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Why not spoil the men in our lives that we love with an amazing meal?! These Father’s Day dinner ideas will help you do just that.
More Collections: Crockpot Dinner Ideas, Easy Dinner Ideas, Summer Dinner Ideas
Celebrate Dad with a Meal!
I love celebrating Father’s Day and ensuring my dad and husband are recognized and appreciated for all they do and for being the best fathers around.
One of the ways we celebrate is with a delicious homemade dinner on this special occasion!
Why we love it:
- Savory to sweet. There’s a mix of classic and unique main dishes, side dishes, and desserts for every skill level and taste preference!
- Gift ideas. Besides delicious recipes, we’ve included creative non-food ideas for celebrating Father’s Day, adding an extra special touch to the occasion.
- For every dad. Whether your dad is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, or loves a loaded salad, or a Pepperoni Pizza, there are plenty of yummy ideas to add to your Father’s Day menu.
Making Father’s Day Fun
Aside from spoiling them with a few gifts, like these 100+ Father’s Day Gift Ideas or 100+ Father’s Day gifts from Amazon, making dinner for DAD is at the top of my celebration list. Here are some other fun ways to make the day special.
- To go all out, use your dad’s favorite hobby as a theme for the meal.
- Crown him “King for the Day” and turn his seat at the table into a throne.
- Have kids help cook dinner. Younger kids can help wash produce, pour, and stir. Older kids can help peel and cut produce. They can measure and follow simple recipes. Teens 12+ should be able to cook on the stove and in the oven.
- Have the kids fill out a “How well do you know dad” questionnaire. The winner gets a special treat.
- Share your favorite memories of Dad.
- Plan to do dad’s favorite activity- go fishing, have a video game competition, go to a car show, go bird watching, play his favorite board game.
- Serve him breakfast in bed.
- Begin a memory book. Ask questions about his childhood and record the answers. Continue to ask new questions each week and present him with a completed book the next year.
Plan the Menu
Whether you’re planning a small dinner for Dad or hosting a large gathering, planning your Father’s Day meal menu a couple of weeks ahead of time helps:
- Watch for sales.
- Make any new recipes ahead of time to work out any kinks.
- Allow friends and family to bring a dish.
- Include dishes that can be made ahead of time.
- Make sure you have enough time and space to cook everything. Using a crock pot helps free up the oven and stovetop space.
Grilling Tips
A backyard barbecue is a common way we celebrate Father’s Day. Some dads love to grill but others may appreciate a break from the duty.
Here are a few tips to help you step in:
- Take the meat out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before grilling.
- Create a chart that lays out what item will be grilled in what section, as well as how long each piece of meat will need to cook. Do not overlap the different types of food before or during grilling.
- Use a meat thermometer to test the doneness of each type of meat. (Be sure to clean it off with soapy water between uses.)
- It can be tempting to poke, prod, and flip the meat, but don’t. It would help if you only flipped it once. By doing so you allow each side to heat up enough to start forming a nice caramelized crust.
- Grilling vegetables takes a fraction of the time as the meat. Since meat needs to rest once it is done cooking, this is a perfect time to reduce the heat and grill up your veggies.
- If you add BBQ Sauce or other flavorful sauces too early, it just tends to char. Allow your meat to cook almost completely before coating it with the sauce.
- Allow meat to rest for a few minutes before cutting.
BEST FATHER’S DAY DINNER Ideas
Street Tacos are always a hit with the guys. Pile them high with a spritz of lime and fresh chopped cilantro with a side of Tortilla Chips and Homemade Salsa and you’re good to go!
Or check out this extensive list of hubby-approved favorites that any guy is sure to love – like our tender baby back ribs!
1 How to Make Baby Back Ribs
2 Steak Marinade
3 Crock Pot Brisket Recipe
4 Crock Pot Pot Roast
5 Ranch Burger Recipe
6 Steak and Potatoes Recipe
7 Carne Asada Recipe
8 Chicken Fried Steak Recipe
9 Fajita Recipe
10 Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
More Father’s Day Recipes
Another favorite is crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken and a side of Homemade Potato Salad! Or maybe some Buffalo Wings and a side of Homemade Ranch Dressing.
And for even more check out our summer dinner ideas.
11 Sweet Pork Barbacoa Recipe
12 Easy Prime Rib Recipe
13 Best Chicken Marinade
14 Crack Chicken Recipe
15 French Dip Sandwich Recipe
16 Ritz Cracker Chicken Recipe
17 Chicken Alfredo Recipe
18 Beef Stroganoff Recipe
19 Dr. Pepper Ribs Recipe
20 Homemade Lasagna Recipe
21 Beef Enchiladas
22 Crock Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Recipe Video
Get the recipe23 Italian Meatball Recipe
Recipe Video
Get the recipe24 Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
25 Steak Taco Recipe
26 Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
27 Chicken Parmesan Recipe
28 Buttery Baked Chicken Recipe
29 Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
30 Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
More Father’s Day Menu Ideas
Don’t forget the sides! From pasta salad recipes and beyond we have plenty of summer side dishes to complement your Father’s Day menu.
31 Best Mashed Potatoes
32 Creamed Corn Recipe
33 Garlic Bread Recipe
34 Funeral Potatoes Recipe
35 Glazed Carrots
36 Potato Wedges Recipe
37 Bacon Wrapped Smokies Recipes
38 Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Recipe
39 Twice Baked Potatoes
40 Mashed Potato Casserole
41 Best Homemade Mac and Cheese
42 Crack Chicken Dip
43 BLT Dip Recipe
44 Baked Beans Recipe
45 Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball
46 Parmesan Crusted Potato Skins Recipe
47 Wedge Salad Recipe
48 Broccoli Salad Recipe
49 Buffalo Chicken Dip
50 Oven Roasted Vegetables Recipe
51 Beanie Weenies
52 Pigs in a Blanket
53 Loaded Pulled Pork Cups Recipe
54 Corn on the Cob on the Grill
55 Sweet Cornbread Recipe
56 Garlic Knots Recipe
57 Asparagus Roll Ups
58 Parmesan Potatoes Recipe
Father’s Day Desserts
What better way to celebrate the men in our lives than by ending the meal with a taste of something sweet? Lemon Curd is a popular summer dessert or for a crowd bake up a pan of Chocolate Sheet Cake.
Whether you prefer chocolate or fruity flavor, we have something for everyone.
59 Better Than Anything Cake Recipe
60 Homemade Brownies
61 Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
62 Frozen Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
63 Tres Leches Cake
64 Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe
65 Reese’s Brownie recipe
66 Pizookie Recipe
67 Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe
68 Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
69 Mud Pie
70 Buttermilk Pie Recipe
71 Triple Berry Pie
72 Boston Cream Pie
73 Cream Puff Cake Recipe
74 German Chocolate Cake
75 Coconut Cream Pie Recipe
76 Banana Pudding Cake Recipe
77 Chocolate Delight Recipe
78 Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
79 Strawberry Sheet Cake Recipe
80 Churro Cheesecake Bars
81 Turtle Cheesecake Recipe
I Love my Baby-Back Ribs!
BBQ Baby Back Ribs are slathered in both a dry rub and sauce for a flavor explosion. Serve them up with some Air Fryer Zucchini and Sweet Cornbread for perfection!
They are tender, delicious, and fall-off-the-bone delicious!
Here is the recipe:
80+ Father’s Day Dinner Ideas
Ingredients
Dry Rub
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons paprika
- 1½ tablespoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Ribs
- 2 pounds pork baby back ribs
- 1 (18-ounce) bottle barbecue sauce, divided
Instructions
- Combine brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne to make a dry rub.
- Remove the clear membrane from the underside of ribs, in preparation for dry rub. Rub your dry rub gently onto both sides of the ribs. Place on a large foil-lined baking sheet.
- Spray a large sheet of tin foil with cooking spray, enough to cover all ribs. Brush 1½ cups of BBQ sauce all over the ribs, Wrap TIGHTLY with foil. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Bake ribs for 2½ hours, still wrapped in the foil.
- Unwrap the foil, brush ribs with remaining ¾ cup barbecue sauce, and broil for about 5 minutes to caramelize the barbecue sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Favorite Father’s Day recipes
We hope you enjoy this collection of some of our favorite Father’s Day dinner ideas – they’re sure to make Dad feel extra special! Best of all they are as easy as they are delicious and are sure to be dinners you’ll want to make all year long!
More Collections: Brunch Ideas, Dessert Bar Recipes, Beef Dinner Ideas
My husband requested his moms meatloaf, but the rest of my menu came from here. He specifically loved the bacon wrapped green beans bundles.
So many great ideas and tips for Father’s Day. I love all the recipes! They all look so good.
Wow, so many great dinner ideas for Father’s Day! Thank you for compiling this list of recipes together, this is just what I was looking for!
I made my entire menu from this post! Everything looks fantastic!
Okay I was needing inspiration for Sunday and this post did not disappoint! Thanks so much for making it easy.