cook it in a skillet. You can then place it under the grill to finish it up. Easy, simple, and delicious!
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No-boil pasta bake
You’ll need pasta, spinach, tomato pasta sauce, garlic, green pesto, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, oregano, salt and pepper.
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No-boil pasta bake
Saute the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper for a minute, and then add all the other ingredients (except the cheeses). Cover it and bake it for 35-40 minutes in a preheated oven at 200ºC (400ºF). Uncover it, add the cheeses, pop it back into the oven and let them melt.
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Meatballs
These are easy to make and can be done with various ingredients. In this simple recipe, all you need is beef, milk, onion, butter, bread, eggs, spices, salt and pepper.
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Meatballs
Mix all the ingredients, make little balls, place them in a pan and then bake them in a preheated oven at 200ºC (400ºF) for 18-22 minutes. You can add your own twist to this recipe by adding different spices and sauces.
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Vegan hummus pasta
You’ll need around pasta 500g (16 oz) of pasta, 1 cup hummus, 4 cups fresh baby spinach, 1 jar of marinated artichokes or mushrooms, 2 cups of grape or cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional pitted kalamata olives, 1 tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper.
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Vegan hummus pasta
When it comes to prepare the dish, it’s as easy as it gets. Boil the pasta and just toss everything together!
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Sesame noodles
For this recipe you can use either fresh or dried egg noodles. The secret is the sauce, for which you’ll need 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp normal soy sauce, 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tsp fresh grated ginger, 1 garlic clove minced, 2 tsp white sugar, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp Chinese sesame paste or tahini, and 2 tsp garlic chilli paste.
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Sesame noodles
Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and microwave it for a bit. Pour it over the cooked noodles and top it with sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, and green onions. Like other recipes in this list, you can add your own twist. Why not add chicken or prawns, for example?
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White bean and tuna salad
You’ll need 2 cans of tuna, 1 can of white beans, around 350 g (12 oz) green beans (or other veggie), 1 small shallot, 1 cup of basil leaves, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, and 4 soft-boiled eggs.
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White bean and tuna salad
Boil the green beans or any other similar vegetable. Then blend the shallot, basil, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss the puree with the remaining ingredients.
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Pan-fried chicken with lemony roasted broccoli
You’ll need 4 chicken breasts, around 680g (1.5 lb.) broccoli florets, 2 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 lemon, 2 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper.
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Pan-fried chicken with lemony roasted broccoli
Roast the broccoli and garlic with oil in the oven at 220°C (425°F.). Cook the chicken breasts with all the ingredients, except the lemon and lemon juice, which you’ll add in the end.
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Honey balsamic chicken
Recipes don’t get much easier than this. You can use chicken thighs, but breasts or legs will work equally well. For the marinade all you need is 1/2 tsp salt, 3 dashes black pepper, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp butter, 2 1/2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.
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Honey balsamic chicken
Pan-fry the chicken until browned and then remove it. Add all the ingredients and 2 tbsp of water, add the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes. Serve with chopped parsley on top.
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10-minute pizzas
If you’re in a rush or the kids really want pizza, there are a few alternatives you can try. One is using pitta bread as a base.
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10-minute pizzas
The same can be achieve with a naan bread. These flat breads taste really nice and make great bases for quick pizzas. Just add tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and your favorite toppings.
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Glazed pork chops
You’ll need pork loin chops, 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp cider vinegar (to be used separately) 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 garlic cloves, 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch.
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Glazed pork chops
Brown pork chops. Mix 1/3 cup vinegar, soy sauce and garlic and pour it over the chops. Cover it and cook it for about 7-9 minutes. Mix cornstarch and the remaining vinegar and add it to the pan. Cook it until the sauce is thickened.
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Brussels sprouts
Love them or hate them, Brussels sprouts are easy to make and as Christmassy as you can get. Roast them with some olive oil, a pinch of salt, garlic, chopped pecans, and bits of bacon.
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Avocado egg salad
Great as a side or starter, for this avocado egg salad all you need is to mix the avocado and the boiled egg with half mayo and half natural yogurt. Top it with a splash of apple cider vinegar and some herbs.
