The holiday season is a time of joy, family gatherings, and, of course, delicious food. In the United States, Christmas dinner carries a rich tradition, featuring classic dishes like roast turkey and pumpkin pie as the main attractions. However, the diverse cultures in the US bring a unique touch, with many Latinos introducing their flavors to the holiday table. Here, we present tasty and easy-to-follow recipes for traditional American or Latino (or a fusion of both!) Christmas dinners:
Next, we will answer the following questions:
- What are the staple dishes for an American Christmas dinner?
- How do you make these American dinners?
- What are some easy American dessert recipes?
- What are the signature dishes for a Latin Christmas dinner?
- What are easy-to-follow recipes for these Latin meals?
- What are some classic Latino desserts?
What are the staple dishes for an American Christmas dinner?
The typical American Christmas dinner often features turkey or ham as the main course. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and green beans are popular side dishes. Here are easy-to-follow recipes for each:
Turkey
- Ingredients: Whole turkey, salt, pepper, herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage), butter.
- Instructions: Rub the turkey with a mixture of salt, pepper, and herbs. Insert herb sprigs under the skin. Roast at 325°F (163°C), basting with melted butter, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Glazed ham
- Ingredients: 1 whole ham, salt, pepper, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, optional: pineapple slices for decoration.
- Instructions: Lightly season the ham with salt and pepper. Mix 1 cup brown sugar with 1/4 cup Dijon mustard to create a glaze. Rub the glaze over the ham, ensuring it covers the scored areas. Optional: Decorate the top with pineapple slices, securing them with toothpicks. Bake the ham per the package instructions, basting with the glaze every 20-30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (62°C).
Mashed potatoes
- Ingredients: Potatoes, butter, milk, salt, pepper.
- Instructions: Boil peeled and diced potatoes until tender. Mash with butter, warm milk, salt, and pepper until creamy.
Stuffing
- Ingredients: Bread cubes, celery, onions, butter, broth, sage, thyme.
- Instructions: Sauté celery and onions in butter. Mix with bread cubes, and add broth and herbs. Bake at 350°F (177°C) until golden.
Cranberry sauce
- Ingredients: Fresh cranberries, sugar, orange zest.
- Instructions: Simmer cranberries, sugar, and orange zest in water until berries burst and the sauce thickens.
Green beans
- Ingredients: Fresh green beans, garlic, almonds, olive oil.
- Instructions: Blanch green beans, then sauté with minced garlic and toasted almonds in olive oil.
What are some easy American dessert recipes?
Indulge in the sweetness of American holiday traditions with these delicious and simple dessert recipes:
Pumpkin pie
- Ingredients: Canned pumpkin, sugar, spices (e.g., cinnamon, nutmeg), eggs, pie crust.
- Instructions: Combine canned pumpkin, sugar, spices, and beaten eggs. Pour into a pie crust and bake until set.
Apple pie
- Ingredients: Apples, sugar, cinnamon, pie crust.
- Instructions: Slice apples and mix with sugar and cinnamon. Place in a pie crust, add a top crust and bake until golden brown.
Peppermint bark
- Ingredients: White chocolate, dark chocolate, crushed peppermint.
- Instructions: Melt white and dark chocolate separately, layer them, and sprinkle with crushed peppermint. Allow to set and break into pieces.
What are the signature dishes for a Latin Christmas dinner?
Food is at the heart of a Hispanic Christmas, and depending on your family’s origins, there are numerous delicious options to consider making or enjoying. Here’s a glimpse of popular Christmas foods and recipes from various Latin American countries:
Mexico: Tamales
- Ingredients: Masa harina, pork or chicken, chili sauce, corn husks.
- Instructions: Mix masa harina with water, spread on corn husks, add meat filling, fold, and steam for 1-2 hours.
Puerto Rico: Arroz con gandules
- Ingredients: Rice, pigeon peas, sofrito, chicken broth.
- Instructions: Sauté rice with sofrito, add pigeon peas, and simmer with chicken broth until rice is cooked.
and pernil
- Ingredients: Pork shoulder, garlic, oregano, orange juice.
- Instructions: Marinate pork with minced garlic, oregano, and orange juice. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C).
Peru: Pavo relleno
- Ingredients: Whole turkey, ground beef, breadcrumbs, onions, garlic, Aji Amarillo paste, hard-boiled eggs, olives, raisins, spices.
- Instructions: Prepare a stuffing with ground beef, onions, garlic, and spices. Stuff the turkey with the mixture, Aji Amarillo paste, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and raisins. Roast until the turkey is cooked.
Colombia: Hojuelas
- Ingredients: All-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, egg, cinnamon, sugar (for dusting).
- Instructions: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk and egg to form a dough. Roll out the dough, cut into strips, and fry until golden brown. Dust with cinnamon sugar.
Argentina: Asado
- Ingredients: Various cuts of beef (short ribs, flank steak, sausages), salt, pepper, chimichurri sauce.
- Instructions: Season the beef cuts with salt and pepper. Grill to desired doneness. Serve with chimichurri sauce.
Dominican Republic: Pasteles en hoja
- Ingredients: Green bananas, plantains, yautÃa (taro), pumpkin, achiote oil, annatto seeds, pork, chicken, olives, capers, raisins, spices, banana leaves.
- Instructions: Grate and blend the green bananas, plantains, yautÃa, and pumpkin. Mix with achiote oil. Fill banana leaves with the mixture of pork, chicken, olives, capers, raisins, and spices. Steam until cooked.
Honduras: Nacatamales
- Ingredients: Masa harina, pork, chicken, potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, achiote, banana leaves.
- Instructions: Prepare a dough with masa harina. Fill banana leaves with the dough, pork, chicken, potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and achiote. Steam until the masa is cooked.
Bolivia: Picana
- Ingredients: Beef (usually brisket or chuck), potatoes, corn on the cob, carrots, green peas, green beans, onions, garlic, red wine, beef broth, herbs and spices (such as oregano and thyme).
- Instructions: Marinate the beef in red wine and spices. Cook the beef in a pot with potatoes, corn on the cob, carrots, green peas, green beans, onions, and garlic. Add beef broth and simmer until the meat is tender. Serve the Picana with rice or bread.
What are some classic Latino desserts?
3 classic Latin American desserts are flan, tres leches cake and buñuelos. Here are simple recipes for each:
Flan
- Ingredients: Eggs, sugar, condensed milk, vanilla.
- Instructions: Make caramel by melting sugar and pour into a mold. Mix eggs, condensed milk, and vanilla. Pour over the caramel and bake in a water bath until set.
Tres leches cake
- Ingredients: Sponge cake, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream.
- Instructions: Poke holes in the sponge cake, then pour a mixture of evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream over it. Refrigerate until the cake absorbs the liquid.
Buñuelos
- Ingredients: Flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, milk, cinnamon sugar for dusting.
- Instructions: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, and milk to form a dough. Fry spoonfuls until golden brown and roll in cinnamon sugar while warm.
