Okay, so here’s the thing—I’ve been making Christmas dinner for years now, and honestly? I used to stress about it way too much. Like, I’d spend weeks planning this elaborate menu that would leave me exhausted before we even sat down to eat. Not fun.
But last Christmas, I decided to simplify everything. I made a list of easy Christmas main dish ideas that actually work in a real kitchen (mine’s tiny, by the way) and don’t require a culinary degree. And you know what? Everyone loved it just as much as when I went overboard. Maybe even more, because I wasn’t cranky from being in the kitchen all day.
So here are my 10 go-to Christmas main dish ideas that’ll make your holiday dinner amazing without the drama. Trust me on this one.
Table of Contents :
Why I Keep Christmas Mains Simple Now :
Look, I’m gonna be honest. Three years ago, I attempted this fancy beef Wellington recipe I found online. Looked gorgeous in the photos. Mine? Looked like a sad, soggy pillow. The pastry was raw in some spots and burned in others, and I may have cried a little bit when I pulled it out of the oven.
That’s when I realized—Christmas is supposed to be about enjoying time with family, not having a meltdown over complicated recipes. Now I stick to easy Christmas main dish ideas that I know work, and dinners have been so much better.
My Top 10 Easy Christmas Main Dish Ideas :
1. Honey Baked Ham (My Personal Favorite)
This one’s a lifesaver. You literally cannot mess this up if you follow the basic rules: right temperature, right time, and a killer glaze. Last year I used a maple glaze instead of honey because I ran out—worked perfectly.
The best part? You can make this ahead of time and just warm it up when you’re ready. It’ll be fine at room temp too, which frees up your oven for everything else. My neighbor Sarah swears by adding a little Dijon mustard to the glaze, and honestly, she’s right.
2. Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Oh man, this changed my life. If you’ve got a smaller group (or just don’t want to deal with a whole turkey), this is the way to go. You prep the rub the night before, throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and then just… forget about it.
I was so proud when I figured this trick out. No more panic-basting every 30 minutes. No more checking if it’s done. Just juicy, perfect turkey.
3. Prime Rib with Red Wine Au Jus
Okay, so this sounds fancy, but it’s actually not that hard. I know, I know—I was intimidated too. But here’s the secret: it’s really just about getting the right temperature and letting it rest properly.
Last Tuesday, I completely overcooked one because my timer died and I didn’t notice for like 20 extra minutes. But even then, it was still pretty good. That’s how forgiving this recipe is.
4. Easy Roasted Chicken
Wait, chicken for Christmas? Hear me out. Sometimes the best Christmas main dish ideas are the ones that don’t try too hard. A perfectly roasted chicken with some herbs and garlic is honestly delicious, and it takes way less time than turkey.
My 8-year-old refuses to eat turkey (weird kid, I know), but he’ll demolish roasted chicken. So this has become our go-to some years. Plus you can stuff it with mushrooms if you’re feeling fancy.
5. Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
This is different from the honey ham but equally amazing. The brown sugar creates this incredible caramelized crust that’s… ugh, so good. I use Tesco’s own brand when I can find it because it’s cheap and tastes great.
Pro tip from someone who learned the hard way: don’t buy pre-sliced ham. Get the whole thing and slice it yourself. The pre-sliced stuff dries out way too fast.
6. Roast Pork with Perfect Crackling
Speaking of crackling—if you can nail the crackling on a pork roast, you’ll basically be a holiday hero. It’s great for Sunday lunch too, not just Christmas.
The trick is—oh wait, I forgot to mention—you need to make sure the skin is completely dry before you put it in the oven. Like, pat it down with paper towels and let it sit uncovered in the fridge for a few hours. Game changer.
7. Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Sauce
Not gonna lie, this may be the most tender meat you will ever have. It’s pricey though, so I only make this when I want to really impress people. The horseradish sauce is essential—don’t skip it.
I think… no, I know this works better when you let the meat come to room temp before cooking. Cold meat + hot oven = uneven cooking. Trust me.
8. Baked Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce
For the non-meat eaters (or just people who want something lighter), this baked salmon is incredible. You can prep everything ahead and then just bake it in foil on the day—super easy cleanup.
My mom always said fish on Christmas was weird, but honestly, this is so good that people forget they’re eating “Christmas food” and just enjoy it.
9. Maple Orange Glazed Spatchcock Turkey
Okay so spatchcock sounds scary, but it’s just a fancy word for “butterflied turkey”. You cut out the backbone (or ask your butcher to do it) and the turkey lays flat. This means it cooks way more evenly and faster.
The maple orange glaze is sweet and savory and kind of addictive. I may have eaten the leftover glaze with a spoon. Don’t judge me.
10. Vegetarian Wellington (For Your Plant-Based Friends)
Look, I’m not vegetarian, but I’ve got friends who are, and they deserve good Christmas main dish ideas too. This chestnut, spinach, and blue cheese wellington wrapped in puff pastry is actually really impressive.
I made this last year alongside the ham, and honestly, a few meat-eaters ended up trying it and loving it. The squash and blue cheese version is great too if someone’s not into chestnuts.
My Honest Tips for Christmas Main Dishes :
Start Simple
If this is your first time hosting Christmas dinner, do NOT pick the most complicated recipe you can find. Start with something easy like the slow cooker turkey or roasted chicken. You can always get fancier next year.
Prep What You Can Ahead
Seriously. The night before Christmas, I prep as much as possible. Rubs, glazes, marinades—all done the night before. This means on Christmas day I’m not frantically trying to remember if I added salt to something while my in-laws are showing up early. Again.
Use a Meat Thermometer
Am I the only one who used to just guess if meat was done? Because that’s a terrible idea. Get a cheap meat thermometer. They’re like $10 and will save you from serving raw chicken or leather-textured beef.
Don’t Be Afraid to Use Store-Bought Stuff :
Homemade everything sounds great in theory, but you know what? Store-bought cranberry sauce tastes fine. Same with bread, gravy helpers, whatever. Save your energy for the main dish and let other things be easy.
What I’ve Learned About Christmas Main Dish Ideas :
After all these years of making Christmas dinner, here’s what I know for sure: the best Christmas main dish ideas aren’t necessarily the fanciest ones. They’re the ones that taste good, don’t stress you out, and leave you with enough energy to actually enjoy the day.
That beef Wellington disaster I mentioned earlier? Yeah, we ended up ordering pizza that year. And you know what? It’s now a funny family story. But I’d rather have a delicious, stress-free ham that lets me hang out with everyone instead of being stuck in the kitchen having a breakdown.
These 10 options have all worked for me at various Christmases over the years. Some years I go with the prime rib when I want to feel fancy. Other years it’s just the slow cooker turkey because I’ve got a million other things happening. Both are totally fine.
The Most Important Thing :
Choose whatever Christmas main dish ideas work for YOUR family and YOUR schedule and YOUR stress levels. If someone judges you for making things easier on yourself, they can host next year. Seriously.
And hey—if you try any of these, let me know how it goes! I’m always looking for new tips and tricks to make Christmas dinner even better. Or at least less stressful 🙂
Now I’m craving honey baked ham. Thanks a lot, brain.