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Planning a Sunday dinner can be a delightful tradition for many families and individuals. There is nothing better than gathering the family around the table for a delicious, traditional Sunday dinner!
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Sunday dinner is a time for family and friends to gather and enjoy the company of one another. It is also a chance to get some home cooking in that you may have been wanting to try, or perhaps it is something you’ve been meaning to make but haven’t had time before. Either way, Sunday dinner is a great opportunity to get the whole family together and chat about the events of the week!
Sunday dinner just may be my very favorite meal of the week. We usually set the dinner table a little nicer than we do the rest of the week and it just puts everyone in a better mood. We have recipes for Sunday dinners that won’t drain your pocketbook but will sure make it feel like more of an event than just another day in your week. Pair your next Sunday dinner with any of our easy side dishes, salads, and/or breads. Don’t forget to finish it off with dessert!
We love making Sunday dinners because we can walk into our home and smell the delicious aromas throughout the house. There is just something about Sunday dinner that sets a positive tone for the upcoming week. It’s all about family, togetherness, and straight-up comfort food.
Pot Roast Dinner
In my opinion, nothing quite says “Traditional Sunday Dinner” quite like a traditional pot roast. There are so many different ways to cook a Sunday pot roast and you can’t go wrong with any of them. Crock Pot Roast is a favorite of many because you can throw it all in the Crockpot and let it slow cook all day or even try our Crock Pot Steak and Gravy.
Sample Roast Dinner Menu
If you are in more of a hurry, you can make an Instant Pot Pot Roast in a fraction of the time and get the same tender, juicy results. If you are more of a traditionalist, you can always make a Pot Roast in the oven. This is the way our mom would always make it before slow cookers and Instant Pots were a thing.
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Potatoes and Carrots (cooked with the roast)
- Nuts About Berries Salad
- Homemade Rolls
- Instant Pot Chocolate Lava Cake
Pork Chop Dinner
Much like pot roast, pork chops can be made in several different ways and make a great traditional Sunday dinner. Our favorite way to make pork chops for Sunday dinner is in the Crock Pot. Crockpot pork chops have been a family favorite of ours for years and it only takes 4 easy ingredients to make them!
Sample Pork Dinner Menu
Once again, if you find yourself in a hurry (or you forgot to put the pork chops in the Crock Pot on time) you can make these Instant Pot Pork Chops. Same flavor and fall-apart goodness in far less time!
- Crock Pot Pork Chops
- Baked Potato (or Mashed)
- Roasted Vegetable Medley
- Rosemary Parmesan Focaccia Bread
- Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
Traditional Turkey Dinner
Who says turkey is only for Thanksgiving dinner? When we were growing up, we actually had turkey quite often for Sunday dinner. In fact, if you asked any of us what our favorite Sunday dinner was growing up (and still is) we would all say our Mom’s turkey dinner.
Sample Turkey Dinner Menu
Below is the EXACT dinner menu that we would always have. Give it a try! It will be as if you are transported to our childhoods (minus the bad perms and big bangs).
- Roasted Turkey
- Mashed Potatoes (and our famous turkey gravy)
- Buttered Corn
- Homemade Dinner Rolls
- Lemon Meringue Pie
Classic Ham Dinner
The nice thing about having ham for Sunday dinner is that you really only just have to reheat it. It is already precooked and ready to go! For a fancy holiday-style dinner, try our delicious glazed
Sample Ham Dinner Menu
Christmas Ham recipe (pictured above). We also love our Copycat Honey Baked Ham recipe. All of our ham recipes are so flavorful, tender, and delicious! You can’t go wrong with any of them!
- Crock Pot Ham with Maple and Brown Sugar
- Cheesy Potato Casserole (aka Funeral Potatoes)
- Sauteed Sweet Asparagus
- Homemade Crescent Rolls
- Blueberry Jell-O salad
Famous Chicken Dinner
There are so many ways you can go with a Sunday chicken dinner. You can always do your typical grilled or baked chicken but for Sunday we like to put in a little more effort. Some of our favorites are Oven Fried Chicken (pictured above), Chicken Cordon Bleu, Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce, Lemon Pepper Chicken, and Grilled Malibu Chicken. We included some ideas for sides below that will go well with ANY of these chicken dishes.
Sample Chicken Dinner Menu
- Chicken Fried Chicken
- Parmesan Baked Potato Halves (or mashed potatoes)
- Roasted Green Beans
- Honey Whole Wheat Bread
- Better Than Sex Cake
Dinner with Fish
Ok, fish may be slightly non-traditional but sometimes it is nice to switch it up just a little. Some of our favorite Sunday fish dinners are Baked Cod in Cream Sauce, Cilantro Lime Grilled Halibut, Parmesan Herbed Baked Mahi Mahi, and Pecan Crusted Salmon.
Sample Fish Dinner Menu
Usually, fish is served with some kind of rice dish and some steamed or roasted vegetables, we have listed a great sample Sunday dinner menu below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Classic Sunday dinner dishes often include roast meats like chicken, beef, or lamb, along with side dishes like mashed potatoes, gravy, roasted vegetables, and Yorkshire pudding (for a roast beef dinner).
Yes, many cultures have their own traditional Sunday dinner recipes. For example, in Italian cuisine, you might find a Sunday sauce or a slow-cooked ragù. In Indian cuisine, a Sunday dinner could include biryani or curry dishes.
Dessert options for Sunday dinner can range from classic choices like apple pie, cheesecake, or chocolate cake to lighter options like fruit salad or sorbet. Choose a dessert that complements your main course.
Involving family or guests in the preparation can be a bonding experience. Assign tasks such as setting the table, chopping vegetables, or making appetizers to get everyone involved and excited about the meal.
This was so helpful. Added a few recipes to my “to make” list to help change up my weekly menus. Looking forward to trying!
These are great ideas, so helpful to have a whole menu plan for each protein too. Trying out the fish menu asap – especially because of the key lime pie! 😉
We have roast beef and mashed potatoes every Sunday. I love the other ideas, especially the pork chops.
Loved these ideas! So many to choose from and the options are mouthwatering!
Amazing variety of recipes, thank you for this!!! This will make planning my weekly menu a ton easier!
Love all these recipes!
Great ideas- love the pot roast meal plan, especially the chocolate cake dessert 🙂
What awesome ideas for dinner! I especially like the pot roast – I am a sucker for pot roast!
So much Sunday dinner inspiration! I’ll take the ham dinner please 🙂
This is so helpful! Each plan has everything you need for a full meal! Can’t wait to try that chicken fried chicken!
So many delicious ideas! I really appreciate the menu planning too – it all sounds fantastic, and wonderful combinations of dishes! We look forward to trying some!