6 Sunday Suppers Your Parents Enjoyed in the ’70s, Writers Remember

Picture this: it’s Sunday afternoon in 1976, and the smell of a slowly braising pot roast wafts through the entire house. The dining table is set with the good plates, everyone’s dressed up from church, and there’s a sense of anticipation that only comes with a proper family gathering. These weren’t just meals – they were weekly traditions that defined an entire generation’s relationship with food and family.

The recipes that dominated ’70s Sunday tables told a story of comfort, resourcefulness, and genuine togetherness. Sunday dinner was widely recognized as a tradition, a real Sabbath away from the worries of the work week, a place with lace, and folded napkins, surrounded by family. Let’s dive into those beloved dishes that made Sunday suppers unforgettable.

The Sunday Pot Roast That Made Everyone Feel At Home

Nothing captured the essence of ’70s Sunday dining quite like a perfectly tender pot roast. Pot roast was a quintessential ’70s comfort food, slow-cooked to tender perfection with carrots, potatoes, and onions, and often served for Sunday dinners, Pot Roast brought families together with its homey aroma and satisfying taste.

Writers from this era still remember the ritual of pot roast preparation. Not only is it a warm and comforting meal, but it also brings back nostalgic childhood memories for me. During the winter months, our Sunday dinners were either pot roast or roasted chicken, which always gave our home a wonderful aroma that made us all hungry and excited to eat. The beauty of pot roast lay in its simplicity and the way it filled the house with anticipation all day long.

But another invention became a symbol of Sunday dinners in America and that is the Crock-Pot… Until it boomed in the 1970s. Crock-Pots became the perfect way to conveniently cook food. This technological advancement transformed how families approached their Sunday cooking, allowing busy parents to set the roast in the morning and return to a perfectly cooked meal.

Beef Stroganoff: The Elegant Sunday Special

Beef Stroganoff is a rich and indulgent dish that epitomized comfort food in the ’70s. Originating in Russia, it features tender beef strips cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce. The dish is traditionally served over egg noodles, creating a hearty and flavorful meal.

After the invention of the Crock Pot in the 1970s, slow-cooker beef stroganoff became a weeknight wonder, no longer requiring long hours in the kitchen. The “set it and forget it” cooking method had it instantly embraced by American home chefs. The dish represented a perfect balance between sophistication and practicality that Sunday dinners demanded.

What made stroganoff particularly memorable for Sunday tables was its impressive presentation combined with manageable preparation. Families could serve something that felt restaurant-worthy while using ingredients they likely had on hand.

Tuna Noodle Casserole: The Budget-Friendly Sunday Staple

Tuna Casserole was the epitome of comfort food in the ’70s, combining canned tuna, egg noodles, peas, and a creamy mushroom soup base. Often topped with crunchy breadcrumbs or potato chips, this dish was both budget-friendly and satisfying. This humble casserole earned its place on Sunday tables because it could feed a large family without breaking the bank.

Tuna noodle casserole was a staple, with its creamy, cheesy sauce and chunks of tuna melding with noodles. It was affordable, filling, and could be customized with whatever ingredients you had on hand. Writers remember this dish fondly because it represented the creativity and resourcefulness of ’70s home cooks.

The casserole’s popularity stemmed from its reliability and versatility. Whether served as a main dish or alongside other Sunday offerings, it consistently delivered comfort and satisfaction to families gathering around the dinner table.

Chicken Marbella: The Dinner Party Showstopper That Conquered Sundays

In 1977, Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso set up a gourmet food store, the Silver Palate, which sold high-end fully prepared meals. They initially offered three main dishes: baked tenderloin of beef, baked ham and chicken Marbella. Chicken Marbella was the runaway success, and later found its way onto ambitious Sunday dinner tables across America through their popular cookbook.

Pieces of chicken are nestled alongside fat olives and briny capers, sweet, juicy prunes and wine, vinegar, lots of garlic, oregano, olive oil and sugar. The whole thing is roasted until the chicken skin is burnished and crisp, the prunes slightly caramelized, the olives squishy, and everything else has thickened just enough to form a spoonable sauce.

Writers often describe Chicken Marbella as the dish that elevated their family’s Sunday dinners from ordinary to memorable. Its complex flavor profile and elegant presentation made it perfect for special occasions while remaining surprisingly approachable for home cooks.

Scalloped Potatoes: The Side Dish That Stole the Show

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes were the side dish that lived at every major ’70s event, from potlucks to Sunday dinners. Layered with cream and cheese, they baked up soft on the inside and golden on top. They filled out the plate next to ham, roast beef, or whatever else was being served. These potatoes didn’t play backup – they played anchor.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes were a constant in ’70s kitchens because they used pantry staples and filled the table. Thin-sliced potatoes, creamy sauce, and baked cheese made this side feel complete without trying. It paired with anything and came out of the oven ready to feed a crowd. The taste stuck around longer than most food trends did. Writers remember these potatoes as the dish that everyone looked forward to most.

The genius of scalloped potatoes lay in their ability to transform simple ingredients into something that felt indulgent and special, making them the perfect complement to any Sunday main dish.

Chicken and Dumplings: The Ultimate Sunday Comfort

Chicken and dumplings simmer into a simple, filling dinner with no extra fuss. It’s the kind of recipe that explains why comfort food from that era still holds up. This one-pot wonder represented everything Sunday dinners in the ’70s aimed to achieve: warmth, comfort, and the feeling that someone cared enough to spend time making something special.

Writers often describe chicken and dumplings as the dish that best captured the spirit of Sunday cooking. The slow simmering process filled the house with incredible aromas, and the final result was a meal that satisfied both body and soul. Unlike more elaborate dishes, this was pure, uncomplicated comfort food.

Sunday dinners were a special occasion, with families often gathering around the table for a more elaborate meal. Roasts – whether it was a pot roast, a turkey, or a ham – were common dishes, often accompanied by a medley of vegetables and mashed potatoes. This was a time for the family to come together, share stories, and enjoy a meal that took a bit more time to prepare. Chicken and dumplings embodied this philosophy perfectly, requiring time and attention but rewarding families with an unforgettable meal.

These six dishes represent more than just Sunday dinner recipes – they tell the story of an era when families prioritized gathering together, sharing meals, and creating memories around the dinner table. The comfort of 70s dinner favorites comes from the kind of meals that brought everyone to the table without much thought. These dishes weren’t complicated or fussy, but they had a way of sticking in your memory because they were part of everyday life. If you grew up then, you probably remember the balance of practicality and heart that went into them, and that’s exactly why they still stand out today.

What do you think about these classic Sunday suppers? Do any of them bring back memories from your own childhood dinner table?