33 Sunday Dinners the Whole Family Will Love

It’s always nice to enjoy a comforting meal, especially for a Sunday dinner. The only drawback is that many classic Sunday dinners like pot roast, lasagna and pot pies are… well, labors of love. They’re recipes you make when you have all day to cook because they take time. But we believe you can achieve decadent dinners without babysitting your supper—and we've rounded up the recipes to prove it. Sure, some of them take longer to make than a typical weeknight dinner, but none of them are difficult (or an all-day project). For instance, this sauce is fully loaded with pork, beef, sausage and meatballs, and is sure to become a family tradition that leaves you time to relax. Your Sundays are now free!

Fork-tender and juicy, this hefty chuck roast is best blanketed with a rich gravy made from the beef's herb-scented pan drippings.

Ina dresses up her classic roast chicken by baking it with bacon on top. Then she adds a head of garlic and a sliced lemon to the roasting pan to flavor the sauce.

Make sure you set some of Molly’s ginger marinade aside – she uses it to baste the salmon as it cooks in the skillet.

Everything in this elegant-yet-easy dish cooks in one skillet, cutting down on the cleanup. Holding the potatoes in water after cutting prevents them from discoloring while you prep the other ingredients.

Hearty and comforting, Giada's tried-and-true casserole boasts a five-star rating and nearly 1,200 user reviews. She guarantees layer upon layer of flavor by making a garlic-laced mushroom-onion sauce, plus a buttery cream sauce, both of which she mixes with tender shredded chicken and pasta. For welcome texture, Giada blankets the casserole with a cheese-and-breadcrumb mixture, which turns golden brown in the oven.

Beef, raw rice, onion and Italian seasoning come together in this simple dinner of porcupine meatballs. Where'd the name come from? While the meatballs bake, the grains of rice pop out and look incredibly similar to porcupine quills. Simmer the meatballs in a quick homemade tomato sauce for a delicious, family-friendly dish.

A true Southern comfort food, legend has it that chicken fried chicken was created by German immigrants in Texas during the 19th century when they adapted the wiener schnitzel by using beef instead of veal that was then twice-breaded and fried like fried chicken. In reality, chicken fried chicken and its cousin, chicken fried steak, are more closely related to Southern fried chicken, already popular throughout the American South by the 19th century. Over the years, the chicken fried steak technique was also used on chicken breasts, pounded thin and soaked in buttermilk, resulting in crispy, tender chicken. Like its steak counterpart, chicken fried chicken should be served with a peppery white gravy.

Buttery egg noodles are topped with juicy browned chicken thighs and a medley of sauteed vegetables in Ree's classic chicken cacciatore recipe.

The colors of the Italian flag — red, white and green — are well-represented in Giada's juicy pork loin. The boneless meat is wrapped around layers of creamy provolone, sweet roasted red peppers and vibrant spinach to create impressive results.

This Filipino adaptation of Spanish paella is a staple at holidays and family get-togethers with my mom's family and it’s certainly easy enough to prepare for a hearty dinner any day of the week. The countless variations on what's mixed in depend on where in the Philippines you’re from. Some people include shellfish, chorizo, chicken livers or pork but this version is how my family always prepares it -- simple, vibrant and comforting.

A garlicky butter sauce adds an extra-special touch to Ree’s five-star beef tenderloin.

A special meal doesn't have to be fancy. In fact, serving something like Ina's comforting chicken stew with biscuits — a sort of fuss-free, big-batch chicken pot pie — is what Sunday dinner is all about: providing sustenance and comfort for the people you love.

A duo of sliced apples and apple cider makes this one-pot dish your go-to fall dinner! Either Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples work well in this recipe — they hold their shape nicely while cooking and are the perfect mix of sweet and tart.

Chicken Tikka Masala is thought to have been created by a Bangladeshi chef in Glasgow in the 1960s. It's a spicy, tomato-based dish seasoned with garlic, ginger, fenugreek and garam masala. In this recipe we used fenugreek leaves for their nutty and slightly minty flavor. If you can't find them, substitute dried mint leaves and a pinch of ground fenugreek. Garam masala is a popular Indian spice blend that usually includes black and white pepper, cloves, cinnamon, mace, cardamom, bay, cumin and coriander. It's pretty easy to find in your local grocery store and most national spice companies.

Pork and applesauce are always a winning combination, especially when they taste this good. The pork is seasoned with warming spices, like sage and thyme, and roasted until tender. It pairs excellently with a homemade applesauce, which is sure to impress both kids and adults.

Though traditionally used in sweet recipes, rhubarb steals the show with Molly’s savory short ribs. You’ll need a few hours for the spice rub to work its magic, so prepare the ribs on Saturday night or Sunday morning.

Ina varies the texture and flavor of her meatloaf by using a combination of ground beef, pork and veal.

This oxtail stew is inspired by the Jamaican version, with tender oxtails and butter beans seasoned with spicy habaneros, ginger and allspice. Time is the key to the comforting brown gravy, which simmers for several hours, intensifying in flavor and rich color. We love it even more the next day, once the beans have had time to break down and the oxtails melt into the gravy even more. Serve with a few dashes of hot sauce for added heat and acidity

You will never miss the meat in this vegetarian lasagna, with its hearty sauce of tomatoes, onions and carrots layered with spinach and creamy ricotta cheese. It's a comfort classic your family will love.

Valerie loads up her gumbo with sausage, chicken and okra, then serves the dish with rice, scallions and a dash of hot sauce.

The best part about Ina’s easy shrimp salad? It gets better the longer it sits, so feel free to prepare in advance.

Ina's Mustard Horseradish Sauce accompanies her crowd-pleasing rib roast. For a dramatic presentation, carve the roast right at the dinner table.

These easy-to-make enchiladas are filled with beans, spinach and cheese. Serve them with rice on the side.

This recipe is for the ultimate garlic lover. Chicken thighs are braised until tender in a rich, roasted garlic sauce, then topped with fried garlic chips. There's even enough roasted garlic paste to whip up a loaf of garlic bread while the chicken cooks.

Trisha’s mom calls this recipe “company chicken,” because it’s perfect for serving to a crowd. She prefers to use chicken thighs because they’re more flavorful than white meat.

This sauce showcases tomatoes three ways: sun-dried tomatoes add sweetness and body, toasted tomato paste adds intense flavor, while crushed tomatoes melt down into this hearty sauce.

Ina whips up a simple yet delicious cherry tomato sauce for her seared salmon.

Cozy up to a big bowl of Ree’s Sunday stew. A savory beer broth and buttery lemon noodles turn the dish into a comfort food favorite that’s sure to please a crowd.

Reserve a bit of the marinade before coating the lamb chops — it makes a great dipping sauce!

With three cheeses, sausage and spinach, this hearty dish offers something for everyone.

Rachael puts an Italian spin on the classic meat and potatoes with this hearty steak dinner.