25 Main Course Alternatives to Turkey for Thanksgiving
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
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Turkey is a classic main course for Thanksgiving dinner, but that certainly doesn't mean you have to serve it every year. We've collected plenty of alternative Thanksgiving mains that can take center stage at your table, including Salmon Wellington, Crackling Coppa Roast with Fennel and Onions, and Garlic-Butter Rib Roast. Need something meatless? We've got Mince Pie, Mushroom Steaks, and a show-stopping whole Greens and Cheese Stuffed Pumpkin. Read on for those recipes, and even more alternatives to turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Leg of Lamb Cooked Over New Potatoes with Spicy Mint-Rum Sauce
Cookbook author and scholar Jessica B. Harris serves this roast leg of lamb cooked over a bed of new potatoes. Dried lavender and fresh thyme lend floral, woodsy flavor to fresh garlic cloves in a simple paste created on the cutting board. The paste seasons the lamb before cooking and helps the dried spice crust stick to the meat. The mint sauce — what Harris calls a "jazzed-up mint jelly" made by cooking mint jelly in a skillet with a splash of rum and jalapeño — will appear very thin when hot but thickens to a glaze as it cools.
Pork Loin Braised with Mushrooms and Wine
Fistfuls of fresh herbs, fragrant strips of orange peel, and plenty of garlic perfume in this comforting Corsican dish. The jus is vibrant and richly seasoned; ladle extra over the polenta on each plate.
Salmon Wellington
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Barrett Washburne
Top Chef winner Buddha Lo created this clever spin on traditional Beef Wellington. He wraps salmon loin with cabbage leaves, then layers it with shrimp, nori, and puff pastry before baking it. All those layers lend complex flavors to the final dish, not to mention a striking presentation when the Wellington is sliced.
Picanha Roast recipe with Pink Peppercorn Brown Butter Sauce
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This roast beef with pink peppercorn sauce is infused with flavors that tap into pure supper-club nostalgia, given a frisson of heat from dried chiles.
Madeira-Glazed Ham with Collard Greens
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Glistening in a spiced madeira and honey glaze, served on a bed of greens and citrus, this holiday ham is tailor-made for a special occasion meal.
Beef Chuck Eye Roast with Paprika-Herb Rub
This simple, flavorful beef roast — rubbed with thyme, paprika, and cumin — is made with chuck eye, a cut from the chuck portion of the rib-eye muscle.
Honey-and-Lemon-Glazed Roast Chicken
Inspired by the beautifully browned Peking duck, Piero Incisa Della Rocchetta brushes chickens with a mixture of soy sauce and honey from the beehives in his Patagonia vineyards.
Buttermilk-Marinated Quail with Herbed Raita and Blood Oranges
"What I love about this recipe, in terms of the ingredients and method, is that the mint and charred flavors are reminiscent of summertime despite the chill of winter," Maneet Chauhan says.
Roasted Lamb Chops with Brown Sugar-Rum Glaze
With plenty of garlic and rubbed sage to brighten savory, gamey lamb, these roasted chops are bold and balanced. If the glaze begins to set before serving, gently warm it over low heat. Chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls serves these lamb chops at his epic dinner parties at his apartment in Harlem.
Crackling Coppa Roast with Fennel and Onions
Ask your butcher for pork shoulder with an untrimmed fat cap (about 3/4-inch thick) for this recipe; the fat renders as the pork roasts, simultaneously getting crispy while basting the meat with its flavorful juices. The fennel cooks down into a rich and jammy condiment that complements every bite.
Herb-Roasted King Salmon with Pinot Noir Sauce
Originally served at Seattle's Hotel Sorrento by chef David Pisegna, this throwback salmon dish stands the test of time. We simplified the original recipe but didn't change a thing about the velvety, wine-blushed beurre blanc; keep it warm and serve it immediately for the best results.
King Oyster Mushroom Steaks with Pesto and Almond Aillade
Chef Julia Sullivan employs a duo of cast-iron skillets to prepare these tender, crispy-edged mushroom steaks; one for cooking the mushrooms, the other for pressing them flat so they cook evenly. Buttery roasted almonds balance the sharper notes of garlic and lemon in this rustic French sauce.
Spiced Brown Sugar Ham with Apple Jus
The secret to this super-tender ham is keeping it wrapped in foil while it's cooking and resting, letting it reabsorb any moisture released during the cooking process. "If you can't pick up the foil-wrapped ham without burning yourself, then it's not done resting!" says pork pro Kevin Gillespie, chef at Revival in Decatur.
Greens-and-Cheese-Stuffed Cinderella Pumpkin
Inspired by Cassie Piuma's squash spanakopita at her restaurant, Sarma, in Somerville, Massachusetts, this stuffed pumpkin is filled with a nutty, creamy blend of Gruyère and feta cheeses; sweet, anise-scented fennel; and hearty green lacinato kale for a stunning vegetarian main dish fit for any holiday table.
Roasted Cornish Game Hens
These Cornish hens are flavor-packed with aromatic herbs, fresh lemons, and garlic. Coated in a lemon-garlic-herb puree, stuffed with garlic and lemon wedges, and neatly trussed, the hens are roasted on top of a bed of fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs. The roasted birds are drizzled with butter-fortified pan juices just before serving.
Banana Leaf-Wrapped Lamb Shank Tamales with Morita Chile Salsa
These smoky braised-lamb tamales, a favorite at event producer Paola Briseño González's holiday tamal parties, get a pop of freshness from bright cilantro-onion relish, while a wrapper of banana leaves perfumes the masa with a softly sweet aroma as they steam. The banana leaf wrappers also yield tamales with a dense, custard-like texture. The rich, slow-cooked flavor of lamb shanks is the perfect partner for the intense smokiness of Morita chiles; substitute chipotles in a pinch.
Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale
A quick sauté renders baby kale leaves perfectly tender, allowing them to almost melt into the buttermilk-enriched béchamel in chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls' version of mac and cheese. For a smooth sauce, make sure all of the dairy is at room temperature.
Pork Chop au Poivre with Red Wine–Shallot Sauce
Steak who? This bone-in pork chop riff on the classic French au poivre preparation is so good, we may never go back to beef. Using a blend of peppercorns, not just classic black, adds notes of floral and vegetal spice to this simple dish. Splurge on the Pierre Poivre N.7 from La Boîte master spice blender Lior Lev Sercarz, or grind your own. Be sure to grind the peppercorns just before cooking to release the fresh aroma.
Garlic-Butter Rib Roast
This impressive, flavor-packed rib roast is perfect for a celebration. The secret? A compound butter made with garlic, anchovies, herbs, and shallot. Half of it is slathered all over the roast before it goes into the oven; the other half is rolled up into a log, chilled, and then sliced into medallions to serve with each slice of beef. Special order the rib roast from a local butcher, asking for one with nice marbling and an even fat cap.
Leg of Lamb with Fingerling Potatoes and Leeks
Incredibly easy to prepare, this bone-in leg of lamb is coated with an herby, pleasantly salty crust before marinating in the refrigerator for about eight hours. The dry brine results in a juicy, tender, and deliciously garlicky lamb roast.
Braised Duck Legs with Spaetzle and Mushroom Ragout
Inspired by German celebratory harvest meals from centuries past, this comforting braised dish trades the traditional goose leg quarters for easier-to-source duck, served on a bed of buttery-crisp spaetzle and saucy mushrooms. A beurre manié — a quick mash of softened butter and flour — is the key to thickening the delicious sauce in this braise.
Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon with Oranges, Olives, and Herbs
"Tart and just barely sweet, the pomegranate molasses cuts through the richness of the fish while creating a gorgeous, shimmering glaze; the olives balance the bright flavors of the salad with their soft salinity and luxe butteriness," Andrea Slonecker says. "One good pairing for wild salmon is Oregon Pinot Noir, but here, a dry or slightly off-dry Oregon Riesling is perfect. Replete with zingy acidity, it perfectly counterbalances the richness of the fatty, flavorsome fish and stands up to the bright salad and tart, fruity glaze."
Roasted Broccoli Steaks with Tomato Butter and Tapenade
Here, chef Greg Vernick treats broccoli like a steak, roasting it at a high temperature on a preheated pan to achieve a lightly charred crust. Cooked on the same pan, umami-packed tomatoes blend up into a super-quick sauce enriched with just the right amount of butter.
Mushroom, Lentil, and Chestnut Mince Pie
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This fully vegetarian mince pie recipe, with its filling of mushroom duxelles and roasted mushrooms, black lentils, and chestnuts, is perfect for a holiday feast.
Roasted Goose
Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
The secret to Jacques Pépin's roast goose with irresistibly crispy skin is a little extra prep and a lengthy steam to jumpstart the rendering process.
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