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55 Lazy Sunday Dinner Ideas So You Can Get Back to Netflix ASAP

lazy sunday dinner ideas avocado quesadillas1
David Frenkiel/Little Green Kitchen

You’d rather curl up with Netflix than cook dinner. We’ve been there. But as tempting as it sounds, you can’t live on takeout alone—especially when we've gathered 55 ridiculously easy lazy sunday dinner ideas. From one-pot meals to sheet-pan dinners, we’ve got you covered. (TV will still be there when you’re ready to eat, we promise.)

lazy sunday dinner ideas avocado quesadillas
David Frenkiel/Little Green Kitchen

1. Portobello And Avocado Quesadilla with Magic Green Sauce

These aren’t your 5-year-old’s quesadillas. This more sophisticated take is filled with mushrooms, mashed avocado, cheese, beans and a layer of yogurt. (And don’t forget the magic green sauce.)

lazy dinners skillet gnocchi
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

2. Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

This skillet gnocchi with sausage and broccoli rabe is hearty and delicious, and it tastes like you spent all day making it. Lucky for you, it only takes 30 minutes.

lazy sunday dinner ideas one pot vegetarian chilli
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

3. One-Pot Vegetarian Chili

Don’t be intimidated by the hour-long cook time—all you have to do is dump the ingredients in a pot and let it simmer.

lazy dinners lasagna
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

4. Ravioli Lasagna

Forget lasagna noodles. In this dish, we layer ravioli (meat, cheese, mushroom--whatever kind you're feeling) for the most epic baked pasta dish ever.

lazy dinners bangkok pasta
Half Baked Harvest

5. 15-Minute Bangkok Mango Peanut Pasta

Ready for a super fast yet super tasty flavor explosion? (We don’t think you’re ready.)

lazy sunday dinner ideas mustard sheet pan chicken
Colin Price/Two Peas & Their Pod Cookbook

6. Honey-Mustard Sheet-Pan Chicken Brussels Sprouts

On our ideal dinner checklist? Fast, easy and minimal cleanup. Maria Lichty’s honey-mustard sheet-pan chicken with Brussels sprouts ticks all the boxes.

lazy sunday dinner ideas veggie banh mi bowls
Molly Krebs/Eat More Plants

7. Veggie Banh Mi Bowls with Crispy Tofu

For the uninitiated, a banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich with roast pork, spicy mayo and pickled veggies. Molly Krebs’ veggie bowl version rivals the original.

lazy sunday dinner ideas cheaters bouillabaisse
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

8. One-Pot Cheater's Bouillabaisse

Typically, this Provençal seafood stew takes at least two hours to make. But we transformed it into a 30-minute recipe by cooking it in one pot and using a smaller selection of seafood.

lazy dinners cheaters pad thai
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

9. 15-Minute Cheater’s Pad Thai

Your favorite Thai takeout joint makes it look so simple. On those sunday nights when you’re craving pad Thai, try this 15-minute cheater’s version instead.

lazy dinners mezze
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

10. 15-Minute Mezze Plate with Toasted Za’atar Pita Bread

Yep, we officially give you permission to eat a giant plate of snacks for dinner. Meet the 15-minute mezze plate with toasted za’atar pita bread.

creamy tomato shells lazy dinner recipes
Pinch of Yum

11. Creamy Tomato Shells

You'll never believe this dish has just three ingredients. It's secret? Store-bought sauce, a total time saver.

lazy dinners slowcooker enchilada
Damn Delicious

12. Slow-Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

Everyone will think you’ve been slaving away in the kitchen, but really you’ve been chilling on the couch.

lazy dinners chicken snap pea stir fry
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

13. Chicken and Snap Pea Stir-Fry

So you really, really don’t feel like cooking. (We’ve been there.) But if you have five ingredients, a few pantry staples and 20 minutes, you can make chicken and snap pea stir-fry.

lazy dinners pasta alla norma
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

14. Pasta Alla Norma with Eggplant

The Sicilian dish, which hails from from the city of Catania, traditionally stars eggplant, tomatoes, basil and ricotta salata (a type of pressed and aged ricotta cheese).

lazy sunday dinner ideas cheese balls
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

15. The Classiest Cheese Balls in the Universe

You officially have our permission to eat cheese and crackers for dinner. Oh, and champagne. Lots of champagne. Salute!

lazy dinners chickpea curry
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

16. Chickpea and Vegetable Coconut Curry

You’re craving takeout. What if, instead, we told you that you can whip up this quick Thai-inspired dish in 30 minutes flat? Introducing chickpea and veggie coconut curry.

lazy sunday dinner ideas nicoise salad
Aran Goyoaga/Cannelle Et Vanille

17. Aran Goyoaga's Niçoise Salad

OK, it won’t warm you up on a cold winter day, but it’s so packed with protein we had to include it for a quick, low-lift dinner.

lazy dinners shrimp grits
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

18. Shrimp with Cauliflower 'Grits' and Arugula

resenting shrimp with cauliflower “grits” with arugula. With this healthy swap, you can lose the carbs but keep the flavor. Bonus: It’s ready in 30 minutes.

lazy sunday dinner ideascreamy chicken alfredo

19. One-Pot Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Pasta Alfredo is one of our favorite winter go-tos, but usually it means a giant stack of dirty dishes. Let’s change that, shall we?

lazy dinners lemon braised short ribs
Half Baked Harvest

20. Crock-Pot Cider Braised Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes

Everyone will think you spent hours in the kitchen with this melt-in-your-mouth dish that is equally suited for a fancy winter dinner party.

lazy dinners chicken creole
Pinch of Yum

21. Slow-Cooker Creole Chicken and Sausage

This dish practically makes itself. All hail the slow-cooker!

cacio e pepe lazy dinner recipes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

22. Cacio e Pepe

The Italian classic requires just six ingredients (four, if you don’t count salt and pepper) and takes 20 minutes to whip up—including the time it takes to boil the water.

greek chicken stuffed pitas lazy dinner recipes
What’s Gaby Cooking

23. Greek Chicken Stuffed Pitas

Craving Greek Food? Why would you order in when you can whip up these pitas in no time!

24. Mediterranean Pita Pizzas

Get the kids in on this one: Set out bowls of toppings and let them go crazy piling their personal pizzas with olives, spinach, tomatoes and feta cheese.

slow cooker chicken teriyaki lazy dinner recipes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

25. Slow-Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

Fact: Making dinner in your Crock-Pot rocks. So the next time you go to plug it in, pile in the ingredients for this slow-cooker chicken teriyaki recipe.

lazy sunday dinner ideas overstuffed sweet potatoes jpg
Teri Lyn Fisher/Eat Like You Give a Fork

26. Overstuffed Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle-Lime Yogurt

It’s time to add this protein-packed vegetarian main to your monthly repertoire. Make extra chipotle-lime yogurt—you’ll want to drizzle it on everything.

15 minute mediterranean couscous with tuna and pepperoncini lazy dinner recipes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

27. 15-Minute Mediterranean Couscous with Tuna and Pepperoncini

You probably have all of these ingredients in your pantry right now.

lazy dinners shrimp stir fry
Damn Delicious

28. Shrimp Stir-Fry Freezer Pack

Freezer meals are genius.

lazy dinners lemon broccolini pasta
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

29. 15-Minute Lemony Broccolini Pasta

Sure to satisfy those pasta cravings. It's gorgeous enough to serve at your next dinner party, but not too fancy for the kiddos.

20 minute honey garlic shrimp lazy dinner recipes
Sally’s Baking Addiction

30. 20-Minute Honey Garlic Shrimp

Seafood lovers, we’re looking at you.

15 minute buffalo chicken sliders lazy dinner recipes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

31. 15-Minute Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Fact: Sliders are the perfect party food. What’s even better is when they take practically no time to make but look and taste mega gourmet.

lazy sunday dinner ideas chile maple roast chicken
Paul Brissman/Antoni In The Kitchen

32. Antoni Porowski's Chile-Maple Roast Chicken

Sadly, there’s no avocado in this recipe from our Queer Eye favorite, but chipotle chile and a little maple syrup will have to do.

slow cooker pulled chicken lazy dinner recipes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

33. Slow-Cooker Pulled Chicken

Our pulled chicken is surprisingly versatile, so once you get the basics down, you can serve it however you'd like.

lazy sunday dinners ideas yotam ottolenghi braised eggs
Ottolenghi Simple: A Cookbook

34. Yotam Ottolenghi's Braised Eggs with Leek and Za'atar

These are no ordinary scrambled eggs. Add in a hunk of crusty bread and a glass of white wine, and breakfast for dinner just became our favorite meal of the month.

one pan roasted chicken with carrots lazy dinner recipes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

35. One-Pan Roasted Chicken with Carrots

What's the worst part of cooking dinner? The clean-up, of course. That's why we're obsessed with this one-pan roasted chicken and carrots recipe.

20 minute cheesy pesto pasta lazy dinner recipes
Oh Sweet Basil

36. 20-Minute Cheesy Pesto Pasta

Say yes to carbs.

lazy sunday dinners keto pasta
Dana Karpender/Keto For One

37. Keto Pasta With Lemon-Kale Chicken

Even if you don’t follow the keto diet every day, it never hurts to add a low-carb, high-protein meal into the mix. (The secret ingredient? Tofu shirataki noodles.)

crock pot beer braised chicken lazy dinner recipes
Half Baked Harvest

38. Crock-Pot Beer Braised Chicken

Minimal effort never tasted so good.

lazy dinners taco skillet
Lexi’s Clean Kitchen

39. 30-Minute Loaded Taco Skillet

Serve with corn tortillas or chips.

thai salmon foil lazy dinner recipes
Damn Delicious

40. Thai Salmon Foil

Perfect for any night of the week.

one pot 15 minute pasta limone lazy dinner recipes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

41. One-Pot, 15-Minute Pasta Limone

This one-pot, 15-minute pasta limone is like dinner in your back pocket: You likely have most of the ingredients in your kitchen already, and it comes together in practically no time

lazy sunday dinner ideas kielbasa soup
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Heath Goldman

42. Easy One-Pot Lentil Kielbasa Soup

When the weather outside is frightful, this soup is so delightful. Store-bought kielbasa adds big flavor, and lentils make the whole thing extra hearty.

lazy sunday dinner ideas potato and burrata pizza
Tieghan Gerard/Half Baked Harvest Super Simple

43. Potato And Burrata Pizza

Wait. Potato on pizza? Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it. (And tried another piece. And another piece.)

15 minute cucumber avocado blender soup lazy dinner recipes
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

44. 15-Minute Cucumber-Avocado Blender Soup

We’ve created a lazy soup recipe that still produces a delightfully flavorful result with no simmering.

lazy sunday dinners ideas one pot tomato basil pasta
Inspired Entertainment/The Domestic Geek's Meals Made Easy

45. One-Pot Tomato and Basil

Are you still boiling your pasta in water, then straining it and simmering the sauce? Friend, you’re about to have your mind blown.

easy 15 minute sweet and sour chicken lazy dinner recipes
Averie Cooks

46. Easy 15-Minute Sweet and Sour Chicken

Looks tricky, but it's deceptively easy.

lazy dinners penne pancetta
Girl Gone Gourmet

47. Spinach Penne with Pancetta

On the table in half a Friends rerun.

slow cooker butternut squash risotto lazy dinner recipes
Skinny Ms.

48. Slow-Cooker Butternut Squash Risotto

Warm, hearty and totally foolproof.

quinoa cherry and goat cheese salad lazy dinner recipes
Averie Cooks

49. Quinoa, Cherry and Goat Cheese Salad

Light and refreshing.

lazy dinners mac cheese
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

50. One-Pot Mac and Cheese

Creamy and cheesy wins again. This one-pot mac and cheese, which comes together entirely on your stove top.

lazy sunday dinners easy frittata
The Clean Plate

51. Gwyneth Paltrow's Easy Frittata

The very best use for all those extra veggies you have in the fridge. And did we mention it’s ready to eat in 20 minutes?

lazy sunday dinners december pan fried cod
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

52. Pan-Fried Cod with Orange and Swiss Chard

Fish doesn’t have to be fussy. Believe it or not, this whole dish goes from fridge to table in 30 minutes.

lazy sunday dinners butternut squash soup

53. Instant Pot Spicy Thai Butternut Squash Soup

If you haven’t invested in an Instant Pot, you’d better put it on your Christmas list immediately. The magical gadget can help you whip up this gorgeous soup in just about half an hour.

lazy sunday dinners wine coq au vin
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

54. Cheater's White Wine Coq Au Vin

Christmas calls for a meal that looks fancy but doesn’t take all day to cook (hey, you have presents to open). This beauty is ready in less than an hour but looks—and tastes—like it took ages.

lazy sunday dinners mac and cheese
Photo: Michael Marquad/Styling: Caroline Lange

55. 5-Ingredient Smoked Gouda-Thyme Mac and Cheese

Some nights we want a nice, light salad. This is not one of those nights.


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