Lazy Sunday Dinner Ideas: Easy, Delicious Meals to End Your Weekend Right

Sunday is a day of rest, a time of winding down and charging up the batteries for the week to come. It’s tempting to order food in or just grab something on the way home, but there’s something so rewarding about lasting the distance till the end of the weekend and serving a meal you’ve cooked at home. Not all Sunday dinners have to be grand affairs, and the lazy Sunday dinner recipes below will help you keep it simple and fuss-free. These dinner recipes are perfect if you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, but still want something tasty to look forward to. The dishes are easy to make and make use of store cupboard ingredients. More lazy dinner recipes.

Why a Lazy Sunday Dinner?

A lazy Sunday dinner is the epitome of easy, uncomplicated and restful – at least that’s what we like to think! Invariably, after a manic week at work and/or with the kids, the last thing anyone wants to do on a Sunday afternoon is spend hours slaving away over the stove. We are all about easy meals that are one-pot or minimal prep with zero fuss – super easy, low-stress, good food that you can do in your sleep. The way I see it you’ve worked hard all week; you would benefit from a low-key easy dinner, right? This is where you come in! Whether you’re dining for one, cooking for the family or hosting friends over, this list is going to keep you laid back and delicious.

One-Pot Wonders

A one-pot meal is an obvious choice when you want to laze around on a lazy Sunday afternoon and eat delicious food, without having to do the dishes. And cooking things together in one vessel allows flavours to mix and mingle. Here are a couple of one-pot ideas.

One-Pot Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta

This might very well be the ultimate dish of comfort food for the pasta lover. Using a mere handful of ingredients, you can produce a disarmingly tasty, satisfying dish that is both wholesome and hearty. What’s more, it’s all made in one pan with only minimal washing up to do afterwards.

Ingredients:

8 ounces of fettuccine or spaghetti

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the garlic and fry for a minute untilfragment.

Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and raw pasta, and stir.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until pasta is cooked and sauce has thickened.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

This garlic Parmesan pasta recipe is pure comfort, and rich enough to make even the laziest Sunday nights feel special.

One-Pot Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice is one of the best classic combinations for a reason: It’s a structurally sound base for a balanced meal with lots of flavour if you do it right. This one-pot version amps it up with even more flavour by letting soffrito, chicken and rice simmer together until they are one happy family.

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on

1 cup long-grain rice

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and paprika.

In a large pot, sear the chicken thighs, skin-side down, over medium-high heat until the skin is crispy and golden brown. Remove the meat and set it aside.

In the same pot, sauté the onion and garlic until softened.

Add the rice and stir to coat it in the onion and garlic mixture.

Pour in the chicken stock and the thyme, and lay the chicken thighs back on top of the rice.

Let the mixture come to a simmer, drop the heat, cover, and cook at a slow boil for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

This chicken and rice dish serves as a complete, one-pot meal with warm comfort food flavours. It’s easy to prepare and just as easy to clean up, making it perfect for a lazy Sunday evening.

Sheet Pan Suppers

Other go-to dishes for lazy Sunday dinners or a family meal on a work night include sheet pan meals, with the obvious advantage of very little work: add what you like to a baking tray, put it in the oven, and let the oven finish the job.

Sheet Pan Sausage and Vegetables

This is a winner … colourful, and oh-so-tasty. A one-pan meal topped with juicy sausages, bell peppers, onions, and potatoes.

Ingredients:

4 sausages (Italian, bratwurst, or your favorite)

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 onion, sliced

2 cups baby potatoes, halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Toss the sliced bell peppers, onion and potatoes in olive oil with garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper on a big baking sheet.

Arrange the sausages on the baking sheet with the vegetables.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender and sausages are cooked through.

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

This sheet pan sausage and vegetables recipe is a quick, easy, mess-free dinner that everyone will love. It’s the perfect choice for a lazy Sunday.

Sheet Pan Lemon Herb Salmon and Asparagus

Sheet pan salmon and asparagus is a delicious easy dinner that’s healthy as well.

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon dried dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Lemon slices for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Place the salmon fillets and asparagus on a large baking sheet.

Photo: Julia TurshenThen, in a separate small bowl, whisk the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper.

Drizzle the mixture over the salmon and asparagus.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through and the asparagus is tender.

Garnish with lemon slices and serve.

Lazy Sunday dinner! Light yet satisfying, packed with nutrients, with big taste but just 300 calories. Try this sheet pan salmon and asparagus!

Slow Cooker Comfort

Set it and forget it! If slow cookers were not slow enough for you, try these dishes since the preparation is only 10 to 15 minutes of work and then you can sit back and watch the magic happen.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

Everyone loves pulled pork. And no one has ever made it faster than me in the slow cooker. Serve on buns with coleslaw for an easy, satisfying meal.

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds pork shoulder

1 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Place the sliced onion and garlic at the bottom of your slow cooker.

Rub the pork shoulder with paprika, salt and pepper, then stack it on top of the onions and garlic.

In a bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Pour them on top of the pork.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours until the pork is tender and shreddable.

Pull apart the pork with two forks and douse it in the sauce, served in buns. With coleslaw.

The perfect slow cooker recipe for a lazy Sunday! Flavourful, great pulled pork taste and easy to put together (yet again, very little hands-on time needed!).

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Slow cooker chicken tacos is an easy and fun dinner. The chicken is super juicy and very tender with it’s perfect taste. It goes good with any toppings in tortillas.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 packet taco seasoning

1 cup salsa

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 lime, juiced

Tortillas and your favorite taco toppings

Instructions:

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.

Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the chicken, and then pour the salsa, chicken broth and lime juice over it.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the chicken is tender.

Pull the chicken with two forks to shred it, then serve it in tortillas with shredded lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and avocado.

These slow cooker an easy way to enjoy a lazy Sunday dinner. The slow cooker does it’s magic while you lounge around all day and you end up with a delicious meal that is perfect for any relaxed Sunday evening.

Conclusion

No matter the age of your kids, lazy Sunday dinners should be a laidback, easygoing, relaxed affair – and nothing overly taxing, please. No stress as the afternoon passes and no trouble doing the math as the sun nears the horizon and you realise you and your little ones have munched, chopped, cooked and smelled the third straight day straight without a care in the world. At the end of the weekend, you just want dinner on the table and a happy crowd at the table to enjoy it. These easy one-pot meals, sheet pan suppers and slow cooker recipes are going to make that a cinch. Something hearty? We’ve got meat. Want something light and fresh? Scroll down for the seafood. Craving something packed with flavour? You’ll find it here, too. Whatever you’re chewing on, we’re glad you stopped in and truly hope your lazy days are filled with joy.