26 Holiday Main Course Recipes to Impress Everyone

When choosing the main dish for your holiday meal, you will have lots of different possibilities to consider and compare. It’s a great opportunity to make a tasty feast to impress all the family. Whether you’re planning for an Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, let yourself be inspired with these delicious options. Brown sugar glazed ham, spatchcock chicken and smoked leg of lamb are just a few appealing options for the best holiday main course recipes.

Smoked Sweet Onion Honey Glazed Ham

Smoked sweet onion honey glazed ham on a pellet grill makes such a delicious meal for a special occasion. Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter would be the perfect time for smoking a ham on a pellet smoker or Traeger grill. This honey ham recipe is juicy, boasting all kinds of rich, wonderful flavours. The glaze ensures it won’t dry out and the flavour is just phenomenal.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Sweet Onion Honey Glazed Ham

Holiday Roasted Chicken

It’s easy to make a great Thanksgiving or Christmas roast chicken recipe. Chicken’s such a versatile protein and can be jazzed up for a special occasion or used in so many other ways. Here the chicken is roasted whole with delicate, aromatic flavours.
Get the Recipe: The BEST Holiday Roasted Chicken

Holiday Beef Wellington

What about making holiday beef wellington for Christmas dinner this year? It’s made with beef tenderloin, the most tender cut of beef, along with flavourful ingredients such as prosciutto parma ham, rosemary, thyme, mushrooms, shallot, and more. This Thanksgiving or Christmas beef wellington recipe is straightforward to make and it’s a wonderfully decadent meal for the holidays.
Get the Recipe: Holiday Beef Wellington

Sheet Pan Ham Dinner

Looking for a sheet pan Easter dinner, Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner recipe? Not only would this recipe be perfect for either one, but it’s also simple enough to serve up as a regular busy weeknight staple whenever you like.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Ham Dinner

Smoked Rack of Lamb

Impress your guests with this flavorful smoked rack of lamb or lamb chops recipe that combines the rich taste of lamb with wine, fresh herbs, and shallot, along with the magic of smoke. Pair it with some delicious side dishes to make it the perfect meal for any occasion!
Recipe here: Smoked Rack of Lamb

Smoked Turkey Breast

This smoked turkey breast recipe is perfect for holiday dinners, and learning how to smoke it over wood chips or pellets will make you a pro. With juicy and flavorful results, your family will love it, so fire up your Traeger grill or pellet smoker!
Recipe here: Smoked Turkey Breast

Cranberry Holiday Beef Brisket

This cranberry holiday beef brisket is seriously amazing. It’s a lovely dish for the holiday season, Jewish holidays or any time of year you’re feeling festive. A large brisket with fresh cranberries or cranberry jelly is a great recipe for any holiday, special occasion or simply because it’s delicious enough to have any day!
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Holiday Beef Brisket

Slow Cooker Apple Cider Brined Turkey Breast

Slow cooker apple cider brined turkey breast is a perfect autumn recipe. I guarantee you’ve never had such moist turkey! It’s juicy and delicious and bursting with fall flavours. Cooking boneless turkey breast in a slow cooker is an easy no fuss dinner. This is the best brined turkey breast and perfect for all the holidays ahead.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Apple Cider Brined Turkey Breast

Pot Roast with Red Wine

This slow cooker pot roast with red wine is a simple and delicious meal that is perfect for preparing in the morning and letting cook all day. The mouth-watering aroma that fills your home when you return is just a bonus! This is one of those slow cooker recipes that will become a family favorite.
Get the Recipe: Pot Roast with Red Wine

Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed Flank Steak

How does cranberry cream cheese stuffed flank steak sound as a Christmas dinner dish? Doesn’t the sound of this recipe make your mouth begin to water? It’s such a great recipe for stuffed flank steak and works well as a New Year, Thanksgiving or Christmas steak recipe when you want something both fancy and tasty.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed Flank Steak

Air Fryer Turkey Legs

Air Fryer Turkey Legs are easy to make, but still crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. No need to waste time roasting turkey legs or paying tons of money at fairs when you can make your own at home in your air fryer.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Turkey Legs

Easy Instant Pot Spiral Ham

If you’ve ever wondered how to cook ham in an instant pot, I have the best instant pot spiral ham recipe for you. Whether you’re preparing a scrumptious dinner feast or a busy weeknight meal, ham in the instant pot is ideal.
Get the Recipe: Easy Instant Pot Spiral Ham

Baked Garlic Balsamic Steak

Baked garlic balsamic steak is tender, juicy, and loaded with sweet, tangy, and savory flavors. It’s the perfect steak!
Get the Recipe: Baked Garlic Balsamic Steak

Alice Springs Chicken Recipe (Outback Copycat)

This copycat Alice Springs chicken recipe is loaded with bacon, cheese, mushrooms, and a rich honey mustard sauce. It’s delicious!
Get the Recipe: Alice Springs Chicken Recipe (Outback Copycat)

Herb Roasted Turkey with Citrus Gravy

Herb roasted turkey is a must make for the holidays. This recipe includes easy to follow instructions and the best citrus gravy.
Get the Recipe: Herb Roasted Turkey with Citrus Gravy

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

This simple brown sugar glazed ham is so tasty for the main course for a holiday. Skip the trip to the Honeybaked store and make this instead. Your family is sure to love it.
Get the Recipe: Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

Pellet Smoked Turkey

Smoked turkey makes for such a delicious holiday meal. This recipe makes a crispy smoky skin with tender and juicy meat!
Get the Recipe: Pellet Smoked Turkey

Sous Vide Duck Breast

If you are looking to make a deliciously different holiday dinner, consider duck breast. With blackberry sage sauce over top, this is a dish to be thankful for!
Get the Recipe: Sous Vide Duck Breast

Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Ham

Let your slow cooker do the work of making the best ham! This slow cooked ham has a delectable honey mustard glaze to give it a crispy, delicious crispy edge.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Ham

Prime Rib

Serve a perfectly roasted prime rib for a memorable holiday feast! You will love the incredible flavour that the simple garlic rub brings to this main course.
Get the Recipe: Prime Rib

Smoked Leg of Lamb

Leg of lamb makes for an unforgettable holiday meal. This recipe cooks low and slow for tender and tasty main course that your family is destined to love from the first bite.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Leg of Lamb

Spatchcock Chicken

This roasted chicken is ready in no time thanks to the spatchcock cooking method. You will love the crispy skin and juicy meat for a small holiday meal. This is the thing to make if you are only having a few guests.
Get the Recipe: Spatchcock Chicken

Oven Roasted Tri Tip

If you want to serve beef for the holidays, consider this affordable tri tip recipe. It is roasted to tender perfection and has a decadent buttery sauce that you are going to love. It is so easy you can make it on a weeknight, but so yummy it can also work for the holidays.
Get the Recipe: Oven Roasted Tri Tip

Smoked Turkey Breast with Herb Butter

This turkey breast is smoked and drizzled with the best herby butter. You will love how easy this is to make, and how much flavor smoking adds to a simple turkey breast.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Turkey Breast with Herb Butter

Smoked Prime Rib

Make a tender smoked prime rib for the holidays. With this method you can avoid the unappealing gray ring in the prime rib for a gorgeous and delicious holiday main course.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Prime Rib

Dr. Pepper Ham

Pop a ham and some Dr. Pepper into the crockpot for a tender and tasty holiday meal. You will love this method of cooking as it frees up precious oven space so you can focus on the sides and desserts!
Get the Recipe: Dr. Pepper Ham