Main and Side Dish Recipes for a Stunning Christmas Dinner

Unlike Thanksgiving, you don’t have to serve any certain dish at Christmas. (Well, technically it’s legal not to serve turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving,
but would you ever dare skip them?) But the last holiday of the year gives you a bit more flexibility. A traditional roast with hearty sides? An array of creative, elegant dishes with fresh herbs and winter citrus? A colorful vegetarian feast? The world is your oyster (oh, and you can serve those, too, if you want!) when it comes to cooking the big Christmas feast. And whether you’re responsible for the whole shebang or just charged with bringing a single dish to your family’s celebration, here are 15 main dishes and sides to consider this Christmas.

Marcus Samuelsson’s roast beef tenderloin
Beef tenderloin is an elegant cut for the holiday table, and the flavor is mild enough to stand up to a zesty rub. Chef Samuelsson starts with classic Provençal flavors of rosemary, tarragon, mustard, anchovies, and garlic and then adds coffee and chocolate for some richer notes

Roasted leg of lamb with black cherry-pomegranate salsa
This gorgeous dish has the perfect balance of flavors. The meat is rich, the cherries are tart, the pomegranate molasses is slightly sweet, and the herbs give the dish some brightness. Try serving it on a carving board instead of the usual platter. It’ll make the meat easier to cut and give the finished product a rustic look.

Standing rib roast of beef

In her cookbook Summerland: Recipes for Celebrating with Southern Hospitality, Atlanta chef Anne Quatrano suggests asking your butcher to “French” the bones, which means he’ll cut the meat away from the end of each rib for an attractive, festive presentation. She also advises getting at least a 12-pound roast to ensure it has an impressive presence at the table (and to make sure you have a lot of leftovers).

Honey-bourbon-glazed ham

The sweet, sticky honey-bourbon glaze on this juicy, spiral-cut ham is subtly spiced with fennel, coriander, and star anise and caramelizes on the ham while it roasts. Make the glaze up to two days ahead, and simply warm before using.

Roasted pork loin with prosciutto and rosemary-fig butter

If you’re on the fence about making a pork loin the centerpiece of your dinner, this glamorous version that’s butterflied and stuffed with prosciutto slices and a fig-rosemary butter will seal the deal for sure.

Salt-baked salmon with citrus and herbs
Want a main that’s lighter than red meat but still worthy of a special occasion? Try this beautiful whole salmon. The salt crust flavors the fish and keeps it moist as it cooks. Sick of salmon from your go-to weeknight dinners? Sub in Arctic char instead

Lemon-oregano leg of lamb

This is a simple roast leg of lamb with a ton of flavor, thanks to the knockout combination of lemon and oregano. Try using Meyer lemons, which are sweeter and slightly more acidic than regular ones.

Seitan brisket with roasted carrots, shallots, and turnips

Made in the style of a traditional brisket, this substantial entrée combines sautéed seitan with a tomato-herb sauce, parsnips, carrots, and potatoes for a vegan roast that will ensure no vegetarian leaves hungry. (And chances are all of the carnivores at the table will love it too!

Hasselback potatoes 

Bored with the baked and mashed options? These lovely spuds have accordion-style slits on the top that fan open when baked, allowing room for butter, spices and other toppings in between each slice.

Crispy fried Brussels sprouts 

If your sprouts never turn out quite as crispy as you’d like, try this recipe Thomas Keller created at Bouchon. The Brussels get boiled, then fried, then tossed with olive oil, lemon, and a tangy balsamic vinegar.

Sky-high popovers

Dinner rolls don’t get much more dramatic than these. The good news is that they make the perfect addition to the Christmas table; the better news is that these beauties actually take less time to make than bread.

Classic Parker House rolls

You’ve spent all year trying not to fill up on that breadbasket before dinner. But these soft, pull-apart rolls will make you want to do just that. (Don’t worry, we’re pretty sure you’ll still make room for the roast.) Get the recipe for classic Parker House rolls on Food52