This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
When it comes to Father’s Day, I like to keep things simple so I can spend more time with the hubs and kids, but at the same time, I do still want to make it feel special. For us, that usually means good food. Whether it’s a slow morning with a big brunch, grilling in the backyard, or making one of his favorite sheet pan dinners after a fun day out with the kids.
30 Father’s Day Recipes
This Father’s Day food list has 30 recipes covering every version of the day. There are breakfast and brunch ideas like French toast casserole, Mediterranean frittata, sheet pan pancakes, and broccoli and cheese quiche. For the main meal, there are grilled options: flank steak, hamburgers, and chicken wings. The sides section covers grilled potatoes, street corn salad, and crispy onion rings. There’s also a sheet pan section with nachos, lasagna, chicken fajitas, salmon, and pizza. And for Father’s Day desserts, there’s strawberry cheesecake, peach crisp, chocolate loaf cake, and angel food cake.
Sides for Father’s Day
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Easy Mexican street corn salad with frozen corn, cotija cheese, lime, & cilantro. This elote salad is mayo-free, big on flavor and perfect for get-togethers!
Air Fryer French Fries
These air fryer french fries are made from scratch and oh so crispy! If you’ve been looking for the best homemade air fryer french fries recipe, this is it!
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Mac and Cheese one-pot stovetop mac and cheese with a from-scratch cheese sauce and al dente elbow macaroni. A solid side for a Father’s Day dinner when you want something everyone will eat.
Coleslaw
A tangy, creamy, mayo-free coleslaw made with Greek yogurt. Easy to throw together before a cookout and holds up well on the table for a fathers day lunch spread.
Crispy Onion Rings
Made with just onions, cheese, seasoning, and cooking spray. They get crispy in the oven and only use four ingredients, which makes them an easy side to add to a father’s day dinner.
Easy Sheet Pan Recipes for Father’s Day
Sheet Pan Nacho Recipe
What Dad doesn’t love nachos, and I love these Sheet Pan Nachos! One pan, simple ingredients, done in about 25 minutes. Easy to customize and a low-effort way to feed a group.
Sheet Pan Pizza Recipe
Sheet Pan Pizza is easy to customize with your favorite sauces and toppings, and baked on one pan. Crust comes out crispy in under 15 minutes, which makes it an easy call for Father’s Day lunch.
Easy Desserts Perfect for Father’s Day
Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
Baked in a water bath and topped with a homemade strawberry sauce made from fresh blended berries with strawberry chunks. One of those father’s day desserts that looks like more effort than it actually is.
13 hours 30 minutes
Peach Crisp Recipe
This peach crisp recipe uses fresh peaches tossed with cinnamon and lemon, topped with a golden oat streusel. No pie crust, no fuss, just a simple fruit dessert.
Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipe
Uses Greek yogurt instead of butter and cocoa powder for the chocolate flavor. Easy to make with pantry staples and a low-fuss addition to the father’s day desserts table.
Angel Food Cake
This Angel Food Cake recipe is delicate and sweet, making for a perfect summer dessert, especially when topped with fresh berries!
Banana Pudding Cups
Easy Banana pudding cups made with a homemade, 6 ingredient banana pudding that is then layered in cup with vanilla wafers, fresh bananas and whipped cream.
2 hours 15 minutes
No-Bake Cookie Dough Bars
These no-bake cookie dough bars are a healthy treat made with simple ingredients—vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and free from refined sugar.
2 hours 20 minutes
Tips for Making Father’s Day Recipes
- Make dessert the day before. The strawberry cheesecake actually needs overnight fridge time anyway. The no-bake cookie dough bars and banana pudding cups are also better after a few hours of chilling. Getting dessert out of the way early means one less thing to manage on the day.
- Let the grill do the heavy lifting. If you’re making a grilled main, lean into it for sides too. The grilled potatoes can go right on the grill alongside the steak or chicken instead of making a separate side dish.
- Don’t skip the marinade time. The flank steak and salmon kabobs both need time to marinate. Throwing them in a bag the night before takes two minutes and makes a real difference in the final result.
- Sheet pan recipes are your buffer. If you’re cooking multiple things and need something hands-off, sheet pan dishes hold well and free you up to focus on whatever’s on the grill.
- Prep the quiche or french toast casserole the night before. Both of these come together faster with overnight prep and are much easier to pull off in the morning without rushing.
