Choosing the Thanksgiving main can stall menu planning, especially when guests want different things. These 23 options cover poultry, roasts, seafood, baked pasta, and vegetable-centered mains, with a range from quick dishes to longer roasts and slow cooker recipes. Whether your table calls for ham, chicken, beef, lamb, or a meatless centerpiece, the list helps narrow the menu to a dish that fits your gathering.
Pork Tenderloin
On a Thanksgiving menu with several rich dishes, Pork Tenderloin offers a glazed roast that slices neatly for serving. In 45 minutes total, it serves eight with garlic, honey, soy sauce, and cider vinegar coating the pork. The sweet-savory glaze pairs easily with potatoes or green beans, while the straightforward roast gives the menu a pork centerpiece without crowding the rest of the meal.
Get the Recipe: Pork Tenderloin
Chicken Marsala
For a familiar poultry choice, Chicken Marsala brings tender chicken and a quick mushroom-wine sauce to the menu. With 20 minutes total and four servings, chicken breast, flour, butter, mushrooms, and Marsala wine become a fast main. Spoon the sauce over noodles or mashed potatoes for a plated dish that fits a smaller gathering or gives guests a faster alternative to the longer roasts.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Marsala
Beef Bourguignon
Deep red-wine flavor gives Beef Bourguignon the presence of a special-occasion main, and its ten servings suit a larger table. Beef, bacon, pearl onions, carrots, and mushrooms build a substantial dish, with red wine and beef stock in the sauce; total time is 1 hour 50 minutes. Set it out with mashed potatoes or crusty bread when the menu needs a hearty option that can feed a larger table.
Get the Recipe: Beef Bourguignon
Vegan Ratatouille
Colorful vegetable layers make Vegan Ratatouille a substantial centerpiece for guests who want a meatless main. Eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and tomatoes simmer with herbs and vegetable broth, bringing four portions together in one hour. Its tomato-rich base works well over rice or with bread, giving the Thanksgiving menu a vegetable-forward choice alongside the roasts and poultry throughout the holiday meal.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Ratatouille
Sheet Pan Salmon
The one-pan setup keeps cleanup manageable with Sheet Pan Salmon, pairing four salmon portions with baby potatoes, broccoli, and asparagus. A Dijon, honey, and lemon coating brings the components together, and the full pan takes one hour. This gives seafood eaters a complete main with vegetables on the same pan, useful when building a Thanksgiving menu around varied preferences and simple serving.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Salmon
Spanakopita
Golden phyllo encases spinach, feta, green onions, and herbs in Spanakopita, a Greek spinach pie that stands on its own as a meatless main. Eight servings come together in one hour. Cut it into wedges for a Thanksgiving spread where guests want a substantial vegetable-centered option beside the roast, or include it as a savory centerpiece for a smaller table.
Get the Recipe: Spanakopita
Firecracker Meatballs
Small, saucy portions make Firecracker Meatballs easy to serve with rice or noodles as a main dish. Ground beef, breadcrumbs, garlic, and scallions shape four servings in 20 minutes, with buffalo hot sauce balanced by sour cream and mayo. Their sweet heat adds a lively flavor option to the holiday menu, especially when the table includes guests who prefer a less traditional centerpiece.
Get the Recipe: Firecracker Meatballs
Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
When oven time is at a premium, Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs bring a glazed chicken main to the table in 1 hour 10 minutes. Four servings feature bone-in thighs with garlic, honey, soy sauce, and cider vinegar. Rice and green vegetables make easy partners, while the sweet-tangy sauce gives this option a different profile from the roasts and casseroles on a Thanksgiving menu.
Get the Recipe: Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Roasted Leg of Lamb
At the center of a smaller holiday menu, Roasted Leg of Lamb brings rosemary, garlic, and onion together with a one-pound lamb leg. It takes 50 minutes total and serves four. Slice it for a classic plated main, then pair it with potatoes or greens; its compact yield also makes it useful when several dishes will share the table and no single roast needs to feed everyone.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Leg of Lamb
Baked Ziti
Well suited to a menu with several guests, Baked Ziti combines ziti, Italian sausage, tomatoes, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a baked dish. It takes one hour total and makes eight servings, a practical choice for a table with varied tastes. Set it beside a green salad or roasted vegetables, and it gives guests a familiar option apart from the traditional roast without adding another carving task.
Get the Recipe: Baked Ziti
Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Familiar stuffed-pepper flavors come together in Stuffed Pepper Casserole, with ground beef, bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, rice, and mozzarella. Eight servings are ready in 42 minutes total. Its spoonable format makes portions simple beside salads or rolls, and it gives the Thanksgiving spread a hearty, family-style main that does not require carving or individual assembly. The casserole format suits a busy buffet.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Set up early, Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff provides a hands-off beef main with six servings after 6 hours 10 minutes. Stewing beef cooks with onions, mushrooms, and broth, while sour cream and egg noodles finish the meal. It fills the place of a rich plated entree when guests favor a familiar beef option over a roast, and it leaves the oven free for sides.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Chicken Pot Pie
Under a golden pastry lid, Chicken Pot Pie serves four and takes one hour total. Chicken breast, carrots, celery, peas, and a creamy broth sit beneath puff pastry for a complete main in each slice. It suits a smaller Thanksgiving gathering or a menu that needs a dish with its own vegetables, and leftovers can make an easy next-day lunch.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie
Lamb Chops
Individually plated portions give Lamb Chops a polished place on the holiday table without committing to a large roast. Four servings and one hour total bring baby lamb rib chops, rosemary, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to the table. Pair them with potatoes or a green vegetable for a complete plate, especially when the menu needs a second meat choice for a smaller group.
Get the Recipe: Lamb Chops
Brown Sugar and Pineapple Ham
Holiday tables with a larger guest list can use Brown Sugar and Pineapple Ham as a familiar centerpiece. It takes about an hour and serves eight, coating a precooked spiral ham with pineapple slices, their juice, and brown sugar. Since the ham is already cooked, preparation focuses on warming it with the sweet glaze. Serve slices with potatoes, vegetables, or rolls for an easy-to-portion main.
Get the Recipe: Brown Sugar and Pineapple Ham
Mushroom Stroganoff
Creamy sauce and smoky paprika give Mushroom Stroganoff a savory profile, with assorted mushrooms, red onion, garlic, pickles, and capers in the mix. Thirty minutes total yields two servings, so it suits a smaller table or a second main alongside larger roasts. Spoon it over noodles and it becomes a meatless option with enough richness to hold its own among the holiday dishes.
Get the Recipe: Mushroom Stroganoff
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Crisp coating and tender drumsticks make Buttermilk Fried Chicken a crowd-friendly main for guests who want something beyond roast meat. Six servings take one hour total, using chicken drumsticks, buttermilk, flour, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Arrange the pieces on a platter with slaw or potatoes for an easy-to-serve option that brings a crunchy texture to a Thanksgiving menu.
Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies
Across one pan, Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies pairs four small meatloaves with sweet potatoes and broccoli. Ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, onion, and Italian seasoning form the meatloaves, with a barbecue-style glaze; total time is one hour. Individual portions make serving straightforward, while the vegetables cook alongside the main. Choose it when you want a full plate from a single pan and a break from carving.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies
Crawfish Etouffee
Louisiana-style flavor gives Crawfish Etouffee a seafood profile that stands apart from the holiday roasts. It serves four in 30 minutes total, with crawfish tails, Cajun seasoning, butter, flour, bell pepper, celery, and tomatoes in a savory sauce. Spoon it over rice for a complete main, or offer it to guests who want a warm, boldly seasoned option instead of the usual turkey-centered plate.
Get the Recipe: Crawfish Etouffee
Chicken and Biscuits
Savory chicken filling under a biscuit topping makes Chicken and Biscuits a complete, shareable main for eight. Cooked chicken breast joins carrots, celery, peas, cream of chicken soup, and canned biscuits, all in a one-hour total. A scoop brings the vegetables and bread together, so it works well for a casual holiday table or as an alternative for guests who want a familiar casserole-style dish.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Biscuits
Slow Cooker Rump Roast
With five hours in the slow cooker, Slow Cooker Rump Roast frees up oven space for the rest of the Thanksgiving menu. Six servings include rump roast, baby potatoes, carrots, beef broth, rosemary, and thyme. The vegetables cook alongside the beef, making it easier to serve a complete plate from one dish. Choose it when an early start is manageable and carving a roast suits the gathering.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Rump Roast
Butternut Squash Risotto
Its creamy texture gives Butternut Squash Risotto a vegetable-centered place among the Thanksgiving mains. Four servings come together in 1 hour 10 minutes, pairing butternut squash and Arborio rice with onion, garlic, vegetable broth, and cheese. It works as a standalone main or beside a smaller portion of meat, making it a useful choice when the menu needs a substantial meatless option.
Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Risotto
Homemade Lasagna
Classic layers make Homemade Lasagna a familiar baked centerpiece, stacking noodles with ground beef, tomato, ricotta, Parmesan, and basil. In one hour, it makes four servings, fitting a smaller gathering or a menu with multiple mains. Cut it into squares and pair with salad or roasted vegetables, giving guests a pasta option that can be portioned before it reaches the table.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Lasagna