Purim is a time of joy and celebration, marked by parties and festive feasts that bring family and friends together. The centerpiece of these gatherings is often a hearty and delicious main dish that sets the tone for the entire feast. In this roundup, we’ve gathered the best Purim main dish recipe ideas to help you create unforgettable meals that honor the holiday.

From succulent roasts to perfectly cooked steaks, tender briskets, and flavorful chicken dishes, our selection features a variety of recipes that are sure to impress. Whether you’re hosting a large party or a cozy family dinner, these mains are designed to be the star of your Purim table.

With these mouthwatering dishes, your festive meals will be both memorable and delicious, ensuring that your holiday is filled with joy and culinary delight.

For more amazing Purim recipes, check out our master roundup here.

1. BBQ Club Steak by Yehudis Mann

This is the meat I prepare every week for Shabbos. It’s no-fail, is cooked in the oven, and always gets rave reviews.

2. Barbecue Brisket by Rivky Kleiman

Moist, succulent, and bursting with flavor. This is more than just your Bubby’s brisket.  

3. Crispy Deviled Hens from the Dining In Cookbook

This impressive entrée smells absolutely delicious and will look so impressive when you bring it to the table! Crispy breaded cornish hens with a mustard-wine sauce.

4. Short Rib (Flanken) Roast by Adina Schlass

This heavy cut of meat is incredibly soft and delicious, but pairing it with a simple herb gremolata adds that fresh bite it needs and helps cuts through the fat in a perfectly balanced way.

5. Wine-Braised Cherry, Mushroom, and Shallot-Stuffed Veal Roast by Elizabeth Kurtz

Stuffed veal roast is special-occasion food to me. It’s dressy and elegant and looks so impressive sliced on a platter. This one has lots of contrast in color, texture and taste and has a sweet and rich taste that is pleasing to everyone.

6. Sous Vide Oyster Steak with Homemade Sweet and Spicy Tomato Ketchup by Adina Schlass

Sous vide method cooking is life changing when it comes to entertaining. I throw the food in the water bath, and don’t have to worry about it overcooking or drying out. I take it out when I’m ready, give a quick sear, and can serve it nice and hot when guests walk in the door. It’s the biggest wow factor with littlest amount of effort.

7. Barbecue-Flavored Roast by Brynie Greisman

One of my sons-in-law is a meat connoisseur, and I’m often challenged to come up with something that he’ll really appreciate. I tried this sauce on chicken first and then on a roast, and we couldn’t decide which was better. Even he enjoyed them both!

8. Simple Sesame Chicken by Elky Friedman

Sesame chicken is definitely a favorite in our house, but I just can’t bring myself to make the fried version. My sister-in-law Tami introduced me to this quick, easy, unfried version. It met all my requirements for a family-friendly dish and was an instant hit. Double or triple it without standing over the fryer for hours.

9. Chestnut White Wine Chicken by Adina Schlass

10. Mega Mushroom Beef Marsala by Chavi Feldman

I make the classic pepper steak recipe for dinner quite often and have served it at many Purim seudos as well, but now I was simply in the mood of a change. I figured I’d incorporate the mushroom marsala flavoring into this dish and swap out the chicken for beef. With enthusiastic accolades, all mushroom lovers in my home insisted I make this the new normal going forward!

11. Pickled Tongue from the Nitra Cookbook

12. Surprise Steak with Crispy Pastrami Patties and Teriyaki Green Beans by Chantzy Weinstein

Surprise steak is a pricey cut that I only use for Yom Tov or special occasions. This recipe also works great with hanger, skirt or oyster steak, and even a London broil. After tasting the most delicious fried potato balls at a wedding shmorg, I knew I had to recreate them at home. The pastrami is my own personal twist, and they are delicious! Using a store-bought sauce becomes expensive, so I’ve created this homemade teriyaki sauce.

13. Wine-Glazed Rack of Short Ribs by Malky and Yossi Levine

Texture is a big deal when it comes to food. Take brisket, for example. We all seek to achieve that crusty exterior as a contrast to the soft flesh within. The same holds true for braised meats like these short ribs. It’s wonderful if you can cook them to extreme tenderness, but even better if you can get a little crunch to the same bite. The trick is to sear them first so you get that blackened crust, and then cook it for many hours to achieve that soft, tender inside.

14. A Roast to Boast by Esther Ottensoser

I can always count on my sister Basya for a good recipe. She is a master hostess whose house is always teeming with guests, and she’s always at the cutting edge of new and creative recipes. With meat, however, there is never any innovation. This is the recipe she always uses. Try it yourself – you’ll see why.

15. Mike’s Rib Roast by Michael Gershkovich

Expensive cuts of meat can be intimidating. Mike brings his expertise from Mike’s Bistro’s to help you serve up an aged prime roast with confidence. Watch the accompanying video to see him make it himself!

16. Veal Roast with Caramelized Shallots by Elky Friedman

Shallots are more subtle than typical yellow onions, but have a sharpness that lends lots of flavor to foods. I call it the “upper-class” onion. We’ve always enjoyed them alongside steaks and roasts…and now veal.

17. Low-and-Slow Peppery Roasts with Savory Gravy by Faigy Grossman

I’ll admit it: I don’t go for the rare, red-meat thing. So when Chanie and I discussed experimenting with roasts,I offered to do the longer cooking method, which results in melt-in-your-mouth, juicy meat that is usually gone before you blink. This recipe is so simple because it uses so few ingredients. This recipe is a winner, simple to make and chockfull of flavor.

18. Shake ’n Bake Chicken Poppers by Tanya Ohana

Who doesn’t love a good SHAKE’N BAKE chicken recipe? These chicken poppers are the perfect easy, delicious, crowd-pleasing dinner! The best is that they’re baked.

19. Roast with Wine-Reduction Sauce by Brynie Greisman

This roast starts off with classic seasoning. The wine-reduction sauce, with a twist so apropos to Purim, adds a whole new dimension, making it totally feast-worthy. Enjoy! We all did.

20. Slow-Cooked Garlic Ginger Short Ribs by Victoria Dwek

There’s a lot of different ways to prepare ribs. Lots of people just toss them with sauce, cover, and throw them in the oven (the newlywed version!). For a while I was boiling ribs and then tossing with sauce (a trick I learned from a couple of different chefs). But really, my favorite method is the slow braise. The flavors in the sauce get a chance to develop and the meat comes out really tender. If you like more traditional ribs flavors, this will also work with barbecue sauce and tomato sauce swapped out for the brown sugar and soy sauce (then, omit the ginger and sesame oil and add in a dash of liquid smoke).

If you’re preparing a larger batch for company, you may or may not need to prepare more sauce. It really depends on the size of the pan, as the ribs need to be covered or mostly covered in liquid for best results.

21. Succulent Citrus and Sweet Potato Roast by Brynie Greisman

Using only simple, fresh ingredients, you can achieve awesome results. One of my favorite roasts.