24 Christmas Roasts Worthy of Your Holiday Table

Whether you’re hosting friends or having a quiet Christmas dinner at home with family, you’re going to need an impressive main dish. For many of us, that means a juicy, flavorful roast. If you’re all turkey-ed after November, we can help you come up with other options—from celebratory hams and gorgeous crown roasts to meaty prime rib and elegant lamb. We’ve rounded up all the recipes right here, starting with this no-stress pork roast that solves three dilemmas: you’re nervous to cook a big piece of meat, you want to impress on a budget or your time is limited. Ready in about an hour and a half, this dish is a roast, sauce and a side—all in one. And, it feeds up to 8 people.

This roast is everything we love about the holiday. Rosy, incredibly tender and perfectly seasoned meat stuffed with all the quintessential Christmas roast sides—garlicky spinach, sauteed mushrooms and cubed buttery brioche. Butterflying the roast may seem intimidating but just take your time and the effort will pay off when you hear the accolades at the table. We love how truffle butter adds umami to the dish, but we made it optional—it really is just gilding the lily.

The next time you're in need of an elegant and simple meal, look no further than your air fryer. We used it to cook a rack of lamb, first coating it with a Parmesan crust to produce a crisp, golden outer layer that helps keep the lamb juicy and flavorful. Cooking a whole rack also helps the meat stay tender as there's less chance of overcooking, plus it makes for a beautiful presentation.

This balsamic roast pork tenderloin delivers big flavor with minimal effort—tangy, slightly sweet and perfect for a festive holiday table or cozy winter dinner.

Ham dressed in pineapple rings and maraschino cherries is a holiday classic, and this dish will definitely steal the show.

Tyler says, "Prime rib is one of those classics you can pull out that will always blow people away. It's a good special occasion dish, so good that the occasion may be nothing at all. When ordering the rib roast from a butcher, be sure to request a "top choice" roast cut from the small loin end, the best being ribs 12 through 10. Have the butcher cut off the chine (backbone) to make carving easier. The rib bones look best if they are shortened and frenched (the butcher will be happy to do this for you as well, unless he's a sourpuss, in which case get a new butcher)."

A riff on the iconic glazed ham covered with pineapple rings and cherries, this showstopping main course offers flaky pastry and salty ham topped with sweet pineapple sauce in every slice.

This classic crown roast of pork is sure to wow family and friends at your next holiday gathering. We seasoned the pork overnight with salt, pepper and aromatic spices such as fennel, juniper, bay and allspice, for the most tender and juicy roasted meat. Glazed apples and onions serve as a sweet and tangy counterpoint.

Who says Christmas roast has to be prime rib? This much more affordable roast (made with eye round) will impress everyone at the holiday table. The crisp, spicy peppercorn crust pairs beautifully with the bright horseradish cream and leftovers make amazing sandwiches—so hold on to any extra sauce.

Humble ingredients make this slightly spicy and candied ham look like a million bucks.

Katie's roast is a showstopper any time of the year but we love serving it during the holidays. It cooks up along with hearty root vegetables, making it easy to get your main and one of your sides done simultaneously.

Brush a spiral ham with a sweet and tangy apricot glaze, and serve it with a quick sauce made from pan drippings for an impressive holiday roast.

For an elegant, budget-friendly holiday spin on pork, Melissa stuffs this roast with Italian sausage and sweet apples.

Add a unexpected touch to your Christmas with this stuffed lamb roast. To make the salsa verde topping, pulse parsley, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes and capers in a food processor. Next add lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil. Drizzle your chunky sauce on top of your sliced lamb when done for a tasty and virbant pop of flavor and color.