91 Southern Sunday Dinner Ideas

There's nothing like old-fashioned Southern Sunday dinners. They're the stuff lazy afternoons and great memories are made of.

Here are over 90 ideas including recipes for side dishes and desserts!

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Table of Contents

Why we love Southern Sunday dinners

It's a chance for the entire family to get together, reconnect and have some quality time.
Southerners love tradition and Sunday dinners are a tradition!
Plan it right and you have delicious leftovers for busy Monday nights!

Not many families have time to gather around the table for a meal every night anymore but just one meal a week?

Now, that's do-able with these easy dinner ideas.

I've collected some of my very favorite recipes for Sunday dinner, including main dishes, sides, and dessert (which is always the star of the show as far as I'm concerned).

I'm sure you'll find a few recipes you love in this list!

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Slow cooker chicken and dumplings

Slow cooker chicken and dumplings makes it easy to get Sunday dinner on the table any night of the week.

Serving of chicken and dressing with green beans on the side.

Crockpot chicken & dressing

Crockpot chicken and dressing has all the flavor of Thanksgiving but it's easy enough to have for your weeknight family dinner! It's a complete meal that takes minimal effort.

Crock pot pork chops

These honey garlic pork chops simmer to fork tender perfection in the slow cooker.

Overhead view of iron skillet filled with chicken pot pie.

Chicken pot pie skillet

Chicken pot pie skillet is a hearty casserole that's super easy to make.

Serving the creamy casserole out of the dish.

Million dollar chicken casserole

Million dollar chicken has a crispy, buttery stuffing bakes over tender chicken in a creamy sauce - so much flavor!

French onion chicken bake

French onion chicken bake is a vintage recipe using bone-in chicken breast. The chicken is tender and juicy with a crispy oniony crust. It's a delicious dish for fall, especially.

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Deviled chicken

Deviled chicken on a Sunday? Sometimes it's good to be bad! This easy chicken dinner is just a little spicy.

Overhead view of this casserole with a serving removed.

No peek chicken

No peek chicken is definitely a hands OFF recipe when you need an easy meal. Buttery tender chicken bakes over a bed of creamy rice.

Chicken spaghetti

Chicken spaghetti with Rotel is a family favorite. Creamy and cheesy with a little pop of spicy goodness mixed with tender pasta. It's a great spot to use leftover chicken.

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Crockpot smothered chicken

Crockpot smothered chicken is delicious over rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles. It literally melts in your mouth with a symphony of rich flavors.

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Angel chicken

Angel chicken cooks in a heavenly Italian sauce made with cream cheese in the slow cooker then is spooned over angel hair pasta.

Chicken fried steak

Chicken fried steak practically has a cult following in Texas! It's classic southern cooking. Breaded cube steak is fried and served with cream gravy. Omigosh it's good!

Sliced round roast showing the pink interior.

Bottom round roast

This delicious bottom round roast is classic Sunday dinner! Slice it thin - it's juicy and tender with just the right amount of seasoning.

Hamburger steaks

Easy hamburger steaks are simmered in a rich onion gravy. It's a classic dish that's great with mashed potatoes.

Crockpot beef & noodles

Beef and noodles is so easy to make in the crockpot!

A closeup of a serving of this recipe on a plate.

Beef tips & gravy

Fall apart tender beef tips and gravy is one of those dishes that just yells "comfort food".

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Homemade meatloaf

This homemade meatloaf is never dry! The tangy glaze on top cooks down in the oven until it's sticky sweet.

Close up of a bowl of cheese grits with pot roast spooned on top.

Pot roast & cheese grits

Pot roast is served over jalapeno cheese grits for a hearty, stick to your ribs meal that's impossible to resist.

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Broccoli cheddar chicken

Creamy, cheesy chicken and broccoli casserole is covered with buttery, crispy crumbs. Use a medium or mild cheddar cheese for best results.

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Chicken alfredo lasagna

You'll love this easy chicken alfredo lasagna! You can assemble it up to a day ahead of time to keep dinnertime easy.

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Apricot chicken

Apricot chicken is made with bone in chicken thighs so it stays tender and juicy in the slow cooker. It's budget friendly and feeds a crowd, too.

A whole brined roast chicken in a roasting pan with sliced lemons.

Buttermilk brined roast chicken

Old-fashioned roast chicken is tender and juicy thanks to the buttermilk.

More Southern Sunday Supper Recipes

Salisbury steaks and gravy in a skillet.

French Onion Soup Salisbury Steak is done right on top of the stove.
Pan-seared chicken thighs stay tender and juicy.
Instant pot pork tenderloin is done in 30 minutes but it looks like you cooked all day.
Spicy Cajun fried chicken is a crispy, family favorite.
Easy Tri-Tip on the Grill is perfect for those hot summer afternoons.
Having the grandkids, nieces, nephews, and who knows who else over? You'll want to make these kid-friendly Philly cheesesteak sloppy joes!
Slow-cooker Swiss steak is easy to make. Serve with mashed potatoes for a retro favorite!
Grilled Honey Glazed Chicken is tender and juicy with a sweet honey coating.
Citrus Poached Salmon looks fancy but it's so quick and easy!
If you have a hunter in the family this smoked venison backstrap is perfect for those big family dinners.
Everyone loves Mississippi pot roast and the leftovers make great sandwiches!
Prefer chicken? Mississippi chicken is just as delicious.
Chicken and Waffles is perfect for any time but I especially love it for Sunday brunch!
Shrimp and Grits is a Southern classic!
Did you know you could do a turkey breast in the air fryer?
How about this apricot bourbon glazed ham?
During those first crisp days of fall, this braised pork roast and red cabbage is the perfect Sunday dinner item!
Get kinda fancy in an easy sort of way with these lasagna roll ups.
We love stuffed shells! Best of all you can assemble them ahead of time!
Lipton onion soup meatloaf is a retro recipe that's making a comeback!
Imagine how the kitchen is going to smell when this chicken cacciatore is baking.
Make lasagna easy in the slow cooker.
These easy Crockpot meatballs are perfect for spaghetti dinners or meatball sandwiches. They're super easy because you don't have to brown them first.
Feeding a crowd at a potluck or family get-together? This crock pot chicken spaghetti is cheesy and gooey but best of all it feeds a lot of people for a little money.
Slow cooker bbq country ribs melt in your mouth. Just add some make-ahead sides like cole slaw and potato salad!
Crock pot corned beef brisket is delicious for Sunday and there are so many ways to use the leftovers during the rest of the week.
Grilled London broil has a dijon marinade that really perks it up!
Cajun turkey breast has incredible flavor and it's easy to make.

Southern side dishes

Side view of the sweet potatoes with a wooden spoon.

You can't have a proper southern Sunday dinner without side dishes, right?

Potato salad is welcome with almost any main dish!
Mashed potatoes are perfect any time of the year - and they go with so many different main dishes.
We love whipped sweet potatoes - especially when they have a pinch of chipotle in them!
Spiced apple rings are just about always on the table for big family dinners.
Macaroni and cheese is sometimes a side dish and sometimes a main dish - but it's always a great addition to dinner.
In the summer we love a good layered salad like this cornbread salad.
Pineapple casserole is a uniquely Southern dish that's really not that well-known outside of the South. Too bad for y'all.
Smothered green beans with bacon are easy to make and so good.
Buttermilk biscuits have a special place on the southern table for sure!
Creamed corn cornbread stays moist and delicious.
Yellow squash casserole is super popular in the summer. It's creamy and cheesy - and absolutely the best way to serve summer squash!
Jiffy corn casserole is creamy, cheesy goodness.
Collard greens are a Southern classic - they're so good when done right... and this is right.
I like these slow-cooker collard greens just as much! The slow cooking makes them tender and super flavorful.
A classic cucumber salad is always a good idea
Tomato pie can be served as a light main dish or a yummy side during the summer.
Sweet onion casserole is cheesy and so good with roasted chicken!
Dirty rice is deliciously hearty and full of rich flavor.
Scalloped tomatoes is an old-fashioned dish that's perfect when tomatoes are in season.
Crunchy, salty, and snack-worthy fried okra is perfect with so many main dishes!
Pan-roasted vegetables are delicious and so easy!
Lots of tomatoes? This fire-roasted tomato dish is quick and easy.
Pineapple fluff ... is it a side dish or is it a dessert? You'll have to decide this one on your own.
What's a Southern Sunday dinner without a pickle dish on the table? Fill yours with this easy pickled okra.
Or, enjoy these tangy dilly beans.

Sweet Southern dessert ideas

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You can't talk about foods that are Southern classics without talking about dessert.

Most Southerners have a sweet tooth. Sitting at the table after a delicious meal, sipping hot coffee (or cold sweet tea) and eating some pie or cake while discussing the neighbors is a tradition

It's hard to beat fudgy, chocolate chess pie.
Blackberry cobbler is a sweet summertime classic.
Or how about homemade peach ice cream?
Apple pie is just about as traditional as you can get.
Real banana pudding is always a welcome site on the dessert table...
...but you can kick it up a notch with this amazing Nutter Butter banana pudding - and you'll have won the potluck.
Pig pickin' cake was so named because it was served at bbqs and "pig pickin's". It's full of citrus flavor and topped with a rich frosting.
If you just need something stupid easy you'll love this peach cobbler that's done in the slow cooker.
Homemade vanilla ice cream is the perfect hot weather treat - or it goes great with a slice of warm pie in the winter.
It doesn't get more southern than Paula Deen's Key Lime Pie.
A buttermilk pound cake is a classic all year!
If you've a mind to just show off then give this triple-layer buttermilk cake a whirl. SO good.
No one can resist this double fudge Coca-Cola cake.
No-bake lemon ice box pie is full of old-fashioned tangy lemon flavor and it's SO easy.
Sweet potato pie is creamy and deliciously southern.
For the kid in all of us... Cocoa Puff Cereal bars are no-bake chocolaty goodness.

📓 Meal plans in minutes

Love this? You'll find free weekly meal plans right here.

Or, if you want your meal planning to be effortless then check out this easy, "done for you" meal planning system!

You'll get time-saving meal plans as well as being able to make your own. Grocery lists are created automatically!

Clickable image of the meal planning app.

💭 Things to know

Plan your Sunday dinners ahead of time and have a schedule for when to make the different components.
Use make-ahead side dishes to keep things super easy.
Don't try to get too fancy. Simple, hearty dishes work best.
Have a plan for using the leftovers in other meals during the week.
If extended family members or friends are joining your family for Sunday dinner don't be afraid to tell them exactly what you'd like them to bring.
Big dinner? Grandma might not approve but there's not a thing wrong with paper plates.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

What would be a good Sunday dinner?

A good Sunday dinner would be a hearty meal with a protein, a starch, a vegetable, possibly bread, and dessert. Think: pot roast, mashed potatoes, broccoli, dinner rolls, and peach pie.

What meat is in a Sunday roast?

A Sunday roast was any large cut of meat that Grandma could put in the oven before church and it would be ready to eat by the time everyone got home. A beef roast, pork roast, ham, whole chicken, and other large cuts are all good examples.

What makes Sunday dinner special?

Decades ago the Sunday dinner was the one time of the week the entire family could get together to share food, catch up with each other, and pass down family history and stories. Today, with everyone so busy, it's a great time to revisit the idea of getting together with family and catching up. It can strengthen family bonds, a sense of community, and makes family values clear.

📞 The last word

Southern Sunday dinners have been a staple of families across the South for generations.

From fried chicken to biscuits and gravy, there are tons of delicious dishes that make up the traditional Sunday meal.

There's something so special about a lazy Sunday afternoon sitting around the table and chatting, then heading out to the porch rocker to socialize with the neighbors on a warm Sunday evening.

It's that whole feeling of comfort and belonging that's so hard to come by these days.

Maybe Sunday dinner isn't the whole answer... but it's sure not going to hurt!

Share your favorite Southern Sunday dinner dish in the comments below!

First published July 20, 2022. Last updated July 20, 2023 with even more great Sunday dinner ideas, tips, FAQs, and easier to read format.