Father’s Day falls on the third Sunday of June in South Africa, which puts it squarely in the middle of winter. That is actually a gift from a cooking perspective. The best food for a cold Sunday afternoon is exactly the kind of food most dads love: slow braises, roasted meats, rich sauces, and something decadent for dessert. This is a round-up of the best recipes on the site for building a Father’s Day menu worth sitting down to, whether you are planning a long lunch, an easy weeknight dinner, or a proper celebratory spread.
Each section is designed to give you options at different levels of effort. Pick one starter, one main, a side or two, and a dessert, and you have a complete menu that can be as simple or as ambitious as the occasion calls for.
Father’s Day starter ideas
A good starter sets the tone without taking the edge off the appetite. These are all make-ahead friendly, which means you can have them ready before anyone arrives and spend the time before the meal with your guests rather than in the kitchen.
Butternut soup The most reliable winter starter there is, and perfect for a June Sunday. Make it the day before and reheat when needed.
Twice-baked cheese soufflé The impressive option. These are made in two stages: the first bake can be done a day ahead, and the second bake happens just before serving. The result looks like serious effort and tastes even better. A very good choice if you want to give Dad something restaurant-worthy.
My best chicken liver pâté A classic that never goes out of fashion. Smooth, buttery, and deeply savoury. Make it two or three days ahead and serve with good bread or toast and cornichons. The one starter that does all its work before the day itself.
Smoked snoek pâté. The South African option. Snoek is a Cape favourite, and this pâté is one of the easiest things you can put on a table. Serve it with melba toast or crackers and a cold glass of wine. A crowd-pleaser that takes almost no time to make.
For more soup ideas, visit my full soup recipe collection.
Bread to serve alongside
There is something about homemade bread on a table that makes everything feel special. All three are easier than they look and can be made either the morning of or the day before.
Easy overnight focaccia. The no-knead focaccia that requires about ten minutes of actual work and overnight patience. Dimpled, olive-oily, and excellent alongside soup or pâté. Prep it and rest overnight, then in the morning take it out to rise and bake.
Ciabatta A slightly more involved bake but worth the effort if you have the time. The open crumb is perfect for mopping up the sauces from the main course.
Easy cheese and onion bread with herbs The crowd-pleasing option that is perfect to serve with soup or just at a lunch or supper. I also have this cheese-and-onion version with red pepper pesto.
Father’s Day main course ideas
This is the heart of the menu, and I have divided the mains into three sections: lamb and beef, chicken, and seafood. All the recipes in the lamb and beef section are particularly well-suited to Father’s Day, since they are the kind of impressive, protein-forward dishes that a long Sunday lunch is built around.
Lamb and beef mains
The strongest category for a Father’s Day lunch. Slow-cooked, flavour-forward, and most of them improve with time, which makes them excellent make-ahead options.
Pan-seared, butter-basted steak is always a winner, especially if you are using a really good quality aged ribeye.
Greek lamb yvetsi Slow-braised lamb cooked with orzo in a rich tomato sauce until the pasta has absorbed everything in the pot. One of the most satisfying one-pan dishes on the site.
Slow-roasted shoulder of lamb with harissa is the showstopper option. A shoulder of lamb slow-roasted until it is falling off the bone. This is the recipe to make when you want the main course to do all the talking.
Roast fillet of beef with creamy mushroom sauce If Dad’s preference is beef over lamb, this is the one. Fillet is the best cut for feeding a crowd, and this recipe does it properly. The mushroom sauce is rich enough to feel celebratory and is delicious with the meat.
Herb-crusted roast rack of lamb Another strong beef alternative. Rack of lamb looks spectacular on a platter and takes less time than you might think. A reliable choice for a smaller gathering where you want something impressive without a long cook. Or, try my rack of lamb with minty salsa verde.
Beef bourguignon The classic French braise that has earned its reputation. With deep layers of flavour, it’s better made the day before. One of those recipes that rewards forward planning with flavour that develops overnight.
Beef and mushroom pie A proper pie for a proper occasion. Short pastry, a deeply savoury filling, and the kind of dish that makes everyone at the table very happy. Good for feeding a crowd.
Marcella Hazan’s lasagna with Bolognese sauce If you are feeding a larger group and want something that can be fully assembled and refrigerated the night before, this is the one. Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese is the benchmark version and this lasagna does it full justice.
Slow-cooked Asian-style lamb shanks A less traditional but very good option. The Asian-inspired braise gives the shanks a different flavour profile from a classic red wine version, with soy, ginger, and star anise doing the heavy lifting.
Lamb shanks with red wine, rosemary and bay The classic version of slow-cooked shanks. Made in the Instant Pot, which significantly reduces cooking time without sacrificing any flavour.
Osso bucco with risotto Milanese One of the great Italian braises. Veal shin slow-cooked with white wine and vegetables, served on a saffron risotto.
Greek lamb souvlaki with homemade pita The more relaxed option. Marinated lamb skewers with homemade pita is a hands-on, convivial way to eat and works particularly well as part of a Mediterranean feast with other bits and bobs.
Slow cooker ostrich chilli My take on the New York Times chilli recipe, made with ostrich mince. This is the easy option for a Father’s Day dinner that requires minimal effort and delivers maximum flavour. Excellent with rice or cornbread and can be made well in advance.
Ostrich steak tagliata A South African option that sits between the meat and seafood sections. Ostrich is lean, flavourful, and often overlooked on home menus. This tagliata treatment is elegant and very good for a Father’s Day that wants to feel a little different.
South African bobotie with fluffy yellow rice The South African classic that belongs on any winter table. Sweet, spiced, and deeply comforting. A good choice if Dad loves South African food and you want to celebrate that.
Chicken mains
If lamb and beef are not your preference, chicken offers plenty of impressive options that work equally well for a winter lunch.
Chicken Normandy A French classic: chicken braised in cider with apples and cream. Rich and warming and very good for a winter lunch. This is the one I would choose if I wanted something a little different from the usual roast.
Jamie Oliver’s chicken in milk Deceptively simple and endlessly satisfying. A whole chicken braised in milk with lemon zest, sage, and garlic until the sauce is curdled in the most delicious way. One of those recipes that punches well above its effort level.
Moroccan chicken and rice with aubergine A one-pot meal that covers the main and the side in a single dish. Spiced, aromatic, and very good for feeding a crowd without multiple pots on the stove.
Creamy chicken with braised leeks and carrots A quieter, more understated option that delivers on flavour without any fuss. Perfect for a smaller gathering or a midweek Father’s Day dinner.
Tray roast chicken with orange, ginger and new potatoes The easiest option in the chicken section. Everything goes into one tray and the oven does the work. A reliable, delicious dinner that requires almost no active cooking time.
Chicken and rice pilaf with orange and spices A fragrant, lightly spiced one-pot dish that is very good for feeding a crowd. The rice absorbs all the chicken juices and spices during cooking, making this one of the more flavourful simple chicken dishes on the site.
Chicken kebabs with yoghurt, paprika and lemon marinade The braai option in the chicken section. These are excellent over coals (or under a grill), and the yoghurt marinade keeps the chicken moist and adds a good flavour. Very good served with the homemade pita from the souvlaki recipe above.
Seafood mains
For the dad who loves seafood, this section has options ranging from elegant and refined to relaxed and hands-on.
Jamie Oliver’s fish pie is always a crowd pleaser and the ultimate fish pie recipe.
My best peri peri prawns The most crowd-pleasing seafood option on the list. Peri peri prawns are festive, hands-on, and best eaten with a pile of napkins and good bread alongside. A very good Father’s Day choice if the mood is relaxed and celebratory rather than formal.
Braaied snoek with orange and apricot butter The South African braai option. Snoek over coals with a sweet, buttery glaze is one of the great Cape pleasures and a dish that will resonate with any South African dad who grew up eating it.
Creamy Tuscan salmon with sundried tomatoes Rich, saucy, and very easy to make. This is the recipe to reach for when you want something that looks and tastes restaurant-worthy without spending the afternoon in the kitchen.
Seared tuna steaks with lemon, caper and parsley butter Quick, elegant, and impressive on the plate. Tuna steaks are best treated simply and this recipe does exactly that. A good option for a weeknight Father’s Day dinner when time is short.
Roasted salmon with miso and orange glaze A more unusual option with Japanese-inspired flavours. The miso and orange combination is deeply savoury and sweet in equal measure and works beautifully with the richness of salmon.
Herb-crusted salmon with roast sweet potato wedges A complete meal in one recipe. The sweet potato wedges mean you barely need a side dish, which makes this one of the more practical options for a weeknight.
Mussels with white wine, garlic and cream The relaxed, convivial option. A big pot of mussels in the middle of the table with crusty bread alongside is one of the most sociable ways to eat. Very good for a Father’s Day dinner that is more about the occasion than the formality.
Creamy salmon pasta with spinach, capers and lemon If pasta is more the mood than a plated fish dish, this is a very good weeknight option. Ready in under 30 minutes and satisfying enough for a proper occasion.
Risotto Milanese with buttery pan-fried prawns The most elegant seafood option on the list. Saffron risotto with brown butter prawns is a restaurant-quality combination and a genuinely special thing to put in front of someone.
Baked whole trout with herbs and lemon A whole fish on the table is always a moment. This is a simple, clean preparation that lets the fish do the work. Good for a smaller gathering.
Side dishes for Father’s Day
A good main deserves a good side. These three work with almost everything in the mains section above.
Smashed roasted potatoes with sage The best potato side dish for a winter table. Crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, and impossible to stop eating. They are made extra delicious with crisp sage and brown butter.
Spanish rice A flavoured rice that works particularly well alongside the Moroccan chicken, the bobotie, or any of the lamb dishes.
Best air fryer green beans The fastest and most reliable cooked vegetable side. Ready in under ten minutes and better than boiled beans in every way.
For more side dish ideas, visit my best vegetable side dish recipes and my best salads for a braai for anything you want to serve alongside.
Father’s Day dessert ideas
Dessert is non-negotiable on Father’s Day. These are all the kind of puddings that make people very happy at the end of a long winter lunch.
Malva pudding with orange The South African classic that belongs at every winter table. Warm, sticky, and deeply comforting. Serve it with cream, custard, or ice cream and it will always land well.
Chocolate malva pudding The chocolate version for the dad who loves chocolate above all else. Everything that makes a classic malva pudding good, with cocoa doing extra work in the background.
Sticky toffee pudding with pecans & dates or sticky toffee pudding with figs and walnuts. One of the great British puddings and a very good fit for a winter Father’s Day. Rich, warm, and exactly the kind of thing you want to end a long lunch with.
Basque cheesecake is available as a full round, a loaf, or a chocolate loaf (maybe my best), depending on your crowd size. Burnt on top, creamy in the centre, and much easier to make than it looks.
Apple and berry crumble The most comforting dessert on the list and the easiest to make. Serve it warm with ice cream or custard and it is hard to beat on a cold June evening.
Baked Camembert with caramelised apples and thyme A dessert that doubles as a cheese course. Warm, gooey baked cheese with sweet apples is a surprisingly good combination and looks very good on the table.
No-bake chocolate espresso cheesecake The make-ahead option for Dad if he loves chocolate and coffee. This can be made two days ahead and kept in the fridge, which makes the day itself considerably easier to manage.
How to plan your Father’s Day menu
The easiest approach is to choose one recipe from each section and build the menu around how much time you have and how ambitious you want to be.
For a relaxed lunch with minimal stress, the butternut soup, slow-roasted leg of lamb or Greek yvetsi, and malva pudding is a complete menu that can be largely prepared the day before.
For something more impressive, the twice-baked cheese soufflé, roast fillet of beef with mushroom sauce, and Basque cheesecake give you a restaurant-quality spread that will make Dad feel properly celebrated.
Whatever you choose, make at least one component the day before. The flavour of slow-braised dishes always improves overnight, and having the dessert already made means you can enjoy the meal rather than spending it in the kitchen.
If you are planning a brunch, then these Mother’s Day brunch recipes could also work.
25+ Easy Breakfast And Brunch Recipes Perfect For Feeding A Crowd
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