Christmas menu: a quick and easy Swedish-style dinner
Do you need a Christmas menu that's very easy to prepare and is also affordable? Then don't miss this feast created by one of our IKEA ambassadors using products from our Swedish Food Market. Take note of this idea for a Christmas menu!
We love Christmas but we know that sometimes there's just not enough time to get everything done: decorations, gifts, meals etc.
That's why we gave ourselves the challenge of creating an easy and affordable Christmas menu with some of our foods from the Swedish Food Market to make the task easier, as this year you might be cooking at home. And one of our ambassadors, Alba Díez (or as she's known on social media, @curiosoazul), has come up with a whole host of ideas that will take the stress out of having guests over at Christmas.
Don't miss out!
Ingredients for your complete Christmas menu
As we've said, most of the products used for this Christmas menu come from our Swedish Food Market. As you will see, they are specified with their name, so that you can find them in a flash. The ingredients for this easy Christmas recipe are the following:
- Salmon balls
- One can of CIDER ÄPPLE apple cider
- Spinach lasagne
- SÅS PEPPARROT horseradish sauce
- One bag of FESTLIGT pepper and leek potato crisps
- Lemon dill sauce
- GRÖNSAKSKAKA vegetable medallion
- Soft wheat bread
- KAFFEREP gooey chocolate cake
- SJÖRAPPORT smoked salmon
Christmas starters to share
For the first bite of our Swedish Christmas menu, we kick off with some very easy but very tasty starters. You'll see that Alba's selection is really simple but our guests (although there may not be many of them) will nevertheless be satisfied.
Crisps are a classic pre-dinner nibble that everyone loves. Who doesn't have them at home? And you can always play with different flavours. For example, Alba has gone for a traditional Swedish combination of leek and pepper.
And since we're on the subject of classic starters, what could be more traditional (or easier and tastier) than salmon? It's the perfect choice for another quick and easy starter. Pair it with a little lettuce, some delicious horseradish sauce and slices of soft wheat bread to transform it into a truly moreish mouthful.
Prefer an individual appetiser for each guest? You can adapt Alba's suggestion very easily. Here's how:
Place the slices of smoked salmon on top of slices of toasted bread. Chop up some red onion and add a teaspoon of your favourite sauce, like the horseradish variety we mentioned above. Add a little lettuce and you're ready to go. Salmon bites that are finger-licking good! They're just the right option to control portions and they'll taste wonderful too!
Main courses for an affordable Christmas menu
Once we've served our appetisers and whet everyone's appetites, it's time for the main courses on our Christmas menu. Alba proposes two very affordable and diverse options that will stand out for being super tasty. Take note!
If you have several guests, a dish that's always a huge success – for both its taste and ease of preparation – is a delicious lasagne.
Always be aware if any of your guests have a food intolerance or follow a special diet. If you can't opt for the traditional meat lasagne, prepare a delectable vegetable and cheese lasagne for a vegetarian-friendly option, as Alba has done.
And since a vegetable lasagne is lighter than the traditional meat-based variety, Alba decided to pair it with some salmon meatballs (an incredibly popular product that even the little ones will love) and our vegetable medallion (made with potato and broccoli) served with a lemon and dill sauce. For vegetarians, you can always use our vegetable meatballs or even try the plant balls. Looks good, doesn’t it?
All you need to do is preheat the oven about 40 minutes before serving and cook the dishes for the times shown on each container. Lots of easy, stress-free ideas.”
Alba Díez – @curiosoazul
Organic drinks for a Christmas toast
What would Christmas be without cider? Raise a toast with a glass of delicious apple or pear cider. A sparkling and refreshing tipple that goes perfectly with this Christmas meal. Plus, all of our drinks are organic, so you'll be enjoying a drink that's both delicious and sustainable.
Time for dessert
It goes without saying that you have to save a little room for dessert. Like any true chocolate-lover, Alba couldn’t resist our KAFFEREP gooey chocolate cake. Remove the packaging and leave it to defrost at room temperature for 30 minutes. After defrosting, keep it in the fridge until it's time to serve it. Just wait and see how delicious it is!
Top tip: add some strawberries and whipped cream or ice cream for a professional chef's finish.
So, that's our IKEA Christmas menu! What do you think? If you want more ideas on ways to celebrate Christmas in style but without much fuss, check out the following articles.
We love it when customers use our products in a creative way. Why not try to do something new with them yourself? But do remember, any modifications or changes that you make to IKEA products will prevent them from being resold or used for their original purpose, thus invalidating IKEA product warranties and your right to return them.
