Yule Feast Menu Ideas: A Cozy Winter Solstice Dinner

Yule is the winter solstice feast: the longest night, the return of the sun and a table full of warm, abundant food. You do not need an elaborate menu. Choose a few dishes built from seasonal ingredients and let candles do the rest.

Starters

• Roasted pumpkin or parsnip soup with sage butter
• A board of cheeses, nuts, dried figs and honey
• Baked brie with cranberries and rosemary

Mains

• Herb-roasted chicken or turkey with orange and thyme
• Mushroom and chestnut Wellington for a vegetarian centerpiece
• Slow-cooked winter stew with root vegetables and bay leaf

Sides

• Roasted carrots and beets with honey and thyme
• Garlic mashed potatoes or root-vegetable gratin
• Cranberry and orange sauce
• Warm crusty bread with herb butter

Desserts

• A chocolate Yule log with sugared cranberries
• Spiced gingerbread or ginger cookies
• Baked apples with cinnamon and a drizzle of honey

Drinks

• Mulled cider or cranberry
• Hot chocolate with a cinnamon stick
• Herbal tea blends for after dinner

Set the table

Dress the table with evergreen sprigs, beeswax candles, oranges studded with cloves and a bowl of pomegranates. Leave one empty seat or a small plate for the spirit of the season, then go around the table and share one thing you are leaving behind and one thing you are welcoming back with the light.