12 Cozy Sunday Roast Dinners

Sunday roast is a ritual worth keeping. These 12 cozy Sunday roast dinners cover every classic — herb roast chicken, slow beef pot roast, glazed ham, pork loin with apples — plus the sides and gravies that make the meal. Put on some music and let the oven do the work.

Below you’ll find 12 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Herb Butter Roast Chicken

Juicy roast chicken with crispy herb-butter skin and roasted potatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (4–5 lb)
• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 tbsp mixed herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage)
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head garlic, halved
• 2 lb baby potatoes
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Rub the chicken with herb butter, salt, and pepper.
2. Stuff the cavity with lemon and garlic.
3. Toss potatoes with olive oil around the chicken.
4. Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes, then 375°F for 60 minutes.
5. Rest 15 minutes before carving.
6. Serve with pan juices.

2. Classic Sunday Pot Roast

Fork-tender beef with carrots and potatoes in rich gravy.

Ingredients

• 3 lb beef chuck roast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4 carrots, chunked
• 4 potatoes, quartered
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Sear the roast on all sides in a Dutch oven.
2. Add onion, broth, tomato paste, and bay leaves.
3. Cover and braise at 325°F for 2 hours.
4. Add carrots and potatoes; braise 1 more hour.
5. Shred or slice the beef.
6. Serve with the vegetables and gravy.

3. Honey Glazed Baked Ham

A glossy honey-brown sugar glaze over juicy baked ham.

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in ham (6–7 lb)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• whole cloves, for studding

Instructions

1. Score the ham; stud with cloves.
2. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour.
3. Simmer brown sugar, honey, mustard, and pineapple juice.
4. Brush glaze over the ham.
5. Bake 45 more minutes, glazing every 15.
6. Rest 20 minutes before slicing.

4. Apple Cider Pork Loin

Tender pork loin roasted with apples in a cider glaze.

Ingredients

• 3 lb pork loin
• 2 apples, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Sear the pork loin on all sides.
2. Brush with Dijon and brown sugar.
3. Arrange apples and onion around the pork.
4. Roast at 375°F for 45–55 minutes.
5. Rest 10 minutes.
6. Slice and spoon apples over the top.

5. Garlic Herb Prime Rib

A showstopping rib roast with a garlic-herb crust.

Ingredients

• 4 lb beef ribeye roast
• 3 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 tbsp black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup beef broth

Instructions

1. Rub the roast with salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary.
2. Rest at room temperature 1 hour.
3. Roast at 450°F for 20 minutes.
4. Reduce to 325°F; roast to 130°F internal.
5. Rest 30 minutes.
6. Carve and serve with au jus.

6. Rosemary Garlic Leg of Lamb

Fragrant roasted lamb with caramelized root vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 leg of lamb (4–5 lb)
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tbsp rosemary
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 lb root vegetables
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cut slits in the lamb; insert garlic slices.
2. Rub with rosemary, oil, lemon, salt, and pepper.
3. Surround with root vegetables.
4. Roast at 375°F for 1.5 hours.
5. Rest 20 minutes.
6. Slice thin and serve with vegetables.

7. Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

All the Thanksgiving flavor without the whole bird.

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey breast (5–6 lb)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 tbsp sage
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 cups chicken broth
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Rub turkey breast with herb butter, salt, and pepper.
2. Place onion in the roasting pan; add broth.
3. Roast at 325°F for 1.5–2 hours.
4. Baste every 30 minutes.
5. Rest 20 minutes.
6. Slice and serve with gravy.

8. Roasted Cornish Hens

Elegant little hens, perfect for a smaller Sunday table.

Ingredients

• 2 Cornish hens
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 lb baby carrots
• 2 tbsp honey
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Rub hens with butter and poultry seasoning.
2. Stuff cavities with lemon and garlic.
3. Roast at 425°F for 50–60 minutes.
4. Toss carrots with honey; roast alongside.
5. Rest 10 minutes.
6. Serve one hen per person.

9. Slow Roasted Beef Brisket

Low-and-slow brisket that melts in your mouth.

Ingredients

• 3 lb beef brisket
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Rub brisket with paprika, sugar, and garlic powder.
2. Place on sliced onion in a roasting pan.
3. Add broth and Worcestershire; cover tightly.
4. Roast at 300°F for 4–5 hours.
5. Rest 30 minutes.
6. Slice against the grain.

10. Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder

Fall-apart pork shoulder braised in sweet apple cider.

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork shoulder
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 cup apple cider
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Rub pork with paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.
2. Sear on all sides in a Dutch oven.
3. Add onion and cider.
4. Cover and braise at 325°F for 3 hours.
5. Shred the meat.
6. Serve with the braising juices.

11. Crispy Roast Duck with Orange

Crackling-skinned duck with bright orange and thyme.

Ingredients

• 1 duck (5 lb)
• 2 tbsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 oranges, quartered
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 cup chicken broth

Instructions

1. Prick the duck skin; season with salt and pepper.
2. Stuff with oranges and thyme.
3. Roast at 425°F for 30 minutes.
4. Reduce to 350°F; roast 90 minutes more.
5. Rest 20 minutes.
6. Carve and serve with orange slices.

12. Sheet Pan Sunday Chicken Dinner

The whole roast dinner on one pan — minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

• 3 lb chicken pieces
• 1 lb baby potatoes
• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Toss chicken, potatoes, and sprouts with oil and seasoning.
2. Spread on a sheet pan in one layer.
3. Roast at 425°F for 35–40 minutes.
4. Drizzle with balsamic halfway through.
5. Check chicken reaches 165°F.
6. Serve straight from the pan.