19 Retro Recipes Every Family Served on Sundays in the ’70s

Sunday meals in the ’70s carried a sense of tradition, and certain dishes kept showing up at the table week after week. These 19 retro recipes highlight the hearty casseroles, slow-cooked meats, and comforting sides families leaned on for weekend gatherings. Each one reflects the kind of cooking that made Sundays feel different from the rest of the week. As you read on, you’ll find meals that bring back the comfort and nostalgia of those Sunday dinners.

Small serving of chicken pot pie casserole on plate with fork. — Chicken Pot Pie. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Cheesy Zucchini Casserole

A baked dish with a golden-brown crumb topping is in a rectangular baking dish, which has a white and blue checkered cloth nearby. A serving is on a round plate to the right. The surface is a light marble texture. — Cheesy Zucchini Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Cheesy Zucchini Casserole bakes zucchini with garlic, cream, and plenty of cheese until it bubbles and browns. These kinds of baked vegetable casseroles were staples on Sunday spreads in the ’70s. It was a way to turn produce into something hearty enough to match the main dish. This is the kind of side that rounded out Sunday plates in retro kitchens.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Zucchini Casserole

Sweet Potato Ground Beef Casserole

A baked sweet potato casserole topped with melted cheese and chopped parsley, served in a white rectangular dish on a wooden board. Small bowls of fresh herbs and seasonings are visible in the background. — Sweet Potato Ground Beef Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Sweet Potato Ground Beef Casserole combines hearty beef with the natural sweetness of potatoes, all held together by melted cheese. Casseroles built around beef and potatoes were at the heart of Sunday meals in the ’70s. They were practical, filling, and easy to reheat if leftovers were needed. This retro favorite feels like the kind of dinner that anchored family weekends.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Ground Beef Casserole

Chicken Hash Brown Casserole

A dish in a black baking pan filled with baked casserole. The top is golden brown with crispy edges and garnished with sliced green onions. A portion has been removed, revealing a creamy interior. — Chicken Hash Brown Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Chicken Hash Brown Casserole bakes up in under an hour with layers of chicken, potatoes, and plenty of cheese. Casseroles like this were mainstays on Sunday tables in the ’70s because they fed a crowd without much effort. Using pantry staples kept it simple while still delivering a hearty meal. This was the type of comfort food that everyone asked for second helpings of.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Hash Brown Casserole

Ground Beef Zucchini and Rice Casserole

Close-up of a cheesy zucchini casserole being served with a spoon. The dish features layers of melted cheese, sliced zucchini, ground meat, and herbs, with a golden-brown crust. — Ground Beef Zucchini and Rice Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Ground Beef Zucchini and Rice Casserole can be on the table in about 30 minutes, making it easy to fit into a busy weekend. With a mix of beef, rice, cheese, and vegetables, it covers all the bases in one pan. Families in the ’70s leaned heavily on casseroles like this for their balance of convenience and heartiness. This is the type of retro recipe that never went out of style for Sunday meals.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef Zucchini and Rice Casserole

Maple-Dijon Instant Pot Pot Roast with Potatoes

A white plate containing a stew made of tender shredded meat and chunks of potatoes, garnished with sprigs of fresh thyme. A spoon rests on the side of the dish, placed on a marble surface. — Maple-Dijon Instant Pot Pot Roast with Potatoes. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Maple-Dijon Instant Pot Pot Roast with Potatoes shortens the time of a traditional Sunday roast to under two hours. The beef cooks until tender while the potatoes soak up the sweet and tangy flavors. Pot roasts were one of the most expected dinners in the ’70s, often reserved for the weekend. This one shows why the roast held such a strong place on the Sunday table.
Get the Recipe: Maple-Dijon Instant Pot Pot Roast with Potatoes

Chicken and Date Casserole

Chicken and Date Casserole brings together chicken thighs, olives, capers, and dates in a single pan that cooks up tender in about an hour. This kind of hearty casserole recalls the type of Sunday meals families leaned on in the ’70s. The sweet and tangy notes balance well with the savory base, making it both filling and memorable. It’s the sort of dish that made Sunday dinners feel worth gathering around for.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Date Casserole

Easy Beef Pot Pie

A close-up of a beef and vegetable pie with a golden, flaky crust. A triangular segment is removed, revealing chunks of beef and vegetables in a savory sauce inside the pie. The crust is lightly seasoned with herbs. — Easy Beef Pot Pie. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Easy Beef Pot Pie wraps tender beef, vegetables, and gravy under a flaky crust that bakes golden in the oven. Pot pies were a familiar Sunday centerpiece in the ’70s, serving as a practical way to stretch ingredients. The dish takes time but delivers the kind of meal everyone remembered. This retro favorite made Sundays feel complete from the first slice to the last.
Get the Recipe: Easy Beef Pot Pie

One-Pot Buttermilk Chicken and Potatoes Casserole

A plate of roasted chicken with crispy skin, garnished with chopped green herbs. Beside the chicken are sliced potatoes and mushrooms. An ornate fork is placed on the plate, which has a decorative floral pattern. — One-Pot Buttermilk Chicken and Potatoes Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

One-Pot Buttermilk Chicken and Potatoes Casserole is prepared by roasting chicken thighs and potatoes together after a buttermilk soak. The method keeps the chicken tender while the potatoes crisp in the same dish. Recipes like this were prized in the ’70s for being filling without being complicated. It’s the kind of dinner that made Sundays feel like a tradition.
Get the Recipe: One-Pot Buttermilk Chicken and Potatoes Casserole

Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies

A plate with meatloaf topped with brown sauce, surrounded by roasted broccoli, sweet potato chunks, and roasted potatoes. A yellow-striped cloth is partially visible to the right of the plate. — Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies takes about 45 minutes to bake, cooking individual loaves alongside potatoes and broccoli. Meatloaf was a centerpiece of many Sunday meals during the ’70s, often paired with classic sides. This version captures the same retro feel while keeping the cleanup light. It’s a reminder of why meatloaf was such a weekend constant.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Veggies

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Pillsbury Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Golden biscuits on creamy chicken pot pie filling with vegetables in a baking pan, one biscuit being served. — Pillsbury Chicken Pot Pie Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Pillsbury Chicken Pot Pie Casserole uses premade dough with chicken and vegetables to recreate a pot pie without the extra steps. Shortcut casseroles like this became popular in the ’70s as convenience foods grew in homes. They gave families the flavor of a traditional dish with far less work. This one shows how Sundays in that decade balanced comfort with ease.
Get the Recipe: Pillsbury Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Cheesy Chicken and Potato Bake

A rectangular glass baking dish filled with a baked casserole topped with melted, browned cheese sits on a white surface beside a folded gray cloth and a wooden utensil. — Cheesy Chicken and Potato Bake. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Cheesy Chicken and Potato Bake layers sliced potatoes and chicken with a creamy sauce before baking until bubbly. Oven casseroles like this were central to ’70s Sunday dinners because they fed a family with little extra work. The combination of potatoes, cheese, and chicken was both filling and familiar. It was the dependable centerpiece that people looked forward to each week.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Chicken and Potato Bake

Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Bacon

A white bowl filled with a red kidney bean stew, including visible pieces of meat or vegetables, sits on a dark cloth napkin with a fork and spoon beside it. A small bunch of parsley is on the table nearby. — Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Bacon. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Bacon simmer for hours until the beans turn soft and the sauce thickens. Long-cooked side dishes like this were common in the ’70s, especially for weekend meals. The addition of bacon made the beans rich enough to stand alongside roasts or casseroles. This was the dish that kept Sunday dinners feeling complete.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Bacon

Easy Beef Stew

Beef stew in yellow bowls. — Easy Beef Stew. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Easy Beef Stew simmers beef, potatoes, and carrots until everything is tender in about two hours. Stews like this were a backbone of ’70s Sunday dinners because they could cook while families spent time together. The end result was filling, familiar, and big enough to serve everyone. This classic pot held the taste of the weekend in every spoonful.
Get the Recipe: Easy Beef Stew

Cream Cheese Chicken

A plate with chicken and green beans on it. — Cream Cheese Chicken. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Cream Cheese Chicken is a skillet dish where chicken simmers in a creamy sauce until tender, ready in under an hour. Recipes like this were popular in the ’70s for their richness and simplicity. The smooth sauce paired with chicken created the kind of hearty dish expected at the Sunday table. It’s the type of retro comfort food that made weekends feel special.
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese Chicken

Crock Pot Chili for Two

Crock Pot Chili served in two white bowls with spoon. — Crock Pot Chili for Two. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Crock Pot Chili for Two simmers all day in a slow cooker and is ready by dinner without much attention. Chili was a common choice for Sunday meals in the ’70s, especially in cooler months. Using the slow cooker mirrored the way families stretched cooking across the day while gathering. This smaller batch keeps the retro tradition alive without going overboard.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Chili for Two

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Slow Cooker Pork Chops cook low and slow until tender, freeing up the afternoon while still making a complete dinner. Weekend meals in the ’70s often leaned on cuts of pork that could stretch for the family. Pairing them with potatoes or vegetables turned it into a full plate. This recipe captures the retro way Sundays were built around hearty meats.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Green Bean Mushroom Casserole

Green Bean Mushroom Casserole bakes together beans, mushrooms, and a creamy sauce topped with something crisp for texture. This was one of the most common sides on Sunday tables in the ’70s, known for its practicality. It stretched vegetables into something hearty enough to match heavier mains. This dish carries the retro spirit of what families passed around every week.
Get the Recipe: Green Bean Mushroom Casserole

Golumpki Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Two cabbage rolls on a plate with fork. — Golumpki Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Golumpki Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are baked bundles of cabbage filled with rice and meat that take a couple of hours to prepare. Many families in the ’70s leaned on heritage recipes like this for Sunday dinners, keeping traditions alive. The slow preparation and hearty flavors matched the pace of a weekend meal. This dish reflects the retro character of Sundays spent at the table.
Get the Recipe: Golumpki Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie combines a hearty filling of chicken and vegetables with a golden crust that bakes until crisp. Pot pies were one of the defining Sunday meals of the ’70s, often taking center stage. They required some preparation time but rewarded families with comfort and substance. This dish shows why retro recipes like these never left family kitchens.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie