German Christmas Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a typical German Christmas dinner? ›

Treat guests to a traditional German Christmas dinner with classic dishes like roasted goose legs, braised red cabbage. and dumplings, and don't forget the mulled wine and platter of gorgeous, festive cookies.

In Germany, the evening meal is called Abendessen or Abendbrot – the latter is actually more like a supper, and literally translates to 'evening bread'. Following a hearty lunch, Germans traditionally enjoy a lighter dinner, with breads, hams, sausages, cheeses, and pickles all being very common.

In Germany, the primary Christmas dishes are roast goose and roast carp, although suckling pig, duck, or venison may also be served. Typical side dishes include roast potatoes and various forms of cabbage such as kale, Brussels sprouts, and red cabbage.

With this complete German Christmas menu, choose your festive main dish adventure: Roast goose or beef rouladen. Then load up on the side dishes: braised red cabbage, spaetzle, and potato dumplings — they'll pair perfectly with either choice. And stick around for the Stollen!

Across all states, their findings showed that the least popular Christmas foods are persimmon pudding (13%) and fruitcake (25%). The most popular foods were roasted potatoes (91%), scalloped potatoes (83%), roast beef (77%), red velvet cake (76%), ham (76%) and Christmas nuts (76%).

Origins and tradition

This celebration commemorates the wait, the Vigilia di Natale, for the midnight birth of the baby Jesus. The long tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat on the eve of a feast day.

Sauerbraten (pronounced [ˈzaʊ̯ɐˌbʁaːtn̩]) is a traditional German roast of heavily marinated meat. It is regarded as a national dish of Germany, and is frequently served in German-style restaurants internationally.

The most popular dishes in Germany

But Italian dishes are. Pizza tops the list in first place, followed by lasagne and then spaghetti bolognaise. Pfannkuchen (pancakes) are fourth on the list and Rouladen only come in fifth.

What is the most popular Christmas dinner in Germany? ›

According to an Umfrage (survey), Kartoffelsalat mit Würstchen (potato salad with sausage) is the most popular Christmas dinner in Germany. Yes indeed! Is simple! Kartoffelsalat is often done the day before, on the 23rd, so it tastes even better that night.

A German Christmas Eve

This culinary tradition continues today in many families, even if no church going is involved, with carp, salmon or hake often taking centre stage at the table, accompanied by fried potatoes or Kartoffelpuffer (potato fritters) and Sauerkraut.

In Germany, people use an Adventskranz, or advent wreath, with four candles on it to celebrate the four advents or the four Sundays before Christmas. On each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas Eve, a candle is lit. After lightning the first candle, the Christmas season officially begins.

In Germany, people use an Adventskranz, or advent wreath, with four candles on it to celebrate the four advents or the four Sundays before Christmas. On each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas Eve, a candle is lit. After lightning the first candle, the Christmas season officially begins.

Mulled wine is the main drink at the markets. It's so popular that many of the markets have special decorated cups for the wine. You pay a deposit for them and get it back when you return them or just keep the cup as a souvenir of your visit.

The Most Popular Christmas Dishes

The #1 pick is roast potatoes, with a win percentage of 76%. Mashed potatoes came in second (75%), and turkey was third (73%)—the only protein in the top five. Check out this top-rated recipe for roasted potatoes.