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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish

    20+ Lazy Sunday Dinner Ideas

    Published: Nov 30, 2021 · Modified: Jul 27, 2022 by Kelsey Smith

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    These lazy Sunday dinner ideas feed 6 or more people, use common ingredients, are family-friendly, and take 10 minutes or less to prep.

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Four meal ideas.

    Family dinner calls for an easy recipe with common ingredients that will feed a crowd and please even picky eaters.

    All of these recipes feature short ingredient lists and take very little time to prepare. Each recipe has a serving size of 6 or more.

    "Lazy" to me means...

    • Easy-to-find ingredients
    • Short ingredient list
    • Few steps
    • Short prep time (10 minutes or less)
    Jump to:
    • Kitchen equipment
    • Tips for serving picky eaters
    • Pasta Dishes
    • One-Pan and One-Pot Recipes
    • Meat Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Build-Your-Own Dinner Night
    • Pin it

    Kitchen equipment

    Many of these lazy Sunday dinner ideas are fix-it-and-forget-it or dump-and-go meals. Several recipes call for one of the following kitchen devices:

    • Instant Pot: A 6- or 8-quart size are the right sizes for family meals. I use an Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart.
    • Slow Cooker (aka Crock-Pot): I use the Crock-Pot 6-Quart Cook and Carry.

    Instant Pots and slow cookers are great for family dinners because they both have a "warm" function to keep food warm while it's being served or waiting to be served.

    Tips for serving picky eaters

    Feeding the whole family can be challenging when you have picky eaters at the table. There are plenty of ways to accommodate picky eaters without preparing multiple main courses.

    • Have at least one "preferred" food on the table. This could be bread rolls, a simple salad, or a favorite vegetable side dish.
    • Make build-your-own meals. Tacos, burritos, burgers, and rice bowls are just a few meal ideas that allow each person to customize their plate.
    • Have backup food options on hand. Frozen waffles and chicken nuggets can save the day.
    • Serve the food family-style on the table. Keeping the food at the table will avoid the up-and-down that often comes with accommodating picky eaters.

    Pasta Dishes

    Pasta dishes are great for family dinner because they're easy to make, they often have a large number of servings, and they're relatively affordable to make.

    Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni
    Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni is an easy recipe the whole family will love. It's cheesy and beefy and it's even better than Hamburger Helper.
    Get the recipe
    Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni.
    One Pot Pasta
    Delicious vegan one pot pasta that’s ready in under 30 minutes, no boiling water or straining required. Servings: 6
    Get the recipe
    No-Boil Mac and Cheese
    This no-bake mac and cheese recipe is extra-cheesy and super creamy, made with Velveeta, shredded cheddar cheese, and shredded mozzarella.
    Get the recipe
    Closely cropped top down view of a baking dish of extra creamy extra cheesy mac and cheese.
    Slow Cooker Meatballs With Ravioli
    Slow cooker meatballs with ravioli is an easy meal requiring very little preparation. Soft pillows of ravioli and meatballs in red sauce. Servings: 8
    Get the recipe
    Instant Pot Taco Pasta
    Instant Pot Taco Pasta is made with ground beef, black beans, corn, green chiles, and your favorite taco seasoning for Southwestern-inspired flavor.
    Get the recipe
    Instant Pot Beef Taco Pasta topped with a dollop of sour cream and a lime wedge.
    Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
    Chicken cacciatore is an easy Italian slow cooker recipe that is hearty, tasty, and perfect for family dinners. Includes keto/low-carb options. Servings: 6
    Get the recipe

    One-Pan and One-Pot Recipes

    One-pan recipes mean one thing: easy cleanup.

    Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
    Sheet pan chicken thighs is convenient and easy to assemble and bake all in one meal made from affordable pantry staples. Servings: 6
    Get the recipe
    Chicken Burrito Skillet
    This chicken burrito skillet dinner comes together in one pan to make a quick, easy, and healthy dinner the whole family will love. Servings: 6
    Get the recipe
    Chicken Burrito Skillet
    Oven-Roasted Sausage and Potatoes
    Simple and delicious, this one-pan oven-roasted sausage and potatoes recipe is filled with onion, sweet Italian sausage, bell peppers, and baby potatoes. Servings: 12
    Get the recipe
    Oven-Roasted Sausage and Potatoes
    Cheesy Potato Skillet Bake
    This cheesy potato bake is made with cheddar, gouda and pimento cheese in one skillet. Servings: 8
    Get the recipe
    Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
    Part pot pie, part chicken and dumplings. Chicken Pot Pie Casserole is an easy to prepare meal that will leave nobody hungry. Servings: 12
    Get the recipe
    Stuffed Peppers Skillet
    Get all of those flavors you love in this easy to make Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers Skillet that’s ready in 30 minutes! This is a one-pan meal. Servings: 6
    Get the recipe

    Meat Recipes

    Pick your featured meat and let the side dishes fall into place.

    Mississippi Pot Roast
    This Mississippi pot roast is fall-apart tender, easy to prep, and incredibly flavorful. Recipe includes oven and slow cooker instructions. Servings: 6
    Get the recipe
    Zesty Italian BBQ Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe
    Shredded slow cooker chicken with BBQ sauce and zesty Italian dressing, perfect for BBQ chicken sandwiches and sliders.
    Get the recipe
    Shredded zesty Italian BBQ chicken.
    Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
    Make pulled pork in your slow cooker. Add barbecue sauce and you have a delicious pulled pork sandwich. Servings: 8
    Get the recipe
    Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder
    This slow cooker lamb shoulder is moist and tender. With just five ingredients you can throw it on in the morning for a easy fuss free dinner.
    Get the recipe
    Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
    This Slow Cooker Swiss Steak with tomatoes (smothered steak) is the ultimate comfort food and dump and go recipe. Servings: 6
    Get the recipe

    Soup Recipes

    Soup can be served as a side dish or served as the main meal.

    Lasagna Soup
    Easy lasagna soup recipe with rich marinara, lean beef, and bow tie pasta. Make lasagna soup in 30 minutes via Instant Pot or stove. Servings: 11
    Get the recipe
    Tortellini Chicken Soup
    This tortellini chicken soup recipe is made in the slow cooker with simple, easy ingredients. Servings: 4–6.
    Get the recipe
    15 Bean Instant Pot Soup
    This is a vegan and gluten-free 15 bean soup made in the Instant Pot with Hurst beans. Servings: 8
    Get the recipe

    Build-Your-Own Dinner Night

    When you want to accommodate a variety of dietary needs and preferences, build-your-own meals are the way to go. Everyone can pick and choose exactly what they want. Try tacos, burritos, sandwiches, and more.

    Refried Black Bean and Cheese Tacos
    These easy refried black bean and cheese tacos feature a spicy and smoky black bean filling with crunchy red cabbage, creamy avocado, and fresh cilantro. Servings: 8
    Get the recipe
    Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
    This 4 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos recipe makes a deliciously easy meal for those busy nights. Servings: 10
    Get the recipe
    Minestrone Soup
    Minestrone Soup is a copy cat Olive Garden recipe that is a perfect family-friendly meal hearty enough for even the biggest appetites. Servings: 4–6
    Get the recipe

    Pin it

    See something you like? Pin it for your next family dinner.

    Four images in a grid: creamy macaroni and cheese in a casserole dish, baked chicken thighs and vegetables on a sheet pan, shredded chicken on mashed potatoes, and chicken tacos with diced tomatoes and cilantro. A block of text in the center says 20+ Lazy Sunday Dinner Ideas.

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    About Kelsey Smith

    I am a freelance content writer for college-level textbooks by day, mommy by night, and a blogger in between. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband, Xavier. When I'm not working on college textbooks, you might find me here, sharing recipes, social media tutorials, and more.

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    Hi, I'm Kelsey! I am a freelance content writer for college-level textbooks by day, mommy by night, and a blogger in between. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband, Xavier. When I'm not working, you might find me here, sharing easy comfort food recipes.

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