Top 14 Ideas for Christmas Dinner Other Than Turkey

Looking for ideas for Christmas dinner other than turkey? You’re not alone. Here’s the good news: your sourdough starter is the secret weapon for creating an unforgettable Christmas dinner. These crowd-pleasing recipes transform simple ingredients into festive showstoppers that cost less and create less waste than traditional turkey.

Table of Contents

Savory Sourdough Empanadas

Ingredients:

Dough: 113g sourdough discard, 28g water, 2 eggs (1 for wash), 300g all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 226g butter Filling: 300g Yukon gold potato, 226g ground beef, 150g carrots, 75g raisins (optional), 60g peas, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp sea salt

Steps:

• Freeze cubed butter, then mix sourdough discard, water, and egg. Combine flour with frozen butter until pea-sized pieces form
• Create dough by mixing wet and dry ingredients, refrigerate for 30 minutes, then fold and chill twice more
• Cook potatoes, carrots, and beef with spices; add peas and raisins. Let cool completely
• Roll dough into 12 portions, fill each with 3 tbsp filling and seal the edges
• Brush with egg wash and bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes until golden brown

Full recipe: Sourdough Empanadas Recipe

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized cauliflower 1 zucchini 1 leek 5 kale leaves Dry herbs and spices (pepper, parsley, hot peppers) 1 heaping tablespoon coconut oil or ghee 1 tablespoon butter Rye sourdough bread, for croutons

Steps:

• Begin by cutting cauliflower into florets and cooking in 1 liter of water for 10 minutes until tender, while preparing the remaining vegetables by slicing zucchini and chopping leek and kale.
• Heat coconut oil or ghee in a separate pot, then sauté zucchini and leek until softened, stirring occasionally, before adding kale and cooking for another minute, seasoning with salt and desired herbs.
• Transfer the cooked cauliflower and its cooking water to a blender, add butter, and blend until smooth, then combine with the sautéed vegetables and blend again with a hand blender until creamy.
• For serving, top with homemade croutons made by baking sliced rye sourdough at 220-230°C for 10 minutes until golden and crunchy.

Full recipe: Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Sourdough Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

4-6 slices day-old sourdough bread, cubed 2 tbsp melted butter 4 beaten eggs 2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup cane sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup butter 2 tbsp milk 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 cup pecans

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F, grease the baking dish, and arrange the bread cubes evenly.
• Whisk together butter, eggs, milk, sugar, spices, and vanilla, then pour over bread. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Bake 50-60 minutes until set but slightly jiggly.
• Simmer topping ingredients until smooth, then pour over pudding with pecans.

Full recipe: Sourdough Bread Pudding

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe with Fermented Vegetables

Ingredients:

800g butternut squash, peeled and chopped 1 medium broccoli 1 zucchini 250g fermented vegetables (red cabbage and carrots) Dry herbs (parsley, oregano, hot peppers) 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee 1 tbsp butter

Steps:

• Cook squash in water for 10 minutes until tender, while slicing zucchini and chopping broccoli into florets.
• Steam broccoli until bright green. Separately, sauté zucchini in oil until soft, then add fermented vegetables and heat briefly.
• Blend squash with cooking water and butter until smooth.
• Serve soup topped with vegetables and herbs.

Full recipe: Butternut Squash Soup

Sourdough Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 4 tbsp softened butter
• 4 slices cheddar cheese
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise

Steps:

• Heat skillet over medium-low heat while spreading 1 tbsp softened butter on one side of each bread slice. Layer 2 slices of cheddar and Swiss on the buttered sides, then top with remaining buttered bread.
• Spread ½ tbsp mayonnaise on the outer sides of each sandwich. Place in a warm skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the bread turns golden brown and the cheese melts completely.
• Remove from heat when both sides are crispy and the cheese is fully melted. The sandwich should be perfectly golden with gooey melted cheese. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

Full recipe: Sourdough Grilled Cheese

Sourdough Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 1¼ cups flour
• ½ cup cold butter
• ¼ tsp salt

For the filling:

• 15 oz pumpkin puree
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• Optional: 1 tsp vanilla

For egg wash:

Steps:

• Mix crust ingredients until crumbly, form a ball, and chill for 30 minutes. Roll into a pie dish.
• Whisk filling ingredients until smooth, and pour into crust.
• Brush the crust with egg wash.
• Bake at 425°F (15 min), reduce to 350°F (35-40 min).
• Cool before serving.

Full recipe: Homemade Sourdough Pumpkin Pie

Sourdough Christmas Bread Shaped like Krampus

Ingredients:

Starter: 50g water, 50g whole grain rye flour, 1 tablespoon active sourdough starter Dough: 100g corn flour, 100g boiling water, 220g warm milk, 400g white wheat flour, 9g salt Additional: ground anise, pumpkin seeds, raisins, ice cubes for steaming

Steps:

• Mix starter ingredients in the evening and ferment overnight until bubbly and active
• Pour boiling water over corn flour in the morning and let cool, then combine with dissolved starter, milk, wheat flour, and salt
• Knead for 5 minutes until elastic, then let rise until doubled (about 5 hours)
• Shape into four Krampus figures, cutting and forming legs and horns
• Decorate with raisins for eyes and pumpkin seeds or anise
• Rise for 90 minutes, then bake at 230°C (446°F) for 20 minutes with ice cubes for steam

Full recipe: Sourdough Krampus Bread

Sourdough Bread Pizza

Ingredients:

For the pizza dough: 1 cup active sourdough starter, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 cup water For the toppings: 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, assorted vegetables, fresh herbs (optional), salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

• Combine all dough ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well incorporated
• Knead dough for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic
• Let rise covered for 6-8 hours or overnight in refrigerator until doubled
• Divide dough in half and roll out into desired shapes
• Top with sauce, cheese, vegetables, and herbs
• Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 12-15 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese melts

Full recipe: Sourdough Bread Pizza

Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1 large egg, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup sourdough discard, 1/2 cup cold salted butter, 1/4 cup cold water Egg Wash: 1 large egg, 2-3 tbsp milk

Steps:

• Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cayenne, garlic powder) in a large bowl
• Cut cold butter into small pieces and incorporate it into a dry mixture
• Add cheese, egg, and sourdough discard; mix well and add cold water if needed
• Roll dough to 3/4 inch thickness and cut into 2-inch rounds
• Brush with egg wash and bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown

Full recipe: Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits

New York Style Sourdough Pizza

Ingredients:

300g bread flour, 150g sourdough starter (100% hydration), 200g water, 8g salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil

Steps:

• Mix flour, starter, and water until shaggy, then cover and rest for 30 minutes (autolyze)
• Add salt and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic
• Incorporate olive oil through kneading, then place in an oiled bowl
• Let rise for 4-6 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator
• Divide dough in half and shape into balls, rest for 15-30 minutes
• Stretch each portion into thin rounds with slightly thicker edges
• Top as desired and bake on a preheated stone at the highest oven temperature (500°F/260°C) for 10-12 minutes until golden and bubbly

Full recipe: New York Style Sourdough Pizza Dough

Sourdough Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake: 4 eggs, 1 cup each of sugar and brown sugar, 1/2 cup sourdough discard, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp each baking powder and salt, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 cups grated carrots, 1 cup pecans 

For frosting: 8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 3 cups confectioner’s sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup nuts

Steps:

• Mix wet ingredients in a large bowl
• Combine dry ingredients, then mix into wet
• Fold in carrots and pecans
• Bake at 350°F in 9×13 pan for 50 minutes
• Cool and top with cream cheese frosting

Full recipe: Sourdough Carrot Cake

Sourdough Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

¾ cup whole milk 1 cup active sourdough starter 2 large eggs 2½ cups bread flour 1 cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup sugar 1 tsp sea salt ⅓ cup softened butter

Steps:

• Combine milk, starter, and eggs in a large bowl, then incorporate butter. Mix in both flourы, sugar, and salt until a shaggy dough forms.
• Perform three sets of stretch-and-folds at 20-minute intervals. Cover and let rise for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature.
• Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours, then divide into 16 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, creating tension on the surface.
• Place in a greased baking dish, and let rise for 2-3 hours until doubled. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
• Brush with melted butter and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Full recipe: Sourdough Dinner Rolls

Sourdough Pepperoni Rolls

Ingredients:

For the dough: 450g bread flour, 1 tsp salt, 100g active sourdough starter, 3 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp butter, 1 egg, 125ml milk, 130ml water, melted butter/olive oil for brushing

For the filling: 1/2 cup pizza sauce, 1 cup grated cheese, 1 pack mozzarella pieces, chopped basil, 1/4 cup pepperoni

Steps:

• Combine milk, water, starter, and sugar. Mix flour, salt, and egg in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Add liquid mixture and knead until well-hydrated
• Incorporate melted butter, and knead for 2-3 minutes until the dough is stretchy and smooth
• Bulk ferment for 3-4 hours in a warm place
• Roll dough into a 12×20″ rectangle, spread sauce, cheese, and toppings
• Roll from the long side and cut into 10 pieces
• Proof 3-4 hours until doubled
• Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, reduce to 400°F for 15 minutes more

Full recipe: Sourdough Dinner Rolls

Sourdough Kaiser Rolls

Ingredients:

2-3 cups bread flour 1/4 cup warm water 1 tsp yeast 1 tsp salt 3 tbsp sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups fed sourdough starter Cornmeal for dusting

Steps:

• Combine yeast with warm water in a bowl and stand for 10 minutes until bubbly. Mix in sifted flour, salt, sugar, eggs, and sourdough starter until well incorporated.
• Knead dough on a floured surface for 5 minutes until elastic. Let rise in a covered bowl for 1-1.5 hours until doubled.
• Roll dough to 3/4 inch thickness, cut into rounds, and poke center holes. Place on cornmeal-dusted baking sheets.
• Let rise until puffy, then bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Full recipe: Sourdough Kaiser Rolls

Fresh Takes on Christmas Dinner

These sourdough-based recipes aren’t just delicious alternatives to turkey – they’re conversation starters that’ll make your holiday table truly special. Each dish brings something unique to your Christmas feast from savory empanadas to cheese-stuffed biscuits. Want to surprise your guests this year? With these easy-to-follow recipes, you’ll create a holiday dinner that’s both comforting and exciting.

FAQs – Ideas for Christmas Dinner Other Than Turkey