27 Thanksgiving Main Dishes Other Than Turkey

We’re all familiar with the good old Christmas turkey! It’s the star of the festive spread, but who says you have to stick with tradition this year? No Turkey, No Problem! While turkey is often the star of the show, there are plenty of other holiday main dishes other than turkey to consider. From savory roasts to seafood options, these Christmas and Thanksgiving main dish recipes will become holiday traditions. Turkey may be the traditional centerpiece of holiday dinner, but these main dish recipes are just as delicious and worthy of attention.

The Best Holiday Roasted Chicken

Thanksgiving main dish featuring succulent roasted chicken seasoned with fragrant rosemary and zesty lemons, elegantly presented on a plate. This is one of the best Thanksgiving main dishes. — The Best Holiday Roasted Chicken. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

The key to the best holiday roasted chicken might lie in the simplicity of the recipe. Also ideal for a regular weeknight dinner when you want something a little fancier, this no-fuss, one-pot whole chicken is a real winner. Garlic, lemon, and rosemary add subtle, delicious flavors, and you will find just about any festive side dishes that go perfectly alongside this juicy chicken. Add this Thanksgiving or Christmas roast chicken to your holiday menu!
Get the Recipe: The Best Holiday Roasted Chicken

Holiday Beef Wellington

Beef wellington on a wooden board with rosemary sprigs. — Holiday Beef Wellington. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

What about making holiday beef wellington for Thanksgiving 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 Crab Legs

Crab legs on a baking sheet with lemon slices, perfect for a seafood Thanksgiving feast. — Sheet Pan Crab Legs. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Flavored with Old Bay, butter, garlic, and lemon, these juicy crab legs are sure to put a smile on everyone’s face. Crab has a distinctive taste and these snow crab legs are always a nice treat.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Crab Legs

Cranberry Holiday Beef Brisket

A beef brisket with rosemary and cranberries on a wooden table. — Cranberry Holiday Beef Brisket. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

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

Pot Roast with Red Wine

A crock pot full of roast beef, carrots and potatoes, perfect for Thanksgiving mains. — Pot Roast with Red Wine. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

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. When you return, the mouth-watering aroma that fills your home is just a bonus!
Get the Recipe: Pot Roast with Red Wine

Smoked Sweet Onion Honey Glazed Ham

A ham, a traditional Thanksgiving main dish, is sitting on a wooden cutting board. — Smoked Sweet Onion Honey Glazed Ham. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

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

Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast with Vegetables

Pork tenderloin on a plate with potatoes and carrots. This is one of the best Instant Pot recipes. — Pork Loin Roast with Vegetables. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This Instant Pot pork loin roast is an especially great recipe because you can make it in a fraction of the time you’d spend using a slow cooker or Dutch oven. Pork roast with vegetables makes a very easy dinner for busy weeknights.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast with Vegetables

Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed Flank Steak

An appetizing Thanksgiving main dish featuring a flavorful roast accompanied by the delightful combination of cranberries and fresh herbs, all beautifully presented on a plate. — Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed Flank Steak. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

How does cranberry cream cheese stuffed flank steak sound as a Thanksgiving 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. It is so easy to Stuff and roll a butterflied flank steak, so don’t be intimidated.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed Flank Steak

Maple Bacon Pork Tenderloin

Bacon wrapped pork on a wooden cutting board. — Maple Bacon Pork Tenderloin. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

Looking for something unique for your Thanksgiving table? This Maple Bacon Pork Tenderloin is a smoky, flavorful dish that the family will love. Bacon makes everything better, right?
Get the Recipe: Maple Bacon Pork Tenderloin

Easy Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken

A Thanksgiving main dish featuring a succulent roasted chicken cooked in a cast iron skillet. — Easy Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken is a moist and delicious entree for your Thanksgiving table. It’s easier than a whole Turkey and you can make two and have leftover chicken for the week.
Get the Recipe: Easy Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken

Air Fryer Country Style Ribs

Thanksgiving Mains: Bbq ribs on a white plate. — Air Fryer Country Style Ribs. Photo credit: PinkWhen.

Change things up this Thanksgiving with these Air Fryer Country Style Ribs. They are full of tender, juicy, flavors. You won’t believe how fast this dish comes together. Made with thick, country-style ribs, light seasoning, and your favorite bbq sauce.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Country Style Ribs

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

A Thanksgiving pie with carrots and sprigs on a plate. — Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie. Photo credit: Healy Eats Real.

This sweet potato shepherd’s pie is a delicious and wholesome twist on the classic dish. It combines savory flavor-packed meat and veggie filling with the slightly sweet and creamy texture of whipped sweet potato. It’s a hearty, comforting yet affordable meal that the whole family will love. Plus you can make easy substitutions to customize it to your needs and freeze it for meal prep too!
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Cioppino Recipe (Seafood Stew)

A bowl of seafood stew with bread and clams, ideal for a main course. — Cioppino Recipe (Seafood Stew). Photo credit: The Forked Spoon.

Cioppino is a comforting San Franciscan seafood stew filled with shrimp, clams, mussels, white fish, and crab legs all simmered in a rich broth made from tomatoes, white wine, and fish stock. A family favorite, enjoy this easy and delicious one-pot seafood stew for a special weeknight or holiday meal.
Get the Recipe: Cioppino Recipe (Seafood Stew)

Stuffed Lamb Recipe

A plate of Turkey with cranberries and rosemary. — Stuffed Lamb Recipe. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

A simple cranberry pesto made with basil, mint, garlic and pine nuts makes this stuffed American lamb recipe a gorgeously festive and delicious winter dish perfect as a holiday dinner party centerpiece. Lamb is the perfect meat for a holiday dinner because it’s just a llittlebit more special than the rest and truly complements winter herbs and flavors so well.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Lamb Recipe

Sausage Stuffed Cornish Hens

Two roasted chickens on a plate with Thanksgiving herbs. — Sausage Stuffed Cornish Hens. Photo credit: Little Ferraro Kitchen.

Sausage stuffed Cornish hens are petite birds that are perfect for a special occasion or easy enough to roast for a weeknight dinner at home. The Cornish hens are stuffed with a flavorful sausage and wild rice mixture and rubbed with an herbaceous compound butter that is roasted to golden perfection.
Get the Recipe: Sausage Stuffed Cornish Hens

Dr. Pepper Ham (Crockpot Recipe)

A ham is sitting on a wooden table. — Dr. Pepper Ham (Crockpot Recipe). Photo credit: The Feathered Nester.

Dr. Pepper Ham is a fantastic holiday meal that’s easy to make in your slow cooker. The glaze includes Dr Pepper, brown sugar, and pineapple, so it’s sweet, tangy, and finger licking good!! Since oven space is always limited during the holidays, a crockpot ham is the perfect solution.
Get the Recipe: Dr. Pepper Ham (Crockpot Recipe)

Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb

A hearty Thanksgiving main featuring roast beef with sides of carrots and potatoes. — Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb. Photo credit: Dishes Delish.

Roasted boneless leg of lamb is a delicious and easy to prepare dish that can be enjoyed year-round! This succulent, juicy cut of meat makes for a hearty meal fit for any occasion. With its mild flavor and versatile cooking methods, boneless lamb roast recipe is an excellent choice for entertaining or a cozy night in.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb

Roasted Duck

This roasted duck recipe is caramelized and crispy on the outside yet tender and juicy on the inside. It’s a gloriously tasty dish that guarantees to be the star of your dinner table!
Get the Recipe: Roasted Duck

Prime Rib

Two glasses of red wine on a wooden cutting board, perfect for complementing your Thanksgiving mains. — Prime Rib. Photo credit: The Gourmet Bon Vivant.

Prime rib is one of of those show-stoppers for your table, which makes it perfect for the holidays. If you’re not a fan of turkey or just can’t seem to make it without it being dry and flavorless, prime rib is the way to go!
Get the Recipe: Prime Rib

Chicken Fricassee

A plate with turkey and mushrooms on it, perfect for Thanksgiving mains. — Chicken Fricassee. Photo credit: The Gourmet Bon Vivant.

Chicken Fricassee (or fricasseé – pronounced fri-cah-say) is a classic French comfort food dish. Silky cream sauce coats tender and delicious chicken thighs, while white wine cuts the acidity of the sauce. Perfect for when you’re looking for something cozy to eat!
Get the Recipe: Chicken Fricassee

Mustard Chicken

A Thanksgiving main dish featuring chicken cooked in a flavorful sauce with the addition of bread. — Mustard Chicken. Photo credit: Lavender and Macarons.

Prepare to fall madly in love with this Creamy, dreamy Mustard Chicken Recipe. Classic French dish that tastes outstanding. Imagine a perfectly braised falls-off-the-bone chicken swimming in a creamy and flavourful mustard sauce.
Get the Recipe: Mustard Chicken

Sweet And Sticky Char Siu (Chinese Bbq Pork)

Not Turkey Thanksgiving Mains featuring bbq pork ribs on a rustic wooden cutting board. — Sweet And Sticky Char Siu (Chinese Bbq Pork). Photo credit: Pups With Chopsticks.

If you love a juicy, sweet & sticky char siu (Chinese BBQ Pork, 叉烧), give this easy recipe a try! Delicious authentic char siu is achievable at home! Includes instructions on how to make char siu in the oven so this can be made in the oven or the grill depending on the season.
Get the Recipe: Sweet And Sticky Char Siu (Chinese Bbq Pork)

Oven Roasted Five Spice Peking Chicken

Roasted turkey on a plate on a wooden table. — Oven Roasted Five Spice Peking Chicken. Photo credit: Pups With Chopsticks.

This Chinese roast chicken recipe is a cross between a roasted chicken & Peking duck. This Peking chicken recipe is for days when you have that craving for a Peking duck, but chicken is all you have to work with.
Get the Recipe: Oven Roasted Five Spice Peking Chicken

Bacon-Wrapped Venison Backstrap Roast

A succulent Thanksgiving turkey on a cutting board with a knife. — Bacon-Wrapped Venison Backstrap Roast. Photo credit: Grits and Gouda.

Bacon-Wrapped Venison Backstrap Roast is marinated in teriyaki sauce before roasting in the oven or air fryer. Best and easiest venison backstrap or tenderloin recipe! Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, first day of deer season or Fathers Day dinner.
Get the Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Venison Backstrap Roast

Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon In Foil Recipe

Salmon in foil with lemon slices and dill is a delicious MAINS dish that can be enjoyed for Thanksgiving. — Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon In Foil Recipe. Photo credit: Little Sunny Kitchen.

Baked salmon in foil is a moist, flavorful, and flaky whole side of salmon infused with lemon garlic butter sauce. It makes a nice centerpiece for your holiday dinner table, and it’s also perfect to make for dinner without a special occasion. Salmon in foil is easy, and ready in under half an hour!
Get the Recipe: Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon In Foil Recipe

Pineapple Ham

A festive Thanksgiving main featuring a succulent roasted ham adorned with luscious pineapples and cherries. — Pineapple Ham. Photo credit: Confetti and Bliss.

This succulent pineapple ham is a show-stopping centerpiece. Warm and juicy, our spiral ham features sweet roasted pineapple, maraschino cherries, and a sticky brown sugar glaze. Impressive enough for a holiday meal like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s also easy enough for Sunday supper.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Ham

Easy Prime Rib Roast With Horseradish Cream

A Thanksgiving main, a roasted prime rib sits on a cutting board. — Easy Prime Rib Roast With Horseradish Cream. Photo credit: Neighborfood Blog.

It doesn’t get any better (or easier) than this Salt and Pepper Crusted Prime Rib Roast recipe. Save this one for the holidays or anytime you want a celebration-worthy dinner!
Get the Recipe: Easy Prime Rib Roast With Horseradish Cream