35 Christmas Roasts Pretty Enough To Be Your Holiday Centerpiece
As you gather with your family and friends during the holidays, your Christmas dinner deserves to truly special, too. What better way to do that than with a classic roast at the center of the table? Whether you want to serve chicken, pork, beef, lamb—or even a meatless main—for your holiday dinner this year, we've got a roast recipe for you. Served with classic holiday sides, our best roast recipes will ensure your Christmas dinner is nothing short of a showstopper.
If you're not used to cooking roasts throughout the year, they may seem a bit intimidating to prepare when the holidays come around. But there's no need to stress! We've got all the easy-to-follow tips for mastering dishes like a classic beef tenderloin, pernil, roast turkey, and even a copycat Honeybaked ham recipe, no matter if this is your first or fiftieth time making it. Gadgets like our trusty Instant Pot and slow cooker are also holiday heroes with many of these dishes. Don't have all day to prep your main course? Our Instant Pot roast, Instant Pot pork tenderloin, and slow-cooker pot roast make impressive dinners with way less effort.
Have vegetarian guests this year? Our whole roasted cabbage, cabbage schnitzel, and balsamic glazed cauliflower are perfect main courses that won't leave anyone feeling left out of a special roast dinner. Plus, they're ultra savory and pretty impressive when set out on the table, so they just might steal some plate real estate for the omnivores and carnivores, too.
The final step to your Christmas roast? The classic sides, of course! Whip up our favorite roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and our best-ever gravy to complete your roast dinner masterpiece.
Puerto Rican Pernil
Boasting a combination of succulent, flavorful meat and shatteringly crisp skin, this impressive bone-in, skin-on roast pork dish has earned its place as the centerpiece of any Christmas dinner spread (but is good enough to make all winter long too).
Get the Puerto Rican Pernil recipe.
Salmon En Croute
A cheesy, garlicky, spinach mixture is the perfect balance to a tender salmon fillet. Everything is nestled together in the puff pastry dough, and after 20 minutes in the oven, you’ll have a buttery, flaky crust with perfectly tender salmon inside.
Get the Salmon En Croute recipe.
Copycat Honey Baked Ham
Honey Baked ham is grand, deliciously smoky, and has a signature caramelized crust all over. Sadly, it’s something you have to plan to order in advance and can be a little pricey. If you didn't have time to order ahead, want to save some money, or just try a homemade version of this classic centerpiece, this copycat recipe is for you.
Get the Copycat Honey Baked Ham recipe.
Perfect Prime Rib
Prime rib, also referred to as standing rib roast, is a beautiful piece of meat. Whenever we need a truly showstopping holiday roast, we turn to it. A well-cooked prime rib is juicy, full of flavor, and not at all difficult to make.
Get the Perfect Prime Rib recipe.
Brown Sugar BBQ Whole Roasted Cauliflower
If you love whole roasted cauliflower, then you have to try our brown sugar BBQ version (just sub in your fave vegan Worcestershire sauce). It's perfect for when you're craving BBQ flavors without the meat.
Get the Brown Sugar BBQ Whole Roasted Cauliflower recipe.
Roasted Pork Tenderloin
When you’re craving an easy, yet holiday-friendly protein but are tired of old standbys like chicken or turkey, look no further than pork tenderloin. It’s quick-cooking, takes extremely well to countless flavors, and is easy enough for a family meal but remarkable enough for holidays and special occasions.
Get the Roasted Pork Tenderloin recipe.
Tomato-Butter Roast Chicken
Tomato butter works wonders on chicken. Not only does it keep the bird moist, but the healthy dose of tomato paste brings a slightly sweet, umami acidity, which chicken could often use.
Get the Tomato-Butter Roast Chicken recipe.
Pot Roast
When it comes to stick-to-your-ribs comfort food, it’s difficult to beat tender, flavorful pot roast. The shredded beef meal comes complete with tender potatoes and carrots and a sauce you’ll want to spoon over everything.
Get the Pot Roast recipe.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
If you’re looking for a vegetarian dinner centerpiece, then you can’t beat a whole roasted cauliflower. Gorgeously browned outside and meltingly tender in the middle, its stunningly simple goodness can’t be topped at any vegetarian Christmas dinner.
Get the Whole Roasted Cauliflower recipe.
Whole Roasted Cabbage
This gorgeous, whole-roasted stunner is the perfect holiday substitute for vegans. It's savory, sweet, and salty on the outside and super-tender on the inside. Topped with lots of silky mushroom gravy, we doubt anyone at your table will be missing meat.
Get the Whole Roasted Cabbage recipe.
Classic Roast Chicken
What can we say? A classic is a classic. Intimidated by a whole chicken? Don't be! It's surprisingly easy, and our step-by-step recipe will guide you through the entire process—no prob. Plus, there's nothing better than roast chicken leftovers. 😍
Get the Classic Roast Chicken recipe.
Braised Short Ribs With 40 Cloves of Garlic
Does anything impress quite the way braised short ribs do? They're the ideal dish to make for company when the weather's cold and you want to stay inside. Serve them alongside creamy dishes like polenta or mashed potatoes for extra comfort.
Get the Braised Short Ribs With 40 Cloves of Garlic recipe.
Sauerbraten
Now famous for being the national dish of Germany, this “sour roast” usually consists of a large cut of beef, which is marinated for several days in a combination of red wine, vinegar, and spices. Our advice? Start marinating it midweek so it’s ready to be cooked on the weekend.
Get the Sauerbraten recipe.
Brick Chicken
Roasted, deep-fried, stuffed, we've done it all; however, brick chicken, or chicken under a brick, is one of our most simple and reliable ways to get tender, perfectly cooked chicken and that crispy skin we all crave.
Get the Brick Chicken recipe.
Mushroom, Spinach & Gruyère Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
For the easiest Christmas dinner, make and stuff this cheesy tenderloin up to 3 days ahead of time (store it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator) for dinner that you can pop in the oven about 30 minutes before you're ready to set the table.
Get the Mushroom, Spinach & Gruyère Stuffed Pork Tenderloin recipe.
Beef Wellington
Now this is a holiday winner. Some people like to make their own puff pastry for their beef Wellington. But we've found that not only is store-bought puff pastry much more convenient, it's also incredibly delicious.
Get the Beef Wellington recipe.
Turkey Tenderloin
Who says turkey is just for Thanksgiving dinner? This turkey tenderloin is a perfect main dish if you're hosting a smaller holiday gathering this year. Don't forget the roasted potatoes and garlicky green beans!
Get the Turkey Tenderloin recipe.
Apple Cider Braised Brisket
Apple cider adds a subtle sweetness to a classic brisket, and after letting it braise low and slow, it will be as tender as possible. This is a perfect meal for a lazy, chilly Sunday and will make plenty for a crowd or for leftovers you’ll look forward to all week.
Get the Apple Cider Braised Brisket recipe.
Balsamic Glazed Roasted Cauliflower
A whole roasted cauliflower makes for a fantastic vegetarian main dish. This one is roasted around extra veggies and has a slightly sweet balsamic glaze over it. It's easy to throw together and will leave you feeling full, not heavy. Win!
Get the Balsamic-Glazed Roasted Cauliflower recipe.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
When it comes to comfort food, there’s nothing better than a pot of warm, fragrant pot roast and potatoes. Some people might be intimidated at the thought of cooking such a large piece of meat, but in reality, pot roast is one of the easiest things you can make—and this recipe takes that simplicity to the next level by bringing in the slow cooker.
Get the Slow Cooker Pot Roast recipe.
Perfect Bite Roast Chicken Dinner
!Spoiler alert! If you load a fork with garlic-herb butter chicken, crispy roasted potatoes, tender sweet carrots, and a smear of balsamic reduction, you will experience perfection.
Get the Perfect Bite Roast Chicken Dinner recipe.
A roast doesn't always have to take forever. This one is perfectly tender with zero effort and much less time. What would normally take hours in the oven takes only one hour in the Instant Pot. Plus, you can cook everything at once—and even sear it too!
Get the Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe.
Sous Vide Brisket
Sous vide is one the most ideal methods for breaking down muscle fibers due to the constant, precise cooking temperature, making cooking something like a brisket a no-brainer.
Get the Sous Vide Brisket recipe.
Roasted Turkey
Our foolproof method for the perfect roasted turkey has been tested (and tested and tested) by the Delish kitchen, making it our very best. If you're looking to ace your holiday dinner this year, follow all our top tips (roasting time, thawing, the secret to perfectly browned skin) on how to present the perfect roast bird.
Get the Roasted Turkey recipe.
Perfect Roast Beef
Roast beef might sound fancy and complicated to make, but it's actually quite simple! With a good piece of meat and some simple herbs, you can have roast beef that's way more tender and flavorful than the store-bought kind.
Get the Perfect Roast Beef recipe.
Garlic-Lemongrass Roast Chicken
If you're tired of serving the same roast chicken every year, turn to this flavor-packed version. Lemongrass is underrated: With a strong citrus scent and floral flavor, it adds serious zing to this marinade. Fish sauce, which magnifies the deliciousness, and two heads (!) of garlic also do a lot heavy lifting here.
Get the Garlic-Lemongrass Roast Chicken recipe.
Beef Tenderloin
Don't be intimidated by its beauty (and size): Beef tenderloin is actually insanely easy to make thanks to a marinade made up of ingredients you probably already have on hand and a surprisingly quick cook time.
Get the Beef Tenderloin recipe.
Roast Leg of Lamb
Preparing an expensive cut of meat like this one can be anxiety-inducing, but we promise, YOU CAN DO THIS! Even prepared super-simply, it can be incredibly delicious.
Get the Roast Leg of Lamb recipe.
Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
We think juicy pork tenderloin deserves its own spotlight, this simple recipe is the perfect way to show it off. Last-minute dinner guests? With just 10 minutes of hands-on time, this perfectly cooked pork tenderloin comes together in under 30 minutes.
Get the Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin recipe.
Roast Lamb
Roasting a lamb shoulder is just as easy, if not easier, than roasting a chicken. Seriously, all you need to do is rub your roast with a mixture of fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil and throw it in the oven for an hour or so. Bonus points if you roast the meat on top of a bed of potatoes. (And why wouldn't you?)
Get the Roast Lamb recipe.
Cherry Bourbon Glazed Ham
This isn't your regular roasted ham: It's got a tart, smoky, sweet glaze going that is so much more fun and flavorful than a traditional pineapple glazed ham. The tart cherries and bourbon work together to bring a slight sour and oaky tartness to the spiral ham, and the glaze has just enough cayenne pepper to bring a smoky subtle heat.
Get the Cherry Bourbon Glazed Ham recipe.
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