BEST Sunday Dinner Ideas {40+ Recipes!}

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Sunday evenings are typically spent with family around the dinner table. Make something special for the occasion with this collection of delicious Sunday dinner ideas!

More Collections: Family Dinner Ideas, Dinner Ideas for Kids, Quick Dinner Ideas

A collage of different Sunday Dinner Ideas with 6 favorite dinner recipes.

Sunday = Family Time

In my family, Sunday is a day of rest from the regular tasks of the week. Along with worship, we take time to be together and carve out family time. I have gathered some fabulous Sunday dinner ideas to help you do just that!

Even if you have busier Sundays, extracurricular activities, errands, and church services are typically held in the morning leaving the afternoon and evening to relax and enjoy the last bit of the weekend.

What better way to spend the time than eating a delicious meal with your family and friends?

Dinners your family will love!

Types of Sunday dinner recipes the whole family will love come in as many varieties as families do.

sheet pan dinners
skillet dinners
a large pasta dish
casserole
slow cooker or Instant Pot
bake it in the oven
fire up the grill

A serving of pot roast topped with gravy on a white plate with a side of potatoes.

Hosting Sunday Dinner

To go along with our easy Sunday dinner ideas, we’ve rounded up some tips to help with the planning!

Time. Though there is usually more time on Sundays to spend on more involved recipes, you can also choose to make quick and easy meals that are just as delicious. There are also many recipes that can be prepped the day before to get a jump start on cooking the next day.

Formal vs. casual. Make serving the meal as formal or as casual as you wish. I had one grandma who would set the adult table with a white tablecloth and her china and serve dinner family style. My other grandma was more casual. The food was served buffet style using paper plates and we sat anywhere that was open.

Get guests involved. Let guests who offer bring a dish to share.

After-dinner activities. Chatting is my preferred activity, but it’s always nice to have other activities available. Outdoor activities like bocce ball and croquet are fun. You can also have games and coloring books inside.

Clean up. If hosting Sunday dinner for the same family and friends is going to be a regular occurrence, consider implementing a clean-up plan. At my mom’s house, the sisters make the food, and our spouses clean up.

Timeframe. Since most adults and children need to be up early for work and school, it’s acceptable to give guests a start and end time.

Lemon pepper chicken served over a bed of rice and topped with fresh lemon slices.

Amounts to Serve

Often Sunday dinner is the night that extended family can get together and enjoy some comfort food. Planning how much to make for your main dish can be a bit tricky. Some people eat more than expected and some eat less.

Here are some guidelines that will help you as you plan:

Pasta. Plan to serve 2-3 ounces of dry pasta per person. If your recipe calls for 16 ounces of pasta then the dish can serve about 6-8 guests. If adding veggies or protein to the pasta, then you will be able to serve about 8-10 guests.
Meats. When serving beef, chicken, or pork as the main dish, plan to serve 8-12 ounces per person.
Casserole. I typically cut my 9×13 casserole dishes into 20 squares. I’ll usually calculate about 1½-2 squares per person.
Soups or stew. Plan to serve each guest 5-6 ounces of soup or stew or 1½-2 cups.

Pulled BBQ chicken served on a bun with a side of chips and fresh fruit on a white plate.

Round out the Meal

Appetizers. Having some afternoon appetizers is always a great idea. Plan to serve 3-5 appetizers per person.

If you only have 5-10 people coming, plan to have 1-2 different appetizer dishes. Add another appetizer dish for every 5-8 people in attendance.

Dessert. Plan to have enough dessert for people to have 1½ servings.

Drink/punch. The average person will drink 2 glasses.

Side dishes

For side dishes, plan about 6 ounces of potatoes per person and 4 ounces of veggies per person. Plan to serve 1½ rolls per person. For every 5-8 people attending add another dish to the menu.

Mix and match some of our popular side dishes to fit your Sunday meal.

Veggies. Oven Roasted Vegetables, Fried Zucchini, Grilled Asparagus
Bread. Homemade Dinner Rolls, Buttermilk Biscuits, Italian Bread
Rice. Cilantro Lime Rice, Homemade Fried Rice, Crock Pot Rice
Potatoes. Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes, Best Mashed Potatoes, Candied Sweet Potatoes
Salad. Ambrosia Salad, Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing, 7 Layer Salad