55 Best Sunday Dinner Ideas for a Laid-Back Meal With the Family
This low-effort, air fryer chicken parm is a must on the weekend!
It's time to bring back the Sunday dinner. Sunday dinners can be a wonderful opportunity to slow down and spend time with family and friends over a home-cooked meal. We've gathered the best Sunday dinner recipes to try now, from classic roasts and casserole dishes you typically associate with Sunday dinner to "lazy" versions of your favorite meals that the whole crew will enjoy. Many of these recipes are designed to be easy dinners — think sheet pan meals, one-pot dinners, Instant Pot recipes and slow cooker meals. We've also highlighted a range of kid-friendly meals so everyone can get in on the fun.
These family dinner ideas can be scaled up or down depending on how many people you're serving, but we've also highlighted many recipes that are meant to serve a crowd. For this reason, they'd be great contributions to any potluck dinner. You could even cook a big batch as a make-ahead meal and dine on it throughout the week.
Lucky for you, we are sharing our favorite Sunday dinner ideas to try now! You can even bookmark the recipe to save for another day.
Multicooker Risotto
This family-style meal (it makes six to eight servings!) can easily be customized with thyme-roasted mushrooms, saucy tomatoes, roasted broccolini and anything else you can think of. The risotto comes together in the Instant Pot, making it easier than a traditional risotto.
Get the Multicooker Risotto recipe.
Chicken Francese Pasta
This heavenly one-pan dinner brings together pasta, chicken, butter, lemon and parmesan. What more could you ask for?
Get the Chicken Francese Pasta recipe.
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
This classic comfort food is made easier with the help of your air fryer. The recipe as written serves four, but you can easily scale up the recipe if you're serving more people.
Get the Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe.
RELATED: 78 Best Air Fryer Recipes That Are Easy and Delicious
Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Peppers with Thyme Frico
This bright dinner comes together entirely in sheet pans. Crispy gnocchi, roasted pepper and tomatoes, and shards of baked parmesan make for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Get the Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Peppers with Thyme Frico recipe.
Pozole Rojo
We recommend saving this recipe for a chilly Sunday when you just want to cozy up. You'll need guajillo chilies, ancho chiles, chipotle chilies and pork shoulder.
Get the Pozole Rojo recipe.
Green Bean Pasta Salad
This extra-large pasta salad is healthy and easy to toss together. It has plenty of flavor, thanks to the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, mint and Peppadew peppers. It serves eight to 10 people, making it perfect for a potluck.
Get the Green Bean Pasta Salad recipe.
Cheesy Lemon-Pepper Spaghetti
Even the pickiest eaters will enjoy this simple pasta dinner made with parmesan, pecorino and lemon. Bonus: It takes just 20 minutes to make.
Get the Cheesy Lemon-Pepper Spaghetti recipe.
Skillet Cheeseburger Hot Dish
Tater tots, beef, and cheese, topped with onions, tomatoes, and chopped pickles. Plus, it's served with a finger-licking “special sauce” for the ultimate crowd-pleasing topper.
Get the Skillet Cheeseburger Hot Dish recipe
RELATED: 60 Tasty, Easy Fall Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights
Sheet Pan Okonomiyaki
This savory Japanese dish calls for shredded green cabbage and a salty, spicy sauce drizzled over everything. The whole family will request this week after week.
Get the Sheet Pan Okonomiyaki recipe.
Grilled Pork and Pineapple Sandwiches
For an easy, summer-y Sunday dinner, consider these sandwiches that come together on the grill. The Adobo ketchup-glazed pork is incredible.
Get the Grilled Pork and Pineapple Sandwiches recipe.
Blackberry-Glazed Ribs
Take ribs to the next level with a coating made of blackberry jam, barbecue sauce and a splash of lime juice.
Get the Blackberry-Glazed Ribs recipe.
Creamy Chicken and Zoodle Spaghetti
Nothing says "cozy Sunday dinner" like a big pile of cheesy pasta. This one adds spiralized zucchini, chicken, sour cream and lemon for a unique and light take on the dish.
Get the Creamy Chicken and Zoodle Spaghetti recipe.
RELATED: 35 Best Zucchini Noodle Recipes When You Are Craving Zoodles
Jammy Grilled Cheese
For a special kid-friendly dinner that's still sophisticated enough for grown-ups, try these elevated grilled cheese sandwiches. It doesn't get better than melty brie, sweet jam, sourdough bread and butter.
Get the Jammy Grilled Cheese recipe.
Smoky Chicken Tostadas
This Sunday dinner looks and tastes like you spent hours tending to it, but the secret is it takes less than an hour, thanks to the creative use of rotisserie chicken.
Get the Smoky Chicken Tostadas recipe.
BBQ-Glazed Hot Dogs with Spicy Slaw
Who says hot dogs can't be Sunday dinner? When they're brushed with tangy BBQ sauce and piled high with jalapeño-spiked coleslaw, they become something truly special.
Get the BBQ-Glazed Hot Dogs with Spicy Slaw recipe.
Double Mustard–Marinated Chicken Drumsticks
Another Sunday dinner recipe that's perfect for summer is this flavorful grilled dish, which brings together apple juice and mustard for a unique, bright taste.
Pasta e Fagioli
This one-pot meal made with al dente pasta, plenty of veggies and creamy white beans is the definition of a cozy dinner.
Get the Pasta e Fagioli recipe.
Honey-and-Balsamic–Glazed Ham
Take your Sunday dinner to the next level with this ham covered in a sweet-and-salty glaze made from black peppercorns, honey, mustard and balsamic vinegar.
Get the Honey-and-Balsamic–Glazed Ham recipe.
Lemony Garlic and Herb Pork Tenderloin
This juicy pork tenderloin is covered in fresh herbs and simmered in a flavorful marinade for the perfect Sunday dinner.
Manhattan Clam Chowder
New England Clam Chowder gets all the glory, but this Manhattan Clam Chowder deserves a spot on the table, too. It's made with a tomato base, white wine and briny clams.
Get the Manhattan Clam Chowder recipe.
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