Cheap Christmas dinner: 8 delicious options that won’t weigh on your pocket

Prices are increasingly higher and going to the market has become an unpleasant experience, right? Even some items in the basic food basket, such as milk, have undergone significant price increases. In this scenario, the only alternative to celebrate the end of the year without burdening your pockets it’s based on a cheap Christmas dinner!

After all, end-of-year celebrations are special moments, known for the abundance and preparation of different and often expensive dishes. However, there is a way to prepare an economical and delicious Christmas dinner, full of hearty recipes to celebrate. I want to see? So, check out the list of budget-friendly sweet and savory dishes that can turn any occasion into a real celebration!

Economical Christmas dinner with accessible sweet and savory recipes

Black beer chicken with vegetables

Time: 1h30 (+2h rest)

Performance: 6 servings

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

• 1 clean whole chicken (about 2 kg)
• 1 can of dark beer (350 ml)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (shoyu)
• 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 2 tablespoons of ketchup
• 3 potatoes cut into wedges
• 1 onion cut into wedges
• 1 carrot cut diagonally
• 1/2 bunch of broccoli florets

Preparation method:

1. In a bowl, season the chicken with beer, soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger, chives, ketchup and leave to rest for 2 hours.
2. In a large pan, arrange the chicken and vegetables around it and pour over the remaining seasoning in the bowl.
3. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in a medium preheated oven for 20 minutes, basting halfway through cooking with the broth that will form in the pan.
4. Remove the paper, water again and cook for another 20 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve immediately, if desired, accompanied by a salad.

Creamy baked rice au gratin with vegetables

Time: 30 minutes

Performance: 6 servings

Difficulty: easy

ingredients

• 4 cups cooked white rice
• 1 cup cooked and chopped green beans
• 1 cooked carrot diced
• 1 cup cooked broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup diced ham
• 2 cups cream cheese (tea).
• 1 cup cream (tea).
• Salt, black pepper and chopped green chilli to taste
• Butter for greasing
• 1 thinly sliced ​​tomato for garnish
• 1 cup grated parmesan for sprinkling

Preparation method:

1. In a bowl, mix the rice, green beans, carrots, broccoli, peas and ham. Reserve.
2. In another bowl, mix the cream cheese and heavy cream.
3. Season with salt, pepper and green perfume.
4. Add to the rice mixture and transfer to a greased medium baking dish.
5. Top with tomato slices and sprinkle with cheese.
6. Bake in a preheated medium oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Serve immediately.

Potatoes au gratin with corn

Time: 30 minutes

Performance: 6 servings

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of diced potatoes
• Salt to taste
• 1 can drained green corn
• 1 cup chopped green olives
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup grated mozzarella

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons of wheat flour
• 2 cups milk (tea)
• Salt and grated nutmeg to taste
• 1 pack of cream (200 g)

Preparation method:

1. For the sauce, in a pan, over medium heat, melt the butter and fry the flour until yellow, stirring.
2. Add the milk little by little, stirring until it thickens.
3. Season with salt, nutmeg, turn off the heat and stir in the cream.
4. Cook the potatoes in a pan with boiling water and salt, leaving them al dente.
5. Drain and mix with the corn, olives and reserved béchamel.
6. Transfer to a baking tray, sprinkle with cheese and bake in a preheated medium oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Remove and serve.

Farofa of white beans

Time: 20 minutes

Performance: 4 servings

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced bacon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 grated carrot
• 2 cups white beans cooked al dente, drained
• 2 cups cassava flour
• 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs
• Salt, black pepper and chopped parsley to taste

Preparation method:

1. In a pan, brown the bacon in its own fat until golden.
2. Add the butter, the onion and fry for 3 minutes.
3. Add the carrot, beans and sauté for 2 minutes.
4. Add the flour and eggs.
5. Season with salt, pepper and chopped parsley.
6. Serve immediately.

Iced brigadeiro cake

Time: 1h20 (+2h in the fridge)

Performance: 8 servings

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (tea) sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of oil (tea).
• 1 cup milk (tea)
• 3 cups (tea) of wheat flour
• 1 cup chocolate powder (tea).
• 1 tablespoon of yeast
• Margarine and wheat flour for greasing and flouring
• Chocolate sprinkles for sprinkling
• Drained cherries in syrup to decorate

Filling and covering

• 2 cans of condensed milk
• 150g chopped milk chocolate
• 6 tablespoons of chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup cream (tea).
• 1/2 cup chopped cherries in syrup

Preparation method:

1. Beat the sugar, eggs, oil and milk in a mixer.
2. Transfer to a bowl, add the flour, chocolate, yeast and mix with a spoon.
3. Pour into a greased and floured 22cm x 30cm baking pan.
4. Bake in a preheated medium oven for 35 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.
5. Leave to cool, turn out and cut in half, horizontally.
6. For the filling, heat the condensed milk, chocolate, chocolate chips and butter over medium heat, stirring until thickened. Divide it into 2 parts and let cool.
7. Add the cream to one part of the cream and add the chopped cherry to the other.
8. Arrange part of the cake on a serving plate and cover it with the cherry cream.
9. Place the other part of the cake on top and cover with the cherry-free chocolate cream.
10. Sprinkle with sprinkles and refrigerate for 2 hours.
11. Remove from the oven, cut into squares, decorate with the cherry and serve for an economical Christmas dinner.

Before continuing to see the recipes, consult the tips on how to set up and decorate your table:

Jelly mosaic in cup

Time: 40min (+4h40 in the fridge)

Performance: 20 units

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

• 1 sachet of strawberry flavored gelatin powder
• 1 sachet of lemon flavored gelatine powder
• 1 sachet of grape flavored gelatin powder
• 1 sachet of pineapple flavored jelly
• 1 can of condensed milk
• 1 can of whey-free cream
• 1 sachet of unflavored gelatin powder

Preparation method:

1. Prepare the strawberry, lemon, grape and pineapple jelly separately following the instructions on the package.
2. Place each in separate bowls in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until set.
3. Cut into cubes and mix.
4. In another bowl, mix the condensed milk, cream and unflavored gelatin prepared according to the instructions on the package.
5. Store in the refrigerator for 40 minutes.
6. Divide part of the gelatin mixture into glass glasses and cover them with the condensed milk cream.
7. Decorate with the remaining mixed gelatine and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
8. Remove and serve immediately

Pineapple jelly pavé

Time: 20min (+3h30 in the fridge)

Performance: 6 servings

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of condensed milk
• 1 can of whey-free cream
• 1 box of pineapple flavored gelatine powder
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 ready-made tartlets with sliced ​​pineapple flavour
• 1 can chopped pineapple in syrup (save the syrup)
• 3 tablespoons chopped mint
• Pineapple slices and mint leaves to decorate

Preparation method:

1. Blend the condensed milk with the cream in a blender until it forms a cream.
2. Mix the pineapple gelatin with hot water until it dissolves.
3. Add to cream from blender and beat for another 1 minute.
4. Pour into a bowl and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. In a medium baking dish, place the pineapple cream, the cake soaked in the reserved syrup and the pineapple mixed with the chopped mint, finishing with the cream.
6. Place in the fridge for 3 hours.
7. Decorate with pieces of pineapple and mint leaves. Serve.

Fruit salad on the plate

Time: 30 minutes

Performance: 8 servings

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

• 2 medium silver bananas, sliced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup chopped strawberries (tea)
• 1 cup grapes (cut in half)
• 1 cup diced pineapple (tea)

Roof

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 can milk (use empty condensed milk can to measure)
• 1 can of condensed milk
• 2 egg yolks, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 pack of cream (200 g)
• 100 g of milk chocolate

Preparation method:

1. In a medium baking dish, drizzle the banana with lemon juice immediately after slicing it.
2. Add the strawberry, grapes, pineapple and set aside in the refrigerator.
3. In a pan, dissolve the cornstarch in the milk, add the condensed milk, the egg yolks and cook over low heat, stirring until it thickens.
4. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla essence and cream.
5. Leave to cool and distribute over the fruit.
6. Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie or in the microwave and make designs on the cream.
7. Store in the refrigerator before serving.

Did you like our cheap Christmas dinner? Leave your opinion and suggestions in the comments!

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.