11 Festive Christmas Dinner Main Dishes That Aren’t Ham

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Seafood Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

Individual seafood pot pies with golden puff pastry tops, one broken open to reveal creamy filling, served in white ramekins on a rustic christmas table with sparkling lights and christmas decor

Creamy, cozy, and topped with golden puff pastry, this seafood pot pie feels decadent yet homey. It’s a perfect nontraditional Christmas main that still delivers comfort.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Creamy filling with flaky puff pastry.
  • Easy to customize with your favorite seafood.
  • Looks fancy but uses shortcuts like store-bought pastry.

Equipment You’ll Need

  • Skillet
  • Ramekins or casserole dish
  • Rolling pin

Serving Suggestions
Pair with roasted vegetables or a crisp salad.

Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
Filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Add pastry just before baking.

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 lb mixed seafood, cut into bite-sized pieces (shrimp peeled and halved if large, scallops halved if large, fish cut into 1-inch chunks, lump crab left whole)
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • ½ cup seafood or chicken stock
  • 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Melt butter in skillet. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in flour, cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and stock. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with Old Bay, salt, and pepper.
  4. Stir in seafood, cooking just 2–3 minutes until barely opaque (it will finish in the oven).
  5. Divide filling into ramekins or pour into a casserole dish.
  6. Roll puff pastry to fit tops. Place over filling, press edges to seal. Brush with egg wash.
  7. Bake 20–25 minutes, until pastry is golden and puffed.

Yield: 4 servings

Whether you serve one show-stopping main or mix and match a few, these Christmas dinner ideas prove the holiday feast doesn’t have to mean ham or hours of chaos in the kitchen.

Each dish feels festive, comforting, and a little unexpected – the perfect combo for a cozy night filled with good food and even better company.

So light the candles, pour something sparkly, and enjoy being the host who actually gets to sit down and savor it.

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11 Festive Christmas Dinner Main Dishes That Aren’t Ham

Seafood Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

Individual seafood pot pies with golden puff pastry tops, one broken open to reveal creamy filling, served in white ramekins on a rustic christmas table with sparkling lights and christmas decor

Creamy, cozy, and topped with golden puff pastry, this seafood pot pie feels decadent yet homey. It’s a perfect nontraditional Christmas main that still delivers comfort.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Creamy filling with flaky puff pastry.
  • Easy to customize with your favorite seafood.
  • Looks fancy but uses shortcuts like store-bought pastry.

Equipment You’ll Need

  • Skillet
  • Ramekins or casserole dish
  • Rolling pin

Serving Suggestions
Pair with roasted vegetables or a crisp salad.

Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
Filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Add pastry just before baking.

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 lb mixed seafood, cut into bite-sized pieces (shrimp peeled and halved if large, scallops halved if large, fish cut into 1-inch chunks, lump crab left whole)
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • ½ cup seafood or chicken stock
  • 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Melt butter in skillet. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in flour, cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and stock. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with Old Bay, salt, and pepper.
  4. Stir in seafood, cooking just 2–3 minutes until barely opaque (it will finish in the oven).
  5. Divide filling into ramekins or pour into a casserole dish.
  6. Roll puff pastry to fit tops. Place over filling, press edges to seal. Brush with egg wash.
  7. Bake 20–25 minutes, until pastry is golden and puffed.

Yield: 4 servings

Whether you serve one show-stopping main or mix and match a few, these Christmas dinner ideas prove the holiday feast doesn’t have to mean ham or hours of chaos in the kitchen.

Each dish feels festive, comforting, and a little unexpected – the perfect combo for a cozy night filled with good food and even better company.

So light the candles, pour something sparkly, and enjoy being the host who actually gets to sit down and savor it.