23 Best Christmas Dinner Main Course Ideas

Christmas dinner is the one meal where you can go all out and nobody complains about the cost or calories. These main courses range from classic traditional options to fancier alternatives that’ll impress your guests. Some take all day to cook while others are surprisingly quick. Pick something that matches your cooking skills and how much time you got – Christmas is stressful enough without fighting with dinner.

Traditional Roast Turkey with Stuffing

This is what most people think of for Christmas dinner. The key is not overcooking it which makes it dry. Brine the turkey overnight if you got time – it makes a huge difference. The stuffing inside gets all the turkey flavor but some people worry about food safety so you can cook it separately. Plan on about 20 minutes per pound and use a meat thermometer. Feeds a crowd and gives you leftovers for days.

Get the recipe here.

Honey Glazed Ham

Ham is way easier than turkey cause it’s already cooked – you’re just heating it up and adding flavor. The honey glaze caramelizes and makes it look beautiful on the table. Score the fat in a diamond pattern and stick whole cloves in if you want to be fancy. This is foolproof and always comes out good even if you’re not a great cook.

Get the recipe here.

Prime Rib Roast with Horseradish Sauce

This is expensive but worth it for special occasions. The trick is letting it come to room temperature before cooking and using high heat at first then lowering it. It looks really impressive when you slice it at the table. The horseradish sauce cuts through the richness perfectly. You can mess this up if you overcook it so definitely use a thermometer.

Get the recipe here.

Roast Beef Tenderloin

Tenderloin is the most tender cut but also the most expensive. It cooks fast which is good if you’re running behind schedule. Season it simply with salt, pepper, and herbs – don’t overcomplicate it. This is elegant and sophisticated but actually pretty easy to make. Perfect for smaller groups who want something special.

Get the recipe here.

Crown Roast of Pork

This looks like something from a fancy restaurant with the bones arranged in a crown shape. Your butcher can prepare it for you which saves time. Fill the center with stuffing or roasted vegetables. It’s basically a pork chop roast but the presentation makes it feel really special. Feeds about 8-10 people depending on size.

Get the recipe here.

Glazed Duck with Orange Sauce

Duck has way more flavor than chicken but it’s fattier so some people don’t like it. The orange sauce is classic and cuts through the richness. You gotta prick the skin all over to let the fat render out. This takes longer to cook than you’d think so plan ahead. The skin gets incredibly crispy which is the best part.

Get the recipe here.

Roast Goose with Apple Stuffing

Goose used to be more traditional than turkey for Christmas dinner. It’s got dark meat throughout and tons of flavor. The apple stuffing balances the richness and soaks up all the good drippings. Goose is expensive and hard to find so you might need to order it ahead. Definitely not diet food but amazing for special occasions.

Get the recipe here.

Leg of Lamb with Rosemary

Lamb has a distinctive flavor that people either love or hate. The rosemary and garlic combo is classic and smells incredible while cooking. Don’t overcook it – lamb is best served pink in the middle. This is elegant and different from the usual Christmas meats. Works great for smaller gatherings who want something sophisticated.

Get the recipe here.

Beef Wellington

This is Gordon Ramsay’s signature dish and looks super impressive but it’s actually not that hard. Beef tenderloin wrapped in mushroom mixture and puff pastry. The hardest part is getting the pastry golden without overcooking the beef inside. Practice this once before Christmas if you’re nervous. Everyone will think you’re a amazing chef even though most of it is assembly.

Get the recipe here.

Stuffed Cornish Game Hens

These are perfect for fancy dinner parties cause everyone gets their own little bird. They look elegant on the plate and cook way faster than a big turkey. You can stuff them with wild rice, bread stuffing, or whatever you like. The presentation is restaurant-quality but they’re actually pretty simple to make.

Get the recipe here.

Maple Bourbon Glazed Pork Loin

The maple bourbon glaze on this makes it taste amazing and look beautiful. Pork loin is lean so don’t overcook it or it gets dry. The glaze caramelizes and forms a nice crust. This is less traditional but still feels festive. Good for people who want something different but not too weird.

Get the recipe here.

Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb

This is expensive but cooks fast and looks really impressive. The herb crust is usually breadcrumbs mixed with garlic, rosemary, and parsley. Each person gets their own little section of ribs which feels fancy. Don’t cook it past medium or you’ll ruin expensive meat. Perfect for small elegant dinners.

Get the recipe here.

Roast Chicken with Herbs

Sometimes simple is best and a perfectly roasted chicken is hard to beat. Use a whole chicken and stuff the cavity with lemon and herbs. The skin gets crispy and the meat stays juicy if you don’t overcook it. This is budget-friendly and feeds a medium-sized group. Add some fancy sides and nobody will complain about having chicken for Christmas.

Get the recipe here.

Braised Short Ribs

These need to cook low and slow for hours but they’re worth it. The meat falls off the bone and the sauce is incredible. You can make this ahead and reheat which actually makes it taste better. Not traditional Christmas food but definitely special occasion worthy. Perfect for cold weather and very forgiving if you’re not precise with timing.

Get the recipe here.

Salmon Wellington

This is like beef wellington but with fish which makes it a bit lighter. The salmon stays moist wrapped in pastry and the presentation is really elegant. Good for people who don’t eat red meat but still want something fancy. Salmon cooks fast so watch the timing carefully. The pastry protects the fish from overcooking.

Get the recipe here.

Lobster Thermidor

This is super fancy and expensive but not actually that hard to make. Lobster meat mixed with a rich cream sauce and broiled in the shell. You can buy cooked lobster tails to make it easier. This feels like something from a five-star restaurant. Perfect for small groups who want to splurge on something really special.

Get the recipe here.

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is lean, cooks fast, and looks impressive when sliced. You butterfly it, add stuffing, then roll it back up. The stuffing can be anything – spinach and cheese, dried fruit and nuts, whatever sounds good. This is way easier than it looks and feeds about 4-6 people. Great for when you want something fancy but don’t have all day.

Get the recipe here.

Roast Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce

Duck breast is quicker than whole duck and has less fat to deal with. Score the skin and start it skin-side down to render the fat. The cherry sauce is sweet and tangy which goes perfect with the rich duck. This is restaurant-quality but doable at home. The duck breast should be pink in the middle like a steak.

Get the recipe here.

Standing Rib Roast

This is the same cut as prime rib just cooked differently. It looks really impressive standing up with the bones. Season it simply and let the meat speak for itself. Use the drippings to make amazing gravy. This is expensive but feeds a lot of people and always gets oohs and aahs when you bring it to the table.

Get the recipe here.

Turkey Roulade

This is boneless turkey breast rolled up with stuffing inside. It cooks way faster than a whole turkey and carves beautifully. You can make individual ones or one big one. The dark meat stays moister than breast meat. This gives you all the turkey flavor without dealing with a giant bird that might not fit in your oven.

Get the recipe here.

Glazed Spiral Ham

The spiral cut makes this super easy to serve – just slice along the cuts the butcher already made. The glaze can be anything sweet – brown sugar, maple, pineapple, whatever you like. This is basically foolproof since the ham is already cooked. Perfect for feeding a crowd without much fuss. Everyone knows what they’re getting and most people like ham.

Get the recipe here.

Beef Brisket with Red Wine Sauce

Brisket needs to cook low and slow but it’s very forgiving. The red wine sauce makes it feel fancy and Christmas-appropriate. You can make this ahead and slice it when you’re ready to serve. The meat should be fork-tender and the sauce should be rich and flavorful. This is comfort food that feels special enough for the holidays.

Get the recipe here.

Roasted Pork Shoulder with Crackling

This is budget-friendly but still feels festive. The crackling (crispy skin) is the best part – score it well and use high heat at the end. The meat is juicy and flavorful and feeds a bunch of people. This takes several hours but most of that is hands-off cooking time. Great for big casual family gatherings where you want good food without breaking the bank.

Get the recipe here.