Food and Recipes Holiday and Occasion Food Christmas Main Dish Ideas You'll Love Center your meal on one of these festive and hearty main dishes. By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 21, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Alison Miksch 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. 01 of 38 Classic Roasted Duck with Orange-Bourbon-Molasses Glaze Photo: Alison Miksch 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. 02 of 38 Veal Chops Milanese with Lemon and Herbs Photo: Alison Miksch Ask your butcher to "french" the chops, so you have clean meat ready to prep. Fresh seasonings, like rosemary and thyme, combine with the panko breadcrumbs and cheese for a flavorful dish. Garnish with lemon slices and more herbs. 03 of 38 Creamy Shrimp Piccata Photo: Alison Miksch Save on prep time by buying shrimp peeled and deveined. Lemons, herbs, and cheese add a refreshing flavoring to this pasta dish. Garnish with fresh, flat-leaf parsley if you prefer. 04 of 38 Grilled Cornish Hens with Herb Brine Photo: Alison Miksch If you don't own kitchen shears, that's ok—a pair of heavy-duty scissors will work just as well. Cornish hens make the ultimate, elegant presentation for any holiday dinner. With simple seasonings and herbs, this dish is unexpectantly simple. 05 of 38 Glazed Pork with Fresh Plums Melina Hammer; Styling: Heather Chadduck This sweet and savory dish is ready in 30 minutes. After cooking the pork, stir vinegar and plum preserves into drippings and cover over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the sauce is slightly thick. 06 of 38 Spice-Rubbed Tenderloin with Mustard-Cream Sauce Alison Miksch 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. 07 of 38 Hoppin' John Cakes with Tomato-Jalapeño Gravy Alison Miksch We suggest cooking rice one to two days before, so it has time to dry out. Use wet hands to shape the balls before flattening them and placing them in the freezer. Serve with Tomato-Jalapeño Gravy. 08 of 38 Beef Short Ribs with Mushrooms Caren Alpert This dish looks so impressive but requires little effort. Wait until the last few minutes of cooking to add the mushrooms. Finish by tossing the short ribs in parsley. 09 of 38 Coq Au Vin Photo: Alison Miksch Ask your butcher to cut up the chicken or start with bone-in parts. Use an American pinot noir or French burgundy for the best results. Serve with mashed potatoes, which helps to soak up the sauce. 10 of 38 Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder Photo: Alison Miksch 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. 11 of 38 Herb-Crusted Roasted Leg of Lamb Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall 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. 12 of 38 Apple and Cranberry Turkey Roulade Victor Protasio Prepare, fill, and stuff the tenderloins before rolling and tying them a day before your dinner. Skinless, boneless turkey breast halves can substitute turkey tenderloins if that is what's available at your supermarket. The sweet and savory apple-cranberry stuffing completes this holiday dish. 13 of 38 Tangy-Sweet Lemon Chicken Photo: Alison Miksch Mediterranean flavors meld deliciously in this chicken dish. Bone-in breasts are meaty and cook perfectly in the moist heat of the braise. Garnish with lemons and oranges, and serve with sauce. 14 of 38 Beer-Braised Brisket David Cicconi There's nothing quite like a traditional holiday roast, especially when covered in a beer braise. This dish pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Use remaining roast (if available) to make tasty leftover sandwiches. 15 of 38 Herb-Roasted Pork Loin Hector Sanchez 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. 16 of 38 Brisket with Mushroom-and-Onion Gravy Photo: Alison Miksch Flat-cut brisket comes in a range of sizes. If you get a large, oblong piece, trim the thin end off, if necessary, so it will fit in a Dutch oven and cook evenly. After cooking, garnish with fresh flat-leaf parsley and serve with gravy. 17 of 38 Spicy Fruit-Stuffed Pork Loin with Roasted Pears and Onions Photo: Jennifer Davick A sweet-and-spicy fruit mixture fills this juicy pork loin, and pear preserves make a delectable glaze. You won't even need a centerpiece if this is on the menu. Substitute Bartlett pears for Seckel pears, depending on availability. 18 of 38 Braised Lamb Shanks with Parmesan-Chive Grits Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke 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. 19 of 38 Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin Photo: Jennifer Davick 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. 20 of 38 Smoked Paprika Pork Roast with Sticky Stout Barbecue Sauce Photo: Jennifer Davick We "dry-brine" this pork before grilling it with a salt-and-sugar mixture to make it extra flavorful and juicy. A "dry-brine" means chilling the pork after rubbing the seasoning mixture on the pork, helping improve the juiciness and flavor. 21 of 38 Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin and Carrots fabeveryday This casual and elegant meal is a hit with pork lovers of all ages. Pork tenderloin, brushed with honey, apple cider, and mustard, is an easy, sweet, and tangy dish. Serve with tender baby carrots to complete the meal. 22 of 38 Pork Loin Roast With Carolina Apple Compote Photo: William Dickey Trussing the roast promotes even cooking. If you prefer, ask your butcher to do it for you. Serve compote immediately with the pork. 23 of 38 Honey-Bourbon Glazed Ham Photo: Beau Gustafson Roasting ham with cloves makes for a showstopping Southern classic. Your family and friends are sure to love the flavorful sweet glaze. Honey, bourbon, Creole mustard, molasses, light brown sugar, and cloves are the perfect glaze for a bone-in ham. 24 of 38 Roasted Paprika Chicken Photo: Jennifer Davick Choose a mixture of everyone's favorite chicken pieces, such as drumsticks, bone-in breasts, and thighs. This simple recipe features various flavors by adding paprika, thyme, and black pepper. Garnish with lemon slices. 25 of 38 Perfect Beef Tenderloin Iain Bagwell 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. 26 of 38 Pecan-and-Dill-Crusted Salmon Photo: Iain Bagwell This whole side of salmon takes only 10 minutes to prepare and makes for a stunning presentation. Whether you serve it for a holiday dinner, casual brunch, or Sunday supper, you and your family will want to keep this one on the rotation. Bake until the salmon flakes with a fork. 27 of 38 Pancetta-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Whipped Horseradish Cream Jim Franco Add extra flavor to roasted beef tenderloin by wrapping it in pancetta and baking it until the pancetta is crispy. After covering the tenderloin in pancetta, tie it with a kitchen string. Serve with Whipped Horseradish Cream. 28 of 38 Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb Dotdash Meredith Food Studios These mouthwatering pork racks, topped with Dijon mustard to add flavor and help the breadcrumbs stick, are the perfect main dish for your holiday dinner. Have your butcher French the bones for a more elegant presentation. Let the pork rack stand for 10 minutes before serving. 29 of 38 Cracklin'-Fresh Picnic Ham with Apple-Cranberry-Pomegranate Salsa Photo: Iain Bagwell While a holiday ham traditionally consists of a cured, brined, or smoked cut of pork from the hind leg, we're taking liberties with the word "ham." Choose the best cut of meat for this particular recipe, which is the shoulder. Pair with a fresh apple-cranberry mixture for a complete holiday pork roast or turkey meal. 30 of 38 Rib Roast with Red-Wine Gravy © Michael Turek Bring the rib roast to room temperature before cooking, usually two hours prior. Add flour, dry mustard, and onion powder to season the meat. Serve with gravy. 31 of 38 Cherries Jubilee-Black Pepper Glazed Ham Photo: Jennifer Davick We baked this ham at a low temperature, which made it juicier and more tender than a higher temperature would have yielded. When baking, adding the cherry mixture as basting will continuously add more flavoring to the meat. Try fresh cherries and sage springs as a garnish. 32 of 38 Andouille Sausage Jambalaya with Shrimp Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford This dish cooks perfectly in the slow cooker, full of spicy Louisiana flair. Add the cooked rice at the end for the best results. If you want a little more heat, add more hot sauce. 33 of 38 Pork Roast With Carolina Gravy Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Prop Styling: Lisa Powell; Bailey; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns 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. 34 of 38 Roasted Pork with Dried Fruit and Port Sauce Photo: Jim Franco Recipe developer Victoria Amory recommends preparing the meat and sauce separately, then warming them together just before serving. Apricots and pine nuts are a unique and fragrant addition to this dish. 35 of 38 Fennel-Crusted Pork Loin with Roasted Potatoes and Pears Beatriz da Costa Rub the pork loin with freshly ground fennel, garlic, and oil for a heady combination of seasonings that perfectly complements this elegant meat. Next, roast the pork with a mixture of onions, potatoes, and pears. This dish adds vibrant color to your table, making it as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palate. 36 of 38 Vanessa's Make-Ahead Beefy Lasagna Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford 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. 37 of 38 Beef Tenderloin With Henry Bain Sauce Photo: Charles Walton IV Entrées don't come any grander than beef tenderloin, and the Henry Bain Sauce served with this one is a Kentucky classic. Surround it with top-rated sides, and you have a meal guaranteed to make memories. 38 of 38 Pan-Seared Flank Steak with Herb Sauce Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley With only 30 minutes of active time, this pan-seared steak dish can make the holidays feel special without the busy cooking schedule. This steak, prepared in a cast iron skillet, is tender and delicious. Shop for uniform cuts of meat so that is cooks evenly. After serving a delicious holiday dinner, a delightful dessert is a perfect way to end your celebrations. These 105 Heavenly Holiday Desserts That Will Wow Guests give you plenty of options. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit