30 Father's Day Dinner Ideas
Easy Father's Day dinner ideas to make for dad at home. All his favorites including burgers, pizza, pastas, and hearty meaty mains are paired with simple sides for a delicious dinner he won't forget.
This year, spoil your dad with a thoughtful home cooked Father's Day dinner that shows him how much you care.
It's not about creating a perfect culinary masterpiece, it's about the love and effort you put into making dinner for your dad.
Whether it's a simple meal or an elaborate feast, the gesture itself speaks volumes and makes Father's Day a memorable occasion for both of you.
Plan a Father's Day dinner around his very favorite foods, no matter how simple they may seem.
Pizza, burgers on the grill, a hearty sandwich and chips, making a meal for Dad can be so easy.
Jump to:
- My Husband's FAVORITES
- Homemade Pizza Night
- Barbecue Platter
- Build Your Own Burger Bar
- Anything Topped with Hot Honey
- Rum Glazed Pork on the Grill
- Bourbon Chicken
- Fire Up the Grill
- Easy Sandwiches
- Mexican Food Favorites
- Make His Favorite Take Out
- Italian Restaurant Favorites
- Breakfast for Dinner
- More Father's Day Recipes
- 💬 Comments
My Husband's FAVORITES
Over the years, I've tried to be sure that my husband's very favorite recipes make their way onto the blog.
He would be the first to tell you, these are his all-time favorite meals. These are the first ones he would request for his birthday or Father's Day when he gets to dictate what's for dinner:
- "Steak and Tubes": We use the best steak marinade recipe and I pair it with garlic butter penne pasta. So simple but the combo just works. It is his annual birthday and Father's Day dinner request.
- Saucy Pork and Noodle Bake: Silly name for what is an old fashioned family recipe that goes all the way back to my own childhood. He begged my mom to share the recipe with me. Taste saucy pork and noodle bake for yourself and you'll see why.
- Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles: This 20-minute pasta dish is made with ground pork and it makes him soooo happy when it's on the table for dinner. You can get the spicy peanut butter noodles recipe here.
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken: For the Minnesota boy that grew up thinking salt and pepper were "spicy," I think it is hysterical how much he loves this spicy butter chicken recipe. I serve it with jasmine rice and toasted naan bread dippers.
Homemade Pizza Night
A close runner up to my husband's favorites would be pizza. Particularly the sausage and pepperoni kind.
Pizza is its own food group in our family. If you want to really spoil Dad on Father's Day, make a homemade pizza with my easy homemade pizza dough and one of these delicious pizza topping ideas:
If you want a prep-ahead pizza idea, my husband also seriously loves these homemade pizza buns:
Barbecue Platter
Father's Day is just the right time to plan an outdoor barbecue. If the weather looks good, you could enjoy it on the patio outside.
Fix up a batch of pulled pork or BBQ Crockpot chicken thighs for the main dish.
Then add a bunch of hearty side dishes like my Southern macaroni salad, make-ahead mac and cheese, or cheesy cornflake potatoes.
Build Your Own Burger Bar
Take your Dad's cheeseburger to the next level and offer up peppered bacon, a variety of cheeses, and all the best fresh toppings.
Bake up a pan of tater tots or offer salty chips and dip for the sides. You could even bake up a pan of frozen french fries and make my homemade Chick-Fil-A sauce for dunking.
Anything Topped with Hot Honey
We've been obsessed with Mike's Hot Honey.
Gift your foodie Dad a big bottle and plan one of these easy hot honey recipes for him to test it out.
Rum Glazed Pork on the Grill
If your Dad wants his meat on the boozy side, he will love my rum glazed pork tenderloin.
We always pair it with caramelized grilled peaches but my roasted mini potatoes and chow chow relish would be the perfect additions to the menu.
Bourbon Chicken
If Dad's drink of choice is bourbon, treat him to my easy saucy Crockpot bourbon chicken, it tastes just like the mall kind. Pair it with an easy Intant Pot herb butter rice for a simple meal.
Fire Up the Grill
First, choose your Dad's adventure: Will it be steak or fish?
My chimichurri sauce makes an amazing grilled flank steak. Get some cedar planks and you'll be ready to make my seasoned grilled tilapia filets.
Then pair it with my baked red rice with bacon and a batch of homemade Cheddar bay biscuits.
Easy Sandwiches
If your Dad is more of a sandwich guy, plan a hearty, beefy sandwich that will stick to his ribs or a fun party slider for eating by the tv while cheering for his favorite game.
Mexican Food Favorites
If Mexican food is his go-to favorite, why not try to make some easy restaurant quality dishes at home?
My air fryer chicken chimichangas bake up nice and crispy. You can make these tasty jerk chicken quesadillas family style or plan a cast iron taco skillet with tortilla chips.
Spoil him with slow roasted Mexican pulled pork carnitas and he won't even miss the restaurant.
Make His Favorite Take Out
Chinese take out is so tasty but you can feed the family on a budget with more food if you make it at home on your own.
My honey garlic chicken thighs are always a huge hit. Serve them with this delicious fried rice recipe or on top of a bowl of Asian peanut butter pasta.
Italian Restaurant Favorites
Dad's tend to love the meaty, hearty dishes the Italian cuisine offers.
My husband always loves baked chicken parmesan or my classic beef bolognese over rigatoni pasta.
The kids made the pasta rosa with sausage for our anniversary dinner and it was so delicious.
Pair any of these with a batch of homemade garlic bread for a special touch.
Breakfast for Dinner
If you're planning a Father's Day brunch or if Dad just seriously loves breakfast food, you definitely need this overnight French toast casserole. Be sure to check out the maple bourbon flavor variation it includles!
Serve it with peppered bacon you bake right in the oven and watch dad grin.
More Father's Day Recipes
Now that you've planned a Father's Day dinner he'll love, don't forget dessert!
These easy Father's Day desserts are perfect for the kids to bake for dad or for you to bake the day ahead to save some time in the kitchen:
