Christmas dinner doesn't have to mean turkey and sprouts again. For a growing number of UK households, the meal everyone actually remembers isn't the one served at the dining table on the 25th - it's the Indian takeaway shared around the kitchen island on Christmas Eve, the curry night on Christmas Day, or the relaxed Boxing Day spread. If you're planning the best Indian food to order for Christmas this year, the answer isn't one dish - it's a balanced box of curries, rice, naan and sides that arrives together and feeds everyone.
In this guide I'll walk through the ten best Indian dishes to order for Christmas, explain how to build a complete festive feast, and cover the practical things - portion sizes, opening hours, ordering early - that turn a good takeaway into a great one.
Why the Indian Food for Christmas Beats Turkey Again
Turkey fatigue is real. By the time the third round of sandwiches appears on Boxing Day, most families are quietly ready for something different. An Indian takeaway fixes that problem without anyone needing to lift a carving knife. A multi-dish spread is one of the few formats that genuinely feeds a crowd without compromise - mild kormas keep younger children happy, fragrant biryanis double as both centrepiece and side, and a tandoori mixed grill gives the table a real wow moment. If you want a wider tour of what works at this time of year, a roundup of the most popular winter warmer curries for a cold night in is a good companion read before you build the order.
The 10 Best Indian Dishes to Order for Christmas
These are the ten indian dishes that cover every base you need for a festive Indian order for Christmas - from the mildest curry for children to a spicy jalfrezi for the heat-lovers, plus sharing platters, biryanis and vegetarian starters.
1. Chicken Tikka Masala
Britain's most-ordered curry, and the safest pick on any festive order. Char-grilled chicken tikka in a velvety tomato-cream sauce that's mild and fragrant. If you're unsure what to lead with, lead with this.
2. Butter Chicken
Richer and sweeter than its CTM cousin - the indulgent option for a Christmas Day treat. Built with butter, cream and tomato, often finished with a touch of honey. Mild enough for children.
3. Chicken Korma
The children's choice. Built on yogurt, coconut and ground almonds, with a silky texture and barely any heat. Pair with plain basmati and a plain naan.
4. Lamb Rogan Josh
A proper centrepiece curry. Slow-cooked lamb in a deep red gravy built from paprika, yogurt and aromatic spices. Medium heat, deeply savoury, looks the part on a festive table.
5. Chicken Jalfrezi
The spicy pick. Strips of chicken flash-cooked with green peppers, onions and fresh green chillies, finished bright and tangy. Not blow-your-head-off hot, but it has real bite.
6. Tandoori Mixed Grill
The sharing showstopper. Chicken tikka, seekh kebab, lamb chops and sometimes tandoori chicken off the clay oven onto one platter. Smoky, charred, fragrant.
7. Chicken Biryani
Fragrant basmati layered with spiced chicken, saffron and fried onions, sealed and slow-cooked so the grains stay separate. Doubles as both rice and main - order it instead of a separate rice dish.
8. Vegetable Biryani
Same treatment, no meat. Built with carrots, peas, cauliflower and potato, often with cashews and raisins for a sweet-savoury finish. A real main, not a fallback - pair with paneer tikka and a raita.
9. Paneer Tikka
Smoky, charred cubes of paneer marinated in yogurt and spice, cooked in the tandoor until the edges crisp. The vegetarian answer to chicken tikka - substantial and packed with flavour.
10. Onion Bhaji
Crisp, spiced, golden. The essential starter. Sliced onions bound in a spiced gram flour batter, deep-fried until shatteringly crisp. Three or four per person with a dollop of mango chutney.
How to Build a Complete Indian Christmas Feast
A good Indian Christmas order isn't just a list of curries - it's layers. Think starters, then a heat-spectrum of curries, then rice, then bread, then sides and condiments, then dessert.
Starters
Start with poppadoms - three or four per person - with mango chutney, raita and lime pickle. Add a tray of onion bhajis and a few samosas to share.
Curries
Order three across the heat spectrum: one mild, one medium, one spicy. A korma or butter chicken covers the mild end; a chicken tikka masala or lamb rogan josh handles the middle; a chicken jalfrezi brings the heat. Three curries is enough for four to six people. If you want a wider sense of how the different curry styles compare before you pick, a broad collection of classic curry recipes from BBC Good Food is a useful reference for spotting the ones your family will recognise.
Rice
One portion of rice per person, split between plain basmati and pilau. Plain basmati is the safer pick for children and the cleaner partner for spicy curries; pilau adds fragrance for the medium and mild dishes. Or skip both and order a shared biryani - it doubles as main and rice in one tray.
Naan
One to two naans per person, mixed. Garlic naan for the savoury side, peshwari naan for the sweet contrast. Plain naan for the children. A keema naan is a meal in itself if there's a meat-lover in the family.
Sides, Chutneys and Raita
The small things that make the meal feel planned, not rushed. Mango chutney, lime pickle, raita and a side salad belong on the table whatever you've ordered. Add a saag paneer or chana masala if you've got vegetarians.
Desserts
Gulab jamun for the proper festive finish - warm, syrup-soaked milk dumplings that are sweet without being heavy. Or keep it simple: a mince pie and a chai with the leftovers.
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day - When to Order What
Each day of the Christmas break has its own mood, and the Indian order should match it.
Christmas Eve Curry Night
The relaxed meal before the main event. Christmas Eve is when families actually sit down together, and a curry night is the perfect fit. Order early afternoon for a 6-7pm arrival, pick three curries, a biryani and a tandoori mixed grill.
Christmas Day Indian Dinner
Swapping turkey for tandoori grill and curries is now a genuine UK Christmas tradition, not a novelty. The advantage is obvious: no oven to manage, no timing, and a meal everyone at the table actually wants to eat. The catch is that opening hours are limited on the 25th and many places need pre-booking.
Boxing Day Takeaway
The light spread, eaten in stages. Boxing Day is for grazing - a korma and rice, a few onion bhajis, the leftover biryani from Christmas Eve warmed up. Keep it simple, keep the oven off. Most Indian takeaways are open normal hours on the 26th, so this is the easiest day of the three to order on the day without pre-planning.
Choosing Dishes for a Family of Four to Six
Four to six is the sweet spot for an Indian Christmas order - big enough to justify a proper spread, small enough that you don't end up with three days of leftovers.
Mild Curries for Children
For the under-tens, korma and butter chicken are the two safe bets. Both are mild, creamy and familiar. Pair with plain basmati rice and a plain naan - no garlic, no chilli - and add a small bowl of raita for dipping.
Spicy Options for Curry Lovers
For the adults who want heat, jalfrezi is the obvious pick - bright, tangy, properly spicy without being extreme. A hotter rogan josh works too, especially for lamb fans. Always order raita alongside; the cooling yogurt takes the edge off between bites.
Vegetarian Choices
Paneer tikka, vegetable biryani, onion bhajis and samosas aren't a fallback for vegetarians - they're real mains. A proper vegetarian Christmas dinner looks like this: a paneer tikka starter, a vegetable biryani main, a side of saag paneer or chana masala, and a share of the onion bhajis and poppadoms.
Sharing Platters for Larger Groups
When the group grows past six, add a tandoori mixed grill. It's the one dish that genuinely scales: order one for six people, two for eight to ten. Add an extra biryani, double up on naan.
Tips for Ordering Your Christmas Indian Takeaway
The difference between a good Christmas takeaway and a great one isn't the curry - it's the planning.
Managing Portion Sizes
For four to six people: three curries (one mild, one medium, one spicy), two rice portions shared across the table, two to three naan, and two starters to share. Add a biryani if you want a built-in main. For six people, add one more curry and one more naan.
Finding Christmas Takeaway Deals
Look for set menus and family bundles rather than picking dishes one by one - they're usually cheaper than ordering à la carte and they're designed for groups of four or more. If you're not sure which local place to trust with the festive order, a curated shortlist of the best-regarded Indian restaurants and takeaways in the UK is a sensible place to start before you compare menus.
Checking Festive Opening Hours
Opening hours change every year and vary by restaurant. Some places shut entirely on the 25th; some open only for collection; some run normal hours all three days. Always check the restaurant's festive hours before you build your order, especially for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Ordering Early
Place orders the morning of, or the day before for collection. Festive slots fill fast, and many restaurants cap the number of orders they'll accept on the 24th and 25th. For Christmas Day collection, place the order the day before.
Order Your Christmasy Indian Takeaway with ChefOnline
The plan is simple: three curries across the heat range, a biryani for the centrepiece, a tandoori mixed grill if the group is large, and a generous mix of naan, rice, sides and chutneys to fill the table. Order early, check festive hours, and don't skip the gulab jamun.
When you're ready, ChefOnline lets you find local Indian restaurants, browse menus and order for delivery or collection - subject to availability in your area. Searching for an Indian takeaway near you and placing the order a day ahead is the easiest way to keep the festive table full without lifting a carving knife.
FAQs
Can I order Indian food for Christmas Day?
Yes - many Indian restaurants and takeaways open on Christmas Day, though hours are limited and most require pre-orders for collection rather than delivery. Place your order the day before to be safe.
What are the best mild curries for children?
Chicken korma and butter chicken. Both are creamy, mild and sweet enough to suit younger palates. Pair with plain basmati rice and a plain naan, and add a small bowl of raita for dipping.
Are there good vegetarian options for an Indian Christmas dinner?
Plenty. Paneer tikka, vegetable biryani, onion bhajis and samosas are all real mains, not afterthoughts. Add a side of saag paneer or chana masala, share the poppadoms and chutneys, and vegetarians get a full festive meal.
How much Indian takeaway should I order for a family of six?
Three curries (one mild, one medium, one spicy), two to three portions of rice, three naan, two starters to share, and a biryani if you want a built-in main. Add a tandoori mixed grill if the group grows past six.
Are Indian takeaways open on Boxing Day?
Most are. Boxing Day tends to be a normal trading day for Indian restaurants, so it's the easiest of the three Christmas days to order on the day without pre-planning. Expect busy evening slots in the first hour or two after opening.
What's a good spicy curry for Christmas?
Chicken jalfrezi is the classic pick - bright, tangy and properly spicy without being extreme. A hotter lamb rogan josh works too. Always order raita alongside to take the edge off.
Should I choose delivery or collection for Christmas Eve?
Both work, but for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, collection is usually more reliable - delivery slots fill faster and wait times stretch. Collection also lets you check the order before you head home.
When should I order for Christmas Eve?
Place the order the morning of, or the day before for collection. Christmas Eve is one of the busiest nights of the year for Indian takeaways, so festive slots fill fast. Order by lunchtime for an evening delivery slot.
Final Thoughts
The go-to dishes for a festive Indian order: chicken tikka masala and butter chicken for the mild end, lamb rogan josh and chicken jalfrezi for heat, a tandoori mixed grill for sharing, and a biryani as the centrepiece. Add korma for the children, paneer tikka and vegetable biryani for the vegetarians, and don't forget the onion bhajis.
Variety is what makes an Indian Christmas dinner work - a little of everything, not a lot of one thing. Plan ahead, order early, and the best Indian food to order for Christmas this year sorts itself. The table will be full, the kitchen will be clean, and the meal everyone remembers will be the one that arrived in a bag, ready to share
