Try This Cajun Christmas Dinner Menu to Spice Up Your Holiday

Spice up the season with Cajun recipes for every course of your Christmas dinner. With a vegetarian starter, seafood side, and sweet layered cake, every holiday guest will leave your table satisfied. This holiday meal is filled with classic Cajun flavors like garlic, peppers, and onions. With heaps of seasoning, rich meats, and savory simmers, this Cajun Christmas menu has all the flavor you need. Finish the meal with not one but two desserts including a homemade candy recipe that doubles as a festive DIY food gift.

Soup: Cajun-Seasoned Vegetarian Gumbo

Serve up simmering scoops of this veggie gumbo as a cozy side or vegetarian Christmas entree. You won't miss the spicy sausage links from the original gumbo recipe, ingredients like beans, okra, and Cajun seasoning ensure it's still authentic.

Timing Tip: Since this recipe comes together in your slow cooker ($17, Target), start it soon after you wake up on party day. Allow the gumbo to stew on low for 6 to 8 hours if you're hosting for dinner, or crank up the heat to high and cook 3 to 4 hours if you're serving lunch.

Get the recipe: Cajun-Seasoned Vegetarian Gumbo

Entree: Shrimp and Sausage Boil

No Cajun Christmas (or meal for that matter) would be complete without seafood and sausage. This classic boil recipe is made traditionally in one pot. We recommend serving it on an oversize platter ($18, CB2), so guests at any end of the table can easily get their fill.

Get the recipe: Shrimp and Sausage Boil

Stuffing: Oysters Rockefeller Sourdough Stuffing

This recipe is what happens when you marry a commitment to a Cajun menu with holiday tradition. The side dish borrows bold herb flavors and briny oysters from the Louisiana favorite, Oysters Rockefeller, and mixes them with the holiday-appropriate concept of warm bread stuffing.

Suggested Substitution: If you're not a fan of oysters, try adding cremini mushrooms instead for a similar burst of umami.

Get the recipe: Oysters Rockefeller Sourdough Stuffing

Vegetable Side Dish: Peppery Roasted Acorn Squash

It's easy to add a flavorful side to your Cajun Christmas menu with this one-step roasted veggie recipe. Seriously, there's just one step in the directions! Crushed peppercorn adds a healthy kick to nutty acorn squash, although you could also try an equal amount of these seasonings if you're not in the mood for quite as much heat:

• Cumin
• Ginger
• Garlic Powder
• Cinnamon
• Ground Sage

Get the recipe: Peppery Roasted Acorn Squash

Dessert: Doberge Cake

Gorgeous layers of soft white cake and lemon custard will stun your crowd and cool them off after a super savory meal. Wow them with this fun fact, too: Doberge Cake was born in New Orleans and gets its name from the Hungarian torte that inspired it.

Get the recipe: Doberge Cake

Candy: Salted Chocolate-Caramel Clusters

Pecans, a Cajun favorite, add their crispy texture to theses luxurious caramel candies. Sea salt brings out the natural sweetness of the caramel and chocolate. Pop the cooled candies in a bowl while you're opening gifts or relaxing after dinner, or package a dozen up in a box or bag to send guests home to enjoy later on.

Get the recipe: Salted Chocolate-Caramel Clusters