25 Delicious Christmas Main Dishes Everyone Will Love
Center your meal around one of these festive and hearty mains
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Missie Neville Crawford
On top of all the shopping, gift wrapping, and baking you do for the holidays, planning the Christmas Day main dinner entree might slip your mind. It's not like Thanksgiving when you know you'll cook a turkey. Christmas Day entrees range from roasted duck to seafood—and there is no right or wrong answer.
Center your meal on one of these festive and hearty main dish recipes. Not only are these entrees delicious, but they also are the elegant centerpiece your holiday table needs. Check another thing off your holiday planning list by choosing one of these main Christmas dishes that all your guests will love.
Spice-Rubbed Tenderloin with Mustard-Cream Sauce
Since beef tenderloin doesn't have much fat, it can quickly dry and be overcooked. For tender slices, don't cook past a meat thermometer registering 130°F in the center. Serve with a Mustard-Cream Sauce.
Classic Roasted Duck with Orange-Bourbon-Molasses Glaze
The secret to crispy skin is a dry duck. Pat ducks with a paper towel before, during, and after refrigerating. Store uncovered in the back, coldest part of your fridge, for up to two days ahead.
Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder
Ask your butcher to butterfly it if you want to dress up the humble pork shoulder roast. Sprinkle the spice rub all over both sides of the pork. Finally, roll and tie it with kitchen string before browning.
Brisket with Carrots and Horseradish-Parsley Gremolata
Cooked low and slow in a slow cooker, this brisket emerges fork tender and ready for your holiday table. The herbaceous parsley sauce adds a welcome note of brightness to the meat.
Herb-Crusted Roasted Leg of Lamb
The secret to roasting a leg of lamb is cooking it low and slow, turning up the heat so the exterior can brown and form a crust. This very flavorful and tender lamb pairs well with couscous or butternut puree. Serve with parsley-mint sauce on the side.
Dutch Oven Turkey Breast
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Hosting a small crowd but in the mood for turkey? This recipe for turkey breast is cooked it in a Dutch oven, which also eliminates the need to make gravy in a second pan.
Braised Lamb Shanks with Parmesan-Chive Grits
Lamb shanks are a sophisticated dish to serve during the holidays. This recipe offers all the classic flavors of braised lamb but with the added simplicity of using a slow cooker. Trimming the lamb shanks to the same size will help the meal to cook more evenly and help remove excess fat.
Perfect Beef Tenderloin
When seasoning roasts, this will generally do the trick. Add one teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat. Plan on about five pounds of meat for every 12 guests. The beef goes pairs well with Homemade Hot Mustard.
Spice-Rubbed Turkey Tenderloin With Gravy
Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
If your holiday crowd is a handful or fewer, turkey tenderloins are the perfect option. Each one is about the same size as a chicken breast, but the spice rub feels every bit a holiday feast, with warm notes of sage and thyme.
Baked Ham with Brown Sugar-Citrus Glaze
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
A holiday ham doesn't get much prettier than this one. Fresh orange juice and marmalade give this glaze tons of citrus flavor and create a glossy, sticky exterior.
Slow-Cooker Short Ribs with Pork Rind Gremolata
Rich and meaty short ribs are a perfect match for creamy polenta or grits. And to make it extra special, we crumbled a mixture of pork rinds, parsley, and orange zest to add an extra layer of texture and flavor on top.
Peppercorn-Crusted Standing Rib Roast
A standing rib roast might have the most "wow factor" of all the holiday main dishes. It's big, it feeds a crowd, and it's certainly impressive, especially this version which is coated with a peppercorn rub and herb butter.
Lemon Roast Chicken With Rainbow Carrots
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
If you're feeding a small crowd, a roast chicken can be much more manageable than a turkey or a ham. This one is packed with flavor and looks great on the table thanks to rainbow carrots, herbs, and lemons.
Pecan-Coated Pork Loin Roast
In addition to a crunchy pecan crust, the meat is rubbed with a mixture of dark brown sugar and herbs and then marinated overnight for an extra-rich flavor.
Sweet-and-Spicy Roast Turkey
Greg DuPree; Prop Stylist: Ginny Branch; Food Stylist: Cat Steele
You'll have no fear of a bland bird thanks to this recipe. After you dry-brine the turkey with an aromatic spice rub, you roast it with a honey-hot sauce glaze for a spicy exterior that has a beautiful bronzed look.
Glazed Spiral-Cut Ham
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Missie Neville Crawford
For many families, the holidays mean glazed ham. This recipe gives you three delicious options depending on what your crowd will like—sweet, herby, or spicy.
Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Burgundy-Mushroom Sauce Recipe
If you really want to impress, this stuffed and rolled beef tenderloin makes a special treat for the holidays. The meat is filled with creamy spinach and leeks and served with a rich mushroom sauce.
Sweet Tea-Brined Ham With Lemon Glaze
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
A salty-sweet brine and tangy-sweet lemon glaze makes this ham stand out from any other you've tried.
Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin
This simple but decadent beef tenderloin makes a fantastic holiday main dish. A mixture of mustard and mayonnaise keeps the meat moist and helps the herbed breadcrumbs adhere.
Beef Bourguignon
Rich, comforting, and made in a slow cooker—what more could you want from a holiday main? Serve with a rustic loaf of bread and plenty of red wine and you've got a fabulous Christmas meal.
Maple-Bourbon Glazed Ham
Made with six ingredients—including the ham itself—this sweet, richly spiced glaze has a little kick thanks to the bourbon.
Herb-Roasted Pork Loin
Seasoning and chilling the meat uncovered will help form a crust, encouraging a beautiful deep, golden brown color while cooking. After covering the pork with the herbs, let it stand until it reaches room temperature, so it cooks more evenly. Use a meat thermometer in the thickest portion to check the internal temperature.
Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin
Add seasoning to a juicy beef tenderloin with a flavorful coating of panko breadcrumbs and fresh herbs. A light layer of mustard and mayonnaise helps seal in the meat's juices. This delicious main entree cooks in under an hour.
Vanessa's Make-Ahead Beefy Lasagna
A container of refrigerated pesto adds distinctive flavor to this basic beef-and-cheese lasagna. Freeze the unbaked lasagna for up to three months if you want to plan that far in advance. Bake until the cheese is browned.
Pork Roast With Carolina Gravy
Keep this roast in the oven only long enough to turn tender. If your family prefers shredded pork, leave the roast in the oven for a few more hours. Reduce the pan juices to make a delicious gravy.
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