Sunday dinner with the family can often be stressful. Especially if you think you do not have time to make anything special. The good news is you do have time.
With these 17 simple recipes you can wow your family and friends with very little effort. Whether your friends and family like Southern Comfort Foods, Mexican Foods, Italian Foods, or Asian Foods you can throw something together in no time.
These 17 easy and delicious classic dishes are sure to please. From Pot Roast to Meatloaf, Chicken Pot Pie to Shepherd’s Pie, Fajitas to Stir-fry there is something here for everyone.
Contents
17 Delicious Sunday Dinner Ideas
Planning ahead is key to a delicious Sunday Dinner. It does not take too much planning, just enough to have all the ingredients on hand. These 17 dishes have different cooking times, but they are all easy and delicious.
1. Pot Roast
Pot Roast is a classic Sunday Dinner idea. Pair it with roasted or mashed potatoes. For a vegetable try asparagus or green beans.
Pot Roast may seem like a recipe that takes too long, but do not forget that you can get it started and go do other things. It is a very hands-off dish and that makes it super simple and super easy to make.
2. Brisket
Brisket is a Southern Classic. Pair it with roasted or mashed potatoes and gravy. For vegetables you can roast, steam or grill asparagus or green beans. Another option is fried Okra.
Like pot roast, Brisket can take a while to cook. Brisket is low maintenance you put in the oven or slower cooker and leave it for hours. So, enjoy relaxing instead of stressing on Sunday.
3. Lasagna
Lasagna is another great make and bake dinner idea. Pair it with a salad and some bread. This is also an easy option to adapt to gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian or vegan.
Try a make ahead lasagna, then all you have to do is pop it in the oven and bake. Prefer to make it the day ahead, that is great! Make the ingredients from scratch or pick them up at the store.
4. Casserole
Casserole like lasagna can be made ahead and kept in the fridge overnight then popped in the oven right before dinner.
The type of casserole will determine what sides to serve. Salad is always a good side for any kind of casserole. You can also do roasted or steamed vegetables.
5. Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Pot Pie is another great classic dinner dish. Buy a premade crust or premade dough or make your own. Creamy and delicious, this dish goes well with salad but can be a meal all by itself.
If you are not a fan of crust you can always put it just on top or make it Shepherd’s Pie style and top it with mashed potatoes.
6. Shepherd’s Pie or Cottage Pie
Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie are very similar. Shepherd’s Pie is made with Lamb where Cottage Pie is made with beef. There are Turkey and Chicken variations where they are essentially making a Chicken Pot Pie crossed with a Shepherd’s or Cottage Pie.
Pair these dinner pies with a delicious salad, some steamed vegetables or eat it as a one dish meal.
7. Pasta
Pasta is one of the easiest and most versatile. You can choose any sort of noodle: wheat or gluten free, spaghetti or linguine, ravioli or tortellini. You can make a pasta sauce from scratch or buy one from the store.
Your pasta can be meatless or with meat. You can even customize it so you have both and people can make a choice. Your sauce can be tomato based or cream or cheese based. Pair your pasta with a salad.
8. Stew
Stew is a great Sunday Dinner. You can pre-chop all the ingredients, throw them in the pot and cook them. You can even make the stew the night before and reheat it. This gives the flavors time to meld.
Pair your stew with some warm, buttery bread and a nice salad. Stew is versatile because it can be a meat stew or a vegan stew and you can use or leave out ingredients based on your preferences.
9. Chili
Chili is another delicious, warm Sunday Dinner that you can make ahead. The flavor only gets better if it sits overnight. Pair your chili with cornbread and roasted vegetables.
If you like Mexican food try Chile Verde or Chile Colorado and pair it with tortillas, Pico de Gallo, guacamole, sour cream, and whatever else you like.
10. Chicken and Rice (arroz con pollo)
Chicken and Rice is another easy and delicious Sunday Dinner. Pair it with a salad or steamed vegetables. There are a few different ways to make Chicken and Rice. The most common are Mexican, Spanish, and American.
If you are looking for a one pot dish add your vegetables into the chicken and rice. Peas, green beans, peppers, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and asparagus are all great options.
11. Meatloaf
Meatloaf is another great Sunday Dinner. This main dish pairs well with salad or roasted vegetables. Add some bread on the side. Another great side is mashed potatoes and gravy.
Meatloaf can be made with ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground lamb or ground pork. There are plenty of ways to adapt this dish for people with food allergies.
12. Fajitas
For fans of Taco Tuesday, Fajitas make a great dinner. And it does not have to be for Tuesday! Fajitas are great for a big Sunday meal because they are easy to make and people can customize their own plates.
Pre-chop all your vegetables and pre-make sides like salsa and other toppings. Pair your fajitas with beans, rice, tortillas, salsa, guacamole, chopped vegetables for toppings and anything else you like.
13. Chicken Bake
A Chicken Bake is an easy Sunday Dinner to prepare. Like Brisket and Pot Roast all you have to do is put it together in a dish and bake it.
Put vegetables in the Chicken Bake for a one pot meal. If you want vegetables on the side, consider a salad or steamed vegetables. You can also sauté your vegetables.
14. Roasted Salmon
For an easy one pot dish make Roasted Salmon and Vegetables. If you are not a fan of salmon, you can switch out for another fish or even thin chicken breast.
Try Roasted Salmon with Asparagus and Potatoes. This dish pairs well with a lemony and buttery Hollandaise sauce. Or Try Roasted Mahi Mahi with Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes.
One Pan Roasted Salmon and Vegetables
15. Stir-Fry and Rice
For fans of Asian food, Stir-Fries are easy and delicious. Chop all your ingredients ahead of time, then all you have to do is toss them in the pan.
You can also make the sauce ahead of time or buy a sauce from the store. Whether you like it more sweet or more sour or more salty this dish is delicious. Pair it with some rice for a simple, filling meal.
16. Sheet pan Dinner Sausage and Vegetables
Sheet Pan Dinners are easy and delicious. Whether you like pork, chicken, turkey, or beef you’ll find vegetables that go well with your meat.
If you are vegetarian or vegan either substitute a vegan/vegetarian sausage or leave it out entirely. Some vegetables with protein are Chickpeas, Peas, Beans, broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and Brussel sprouts.
Chicken Sausage and vegetables
17. Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetables – Baked
Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetables is an easy dinner. If you are making it for a small group, you can make it in a pan on the stove. If you are making it for a larger group, this sheet pan method works best.
Pair your Teriyaki chicken and Vegetables with plain rice. This allows the meal to focus on the teriyaki.
Teriyaki Chicken, Vegetables, and Rice Casserole
Wrap Up
With these 17 Sunday Dinner Recipe Ideas I hope you feel ready to take on Sunday Dinner with Family and Friends no matter how big.
Do not be afraid to go potluck style and assign side dishes to your guests. This makes Sunday Dinner so much easier. Happy Cooking and Eating!
17 Sunday Dinner Ideas
Ingredients
- Pot Roast
- Brisket
- Lasagna
- Casserole
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Shepherd’s Pie or Cottage Pie
- Pasta
- Stew
- Chili
- Chicken and Rice (arroz con pollo)
- Meatloaf
- Fajitas
- Chicken Bake
- Roasted Salmon
- Stir-Fry and Rice
- Sheet pan Dinner Sausage and Vegetables
- Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetables – Baked
Instructions
- Select your favorite recipe from the list above.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prepare and enjoy in 30 minutes or less!
