Thanksgiving Main Course Recipes (2024)

[heart_this] · Nov 15, 2023 · 23 Comments

The best Thanksgiving main course/dish recipes from the classic roast turkey to non-traditional recipes like ham, pot roast skillet chicken, etc.

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching I thought that it was about time that I dusted off and updated the roundups of all of my favourite Thanksgiving dishes starting with the main course. I have to say that a simple roast turkey is my favourite main course and I am always looking forward to it! Although you could get all fancy with your roast turkey, you really don’t have to as a long as you roast it properly, that turkey is going to shine all by itself. Since I generally serve Thanksgiving diner to a small group of people I often opt to just go with a large turkey breast which is much easier to roast but you do miss out on all of the dark meat and the bone that you can make turkey stock from. If turkey is just not your thing or if you are just bored with it or if you are serving to a large group of people and want a second roast, you cannot go wrong serving a ham, a roast beef or even a roast lamb. Without further ado, on to the recipes:

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
Parmesan and Sage Roasted Turkey Breast
Maple and Chipotle Roasted Turkey Breast
Bourbon Gingersnap Crusted Ham
Perfect Eye of Round Roast Beef
Greek Style Roast Leg of Lamb with Lemon Roasted Potatoes
Bacon Wrapped Roast Pork with Apple Chutney
Apricot Glazed Bacon Wrapped Cajun Pork Tenderloin
Roasted Lamb in Coffee Sauce
Porchetta
Guinness Glazed Slow Cooker Corned Beef
Bacon Wrapped, Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Pork Tenderloin in a Creamy Dijon Goat Cheese Sauce
Slow Cooker Balsamic Glazed Roast Beef
Harvest Skillet Chicken with Apples, Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

More Thanksgiving Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Christine says
November 20, 2010 at 3:10 am

this makes me SO excited for thanksgiving! everything looked so delicious!
http://www.ThePantryDrawer.com
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Jan says
November 20, 2010 at 8:01 am

Oooh I'll have the maple and chipotle please! They all look delish though.
Reply
The Girlie Blog says
November 20, 2010 at 9:06 am
See Also
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You are giving me great ideas for our dinner.
Reply
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
November 20, 2010 at 9:36 am

Lovely recipes!
Cheers,
Rosa
Reply
caribbelle says
November 20, 2010 at 10:20 am

wow you're giving me great ideas for a nice thanksgiving meal fit for a grad student. The chutney sounds delicious.
Reply
Les rêves d'une boulangère (Brittany) says
November 20, 2010 at 1:23 pm

You're right – turkey cannot be without gravy/cranberrry sauce 🙂
Thanks for this post. It will certainly come in handy for this festive season.
Reply
Kitchenette says
November 21, 2010 at 3:59 pm

nice blog! i'll be following. Happy cooking!
Reply
Kirsten says
November 22, 2010 at 3:01 am

Oh wow, this all looks super yummy. Would look amazing served with the table setting I just posted about!
~Kirsten
http://triplemaxtons.blogspot.com
Reply
[emailprotected] says
November 22, 2010 at 11:03 pm
See Also
10 of the Best North Carolina Recipes - Big Bear's Wife

The way you plate these meals is AMAZING! Makes me want my Thanksgiving dinner right now.
You gave me some inspiration for this Thursday. Thanks!
Amanda
Reply
Dmarie says
November 17, 2011 at 2:00 am

wow, hope to have something half so yummy-looking sitting in front of me on Thanksgiving!
Reply
Sal says
November 17, 2011 at 7:11 am

Looks really delicious, love the jalapeño ideas.. We may try them out !
Reply
Joanne says
November 17, 2011 at 11:27 am

I never mess with my cranberry sauce on T-Day because I've FINALLY gotten my family to concede that the one that I make is way better than a can…and that took years, so trying to get them to adapt to another option would probably cause a mutiny. but I definitely want to try these other varieties you have here!
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Rochelle says
November 17, 2011 at 12:17 pm

This just made me sooo hungry. Looks so yummy. Wow. You are giving me great ideas for thanksgiving. 🙂
Reply
due bionde in cucina says
November 17, 2011 at 9:05 pm

Everything looks so great.
sabina
Reply
Angela@MyTastyLiving says
November 19, 2011 at 2:35 am

Your food always looks so gorgeous and delicious. Love all the colors here. Makes me anxious for Thanksgiving!
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Ashley says
November 17, 2012 at 10:49 pm

This just made me so hungry! It all looks great!
Reply
Maureen | org*smic Chef says
November 18, 2012 at 12:43 am

I get so hungry when I visit you. It's almost like you planned it that way. 🙂
Reply
Professional Kam software solutions says
November 22, 2012 at 5:47 am

Your food always tastes just makes me so hungry. I love the colours here. Definitely I’ll make this in Thanksgiving.
Reply
scottiedog1965 says
November 30, 2013 at 10:49 pm

Beef for Thanksgiving? Must be a Canadian thing. Christmas on the other hand is a nice time to have a standing rib roast.
Reply
Maria says
November 20, 2015 at 2:53 pm

Some great recipes! Im getting excited for Thanksgiving!!
Reply
Chris Crowe says
November 21, 2015 at 3:24 am

Kevin, are you such a glutton for punishment that you celebrate AND cook for both Canadian and U.S. Thanksgiving days. I guess it helps to have six or seven weeks in between.
Reply

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FAQs

What are 5 traditional Thanksgiving foods? ›

The classic Thanksgiving dinner includes old-time favorites that never change: turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, and pie. But the way these dishes are made or added to is everchanging because of food trends and different dietary requirements.

What is a typical Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Classic Thanksgiving Recipes

Stuffing, cranberry relish, pumpkin pie: there are so many delicious dishes that deserve a place on the table each year—including the turkey, of course! This butter-basted bird is stuffed with onion, celery, carrots and apple for a lightly-seasoned main that's tender and juicy.

Get More Info ›

What is the most common main dish for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Turkey is a classic main course for Thanksgiving dinner, but that certainly doesn't mean you have to serve it every year.

What were the original Thanksgiving dishes? ›

The first Thanksgiving banquet consisted of foods like venison, bean stew and hard biscuits. And while corn and pumpkin had their place on the table, they hardly resembled the cornbread stuffing and pumpkin pie we feast on today.

Learn More ›

What should a guest bring to Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Here are a couple of suggestions:

Flowers (arranged in a vase or container)
Cornucopia.
Box of chocolates.
Box of teas.
Gourmet treats like specialty cheeses, jam containers, crackers or a beautifully packaged gourmet gift basket.
Wine.
Holiday drink mix.
Book.

Nov 16, 2023

Discover More ›

How many sides do you need for Thanksgiving? ›

For sides like mashed potatoes and stuffing, you should have at least one dish for every five people and at least two dishes for 10 people or more. If you're serving a salad, one should be enough unless you're serving 20 people or more.

Read On ›