25 Easy & Cozy Sunday Dinner Ideas

From cheesy casseroles to classics like pot roast and lasagna, these easy Sunday dinner ideas will help bring the entire family together! Lots of make ahead, slow cooker and Instant Pot options to get dinner on the table with less fuss.

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What Makes a Good Sunday Dinner?

What is Sunday dinner to you?

For me, it’s a meal that brings everyone together. These days families can be so busy that anything more than a rushed dinner at the end of a hectic weekday can be hard to come by. That’s why we love these easy dinner recipes!

Over the years I’ve found that cooking something just a bit special on the weekend gives everyone a chance to slow down and enjoy some time together. It’s a wonderful way to reset and start the new week!

Sunday dinners do not need to be complicated to achieve its purpose. In my experience, it just needs to be two things: comfort food and something you wouldn’t typically make during the week.

I’m talking cheesy casseroles, roast chicken, pot roast, and creamy mashed potatoes. Maybe they take a little more time to make but they are always worth it!

Below are some of my favorite ideas, including recipes that are perfect for the slow cooker, instant pot, air fryer, and oven – so matter what your preferred cooking method is, you’re sure to find an easy dinner idea that your family will love.

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Sunday Dinners Ideas: from the oven

These Sunday Dinners are some of our favorites! Perfect for popping in the oven while you put your feet up and enjoy some family time.

close up image of whole chicken in roasting pan
Perfect Roast Chicken
How to make the perfect Roast Chicken, with a simple seasoning, golden crispy skin, and tender juicy chicken! See the step by step recipe video in the post to see how easy it is to make!
Get the recipe here
square image of baked tuscan chicken in baking dish.
Baked Tuscan Chicken Breasts
This Baked Tuscan Chicken Breast is an easy meal ready in 30 minutes or less! With a creamy sauce made of garlic, cream, sun dried tomatoes and spinach that’s perfect over pasta.
Get the recipe here
whole spiral ham in baking dish with honey glaze
Honey Baked Ham
Not just for a holiday meal! This Honey Baked Ham is coated in a sweet ham glaze, wrapped and baked until warmed through and full of flavor! The easiest way to get tender, juicy baked ham!
Get the recipe here
square image for homemade meatballs.
Easy Meatball Recipe (Homemade Meatballs)
This easy Meatball Recipe is tender, juicy and flavorful! Bake them, fry them, or slow cook — they work with any sauce you enjoy!
See the step by step video in the post to see how they're made.
Get the recipe here

Slow Cooker Sunday Dinner Ideas

These Sunday dinners are the ones that most likely come to mind when you think comfort food. I'm talking pot roast, meatloaf, and chicken and dumplings. But, unlike the traditional time-consuming recipes, there are all made easy with the help of your Slow Cooker!

square image of slow cooker pot roast with gravy being drizzled over.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast with the BEST gravy!
This Slow Cooker Pot Roast has incredible flavor and the best gravy! Creamy potatoes, tender carrots, fall apart roast beef — it’s pure comfort food!
Get the recipe here
pork tenderloin sliced and covered in glaze in a white slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin with Glaze
This Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin is covered in an easy garlic herb rub and drizzled with a honey balsamic glaze!
Get the recipe here
crockpot whole chicken broiled on white plate with lemon and parsley
Crockpot Whole Chicken
This Crockpot Whole Chicken is incredibly moist and flavorful, thanks to a coating of seasoned garlic butter and the slow cooker! The perfect make ahead weekend dinner, great for meal prepping!
Check out this recipe
square image of crockpot chicken and dumplings in slow cooker
Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
With this crockpot recipe, there's no need to spend over an hour watching the stove. Just add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and enjoy fluffy dumplings and tender chicken, plus veggies to make it a complete meal.
Get the recipe here
close up of a white slow cooker filled with swedish meatballs and a steel scoop.
Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
Perfectly seasoned and made with homemade meatballs, these Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs are perfect for holidays, special occasions, and casual dinners alike.
Get the recipe here
overhead image of meat falling off of bones of slow cooker ribs on sheet pan
Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs
There's no need to fire up the BBQ to make these fall-of-the-bones ribs. Just add a homemade spice rub and brush with BBQ sauce before serving.
Get the recipe here
Slow Cooker Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork:Incredible thick, sweet and tangy honey balsamic sauce over slow-cooked pulled pork -- my absolute favorite way to do pulled pork! Perfect crockpot meal for summer or a busy weeknight! www.thereciperebel.com
Slow Cooker Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork
This isn't your basic pulled pork. The honey balsamic sauce is perfectly seasoned, making this tender pork perfect whether served on its own or in a sandwich.
Get the recipe here
slice of lasagna being lifted out of crockpot
Crockpot Lasagna
With just 6 ingredients and no need to pre-cook the noodles, this is the easiest lasagna you'll ever make.
Get the recipe here
slow cooker with garlic parmesan chicken stew in it and a metal ladle
Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew + Video
This Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew is bound to be your new favorite winter comfort food! It’s hearty, creamy, cheesy and loaded with vegetables! The crockpot makes it an easy weeknight meal.
Get the recipe here

Instant Pot Sunday Dinners

Like the slow cooker, many of these Instant Pot recipes are a matter of adding the ingredients and letting the Instant Pot do its thing – though in this case, it’s much less time than using a slow cooker. The Instant Pot recipes featured below include many classic dishes, like spaghetti and glazed ham, made easier and healthier.

square overhead image of instant pot pot roast with vegetables.
Perfect Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe
This Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe is an easy, comforting dinner that comes together so quickly in the pressure cooker! With tender veggies (not mushy!), a fall apart tender roast and seasoned gravy.
Get the recipe here
square image of three slices of instant pot meatloaf on mashed potatoes
Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
Make both your main course and side dish at the same time with this Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes recipe. Creamy mashed potatoes and moist, flavorful meatloaf make the ultimate comfort food.
Get the recipe here
instant pot ham with glaze
Instant Pot Ham with Pineapple Glaze
This Instant Pot ham features a simple and sweet pineapple glaze, filling each bite with flavor. This is a great recipe to make at the beginning of a busy week – the leftovers make great sandwiches!
Get the recipe here
instant pot spaghetti in pressure cooker
Instant Pot Spaghetti – made healthier!
Spaghetti is such a classic dinner recipe, one loved by the entire family. Made not only easier but also healthier, this Instant Pot spaghetti is perfect paired with a bright green side salad.
Get the recipe here
instant pot pork tenderloin and potatoes
Instant Pot Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin & Potatoes
With a simple honey balsamic glaze, this perfectly seasoned pork tenderloin is juicy and tender. Serve over potatoes with a side of vegetables for an easy but elegant dinner.
Get the recipe here
overhead image of creamy italian chicken breasts on a white platter with egg noodles
Creamy Italian Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
With a creamy sauce made seasoned with Italian herbs and peppers, you can serve this Italian chicken over your choice of pasta, rice, or potatoes.
Get the recipe here

Sunday Dinner Casseroles

Is there anything that says “comfort food” better than a casserole? Sometimes what you really need for Sunday dinner is a warm, cheesy casserole that the whole family will want to dig into. I picked some of my favorite casseroles that are always a hit when I serve them up in my house!

manicotti recipe overhead
Manicotti recipe
Made with three types of cheese, tomato sauce, and basil pesto, Manicotti makes a hearty, filling vegetarian entree. This one is always a hit with the whole family!
Get the recipe here
baked caprese chicken with mozzarella and topped with basil
Baked Chicken Caprese
This 30 minute meal turns all of the elements of a fancy chicken caprese dinner into an easy baked dish. It's light, healthy, and so flavorful with a tang from the balsamic vinairgrette.
Get the recipe here
close up image of metal spoon scooping hashbrown casserole
Hashbrown Casserole
This Hashbrown Casserole is a classic side dish that takes 10 minute to prep! Hashbrown potatoes are baked in a rich and creamy sauce, topped with melty cheddar cheese, and finished off with a buttery, crunchy Corn Flake topping.
Get the recipe here
square image of baked ravioli on plate
Baked Ravioli
If you're looking for a dinner that's cheesy, easy, and loved by the entire family, look no further than Baked Ravioli! Just 10 minutes of prep and dinner will be served in under an hour.
Get the recipe here
square image of easy lasagna recipe.
Easy Lasagna Recipe
This Easy Lasagna recipe is made with oven ready lasagna noodles, jarred tomato sauce and a couple special ingredients that bring LOADS of flavor! Includes step by step recipe video so you can make this simple lasagna at home.
Get the recipe here
overhead image of pan of ham and potato casserole with spoon stuck in
Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
If you're looking for straight-up comfort food, look no further than this cheesy ham and potato casserole. As expected, it's loaded with both ham and cheese, as well as a creamy sauce, for the ultimate comfort food casserole.
Check out this recipe
cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham in white dish
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
These Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham are an easy holiday dinner idea that’s also a great recipe for leftover ham! The whole family is going to love this one!
Get the recipe here
a scoop of chicken spaghetti bake coming out of the pan with chopped parsley on top.
Healthier Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Bake
Creamy but made with no cream sauce, this is the healthier version of a traditional creamy chicken spaghetti bake. Bonus: veggies are baked in too!
Check out this recipe

Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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