24 Showstopping Holiday Dinner Mains

While I love the twinkling lights and gift-giving of the holidays, I get most excited by the dinners. My mother-in-law makes a special dinner for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I can count on prime rib for Christmas Eve as surely as I can count on her homemade cookies, layered in her decorative cookie tins. Her dad always brought the prime rib and she hasn’t let the tradition go by the wayside since his passing.

But it doesn’t have to be prime rib to be memorable. There are other grand holiday meals you can choose from. You’ll find roasts, pasta, and stews on this list.

Once you’ve decided on the menu, start procuring the ingredients. You may need to put in a special order with a local butcher or go to a specialty grocer. Also, make sure you have a trusty instant-read thermometer and any other special equipment.

Most of all though, enjoy the time spent together and give yourself a big hug for giving the gift of your time, love, and a memorable meal.

1. Classic Rack of Lamb

Guests will be running to the table when they see you serving these juicy lamb chops. You can season the lamb up to three days in advance. No gravy or sauces are required.

2. Oven-Roasted Fillet of Beef

A few pantry ingredients are all it takes to make a mouth-watering beef roast. Coat the beef tenderloin in mustard, sear in a skillet, and then finish in a hot oven. The oven starts at 500°F but don’t forget to turn it down once the roast is inside.

3. Classic Beef Rouladen

Contributor Devan Grimsrud says, "In Germany, most pan sauces are strained so they’re smooth. I chose not to do that for this recipe, as it’s an extra step that I simply don’t find necessary for the home cook. The sauce can reduce and thicken all the same without being strained, and since only soft carrots and onions are used here, they don’t disrupt the texture too much. If you want to keep it classic, strain the sauce before reducing it, or opt to purée it with the solids."

4. Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Give pork tenderloin the holiday treatment by wrapping it in bacon and cooking it with a stuffing of apples, onions, and herbs. The recipe is easy to double and is ready in an hour.

5. Braised Rabbit with Prunes

Founder Elise Bauer says. "Rabbit is available at many specialty markets, if not fresh then frozen, or can usually be ordered from your local butcher. Whole rabbits are harder to break down than chickens, so ask your butcher to part it out for you (you may need to call ahead so they can defrost one, if all they have are frozen rabbits)."

6. Garlic Herb Butter Prime Rib

This high-quality cut is the most tender and flavorful when it’s cooked to medium-rare. Your guests will fall head over heels for the garlic herb butter that coats the roast.

7. Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

If you’re looking for comforting, crowd-pleasing meals then look no further than lasagna. Not only is it delicious, but you can make it ahead of time and freeze it baked or unbaked. For a meaty lasagna, check out this recipe.

8. Dry Brined and Roasted Turkey

This is hands-down my favorite way to prepare turkey. Dry brining is simply rubbing the turkey down with salt and then letting it rest in the refrigerator for a couple days. This recipe packs extra flavor in by including dried herbs along with the salt.

9. Oxtail Stew

Reader Jamie H. says, "Loved it. Only changed two ingredients...local winter ale for wine and chicken bone broth for extra fortifications."

10. Classic Roast Beef

It doesn’t have to be expensive to be delicious. Using butcher's twine to tie the rump roast helps it cook more evenly. Cook it low and slow for mouth-watering results.

11. Traditional Cassoulet

Whisk your guests to France and serve this quintessential stew. You’ll want to give yourself two days and time to source the duck confit (or make your own). You can also make this ahead of time, freeze it, and then warm it when you’re ready to serve.

12. Jewish Brisket

Sara Tane shares her recipe for making the perfect brisket for the Jewish holiday table. She says that Jewish-style brisket is “typically sweeter and incorporates some sort of tomato product,” setting it apart from other braised briskets. She uses ketchup and brown sugar for sweetness and then adds red wine to balance it out.

13. Beef Wellington

You can still do a show stopping beef roast for an intimate get together. Beef Wellington is beef tenderloin wrapped in puff pastry with a layer of mushrooms to ensure that the lean cut is full of flavor.

14. Glazed Oxtails

Once you taste these braised oxtails, you’ll be dreaming about them until the next time. You’ll cook the beef in stock and wine, then let the braise rest in the refrigerator overnight. Shred the meat and serve it with the sauce made from the braising liquid.

15. Cranberry Glazed Ham

Jellied cranberry sauce makes the perfect festive glaze for the holiday ham. It’s simmered with orange juice and then spread on the outside of the spiral cut ham at the end of the baking time. Broiling the glaze gives it a shiny crust.

16. Turkey Tenderloin

If you dream of tender, boneless white meat, then make tenderloins instead of the whole bird. Tenderloins are cut from the underside of the breast and cooked in less than an hour. Serve it with the maple mustard sauce made from the pan drippings.

17. Beef Bourguignon

Treat your guests to a rich and hearty beef stew to warm them inside and out on a cold winter holiday. The beef chuck transforms into much more than its humble pedigree. Pinot noir is the classic wine for this stew. Look for one that you enjoy drinking.

18. Cranberry Apple Stuffed Pork Loin

I love the cozy combinations of flavors and how attractive this roast looks on the dinner table. You can butterfly and stuff the pork loin for up to two days before baking it.

19. Roast Beef Tenderloin with Sautéed Mushrooms

Beef tenderloin is not your everyday beef roast. It’s a rich and tender cut, fit for a holiday dinner. It’s best when it’s cooked simply, so you won't have a long grocery list. The mushrooms are sauteed in the pan drippings in order to use all that beefy goodness.

20. Easy Baked Salmon

The holidays are full of rich foods and after an afternoon of eggnog and cookies, serving a lemony side of salmon might be exactly what everyone is craving.

21. Beef Pot Roast in Red Wine

Elevate the humble pot roast by simmering it in a luscious red wine. The braising liquid and vegetables don’t go to waste. You’ll strain it and then cook it down to make the sauce for ladling over the slices.

22. Pork Crown Roast

The name alone lets you know that this is a dish for special occasions. You won’t find this decadent roast at the grocery store. Instead, head to your local butcher and order it. Once home, you’ll make a simple apple stuffing to spoon into the center of the roast to cook along with it.

23. Instant Pot Beef Brisket

Get the same classic flavors of your favorite brisket in half the time. As an added bonus, the gravy can be made right inside the pot using our other favorite kitchen tool: the immersion blender.

24. Prime Rib

Prime rib is a celebratory roast fit for a crowd. You can estimate that each rib will feed two to three people so you can buy a roast to feed however many people are around the table.