34 Sunday lunch recipes

Here are our recipes from our favourite gastro pubs (you can visit them here) and some of our own classic pub food recipes.

Listen to the olive podcast where Janine Ratcliffe chats to olive’s Senior Food Editor Anna Glover about the iconic British Sunday Lunch, sharing tips and tricks to creating all of the elements for a perfect roast dinner.

Sunday lunch starters

Looking for starter recipes? We've got ideas for bar food like polenta fries and garlic dough balls. Check out our best ever starter recipes, here.

Potted gorgonzola with figs and candied walnuts

This recipe for potted gorgonzola with figs and candied walnuts makes a great dinner party starter.

Fried cheesy polenta chips, smoked chilli and lemon

These fried cheesy polenta chips with smoked chilli and lemon come from Duck & Waffle and make a great bar snack style starter before a hearty main.

Wild salmon, pickled gherkins, crème fraîche and dill

This recipe for wild salmon with pickled gherkins, creme fraîch and dill is a perfect example of how quality ingredients prepared simply but well make a vibrant dish with clean flavours. This comes from The Camberwell Arms pub in South East London.

Brisket roll

Brisket rolls make the perfect beer snack. This recipe from Smokehouse in Islington is a little effort but totally worth it for a classic bar food snack.

Barbecued squid with charred lemon and caper dressing

This recipe from Rosie Birkett for barbecued squid with charred lemon and caper dressing is really quick and easy to make, but it tastes delicious and looks really impressive - perfect for entertaining. The simple charred lemon and caper dressing works really well with the fresh squid for a fresh starter.

Thai scotch eggs

Lap-fai Lee’s Thai-style (or sai oua) scotch eggs make a seriously good pub lunch snack. Their vibrant colours and rich flavours make them a spot-on dish before a hearty main.

Cheesy garlic dough balls

Want an indulgent starter to your Sunday lunch? Give our tear-and-share gooey cheese-filled dough balls a go at home with step-by-step help from the olive test kitchen. They'd make a great starter for the kids or something to kick off a laid back dinner party at home.

Sunday lunch mains

We've put together our best comfort food recipes for a Sunday lunch, from roast lamb to vegetarian curry recipes. If you want more comfort food recipes, click here

Rosemary and apricot-stuffed leg of lamb

Learn how to stuff your own leg of lamb with step-by-step help from the olive test kitchen. This classic roast is perfect for a Sunday lunch to serve alongside your roast potatoes.

Chicken normandy

Make a batch of this comforting, freezer-friendly chicken dish for a Sunday lunch you can make ahead.

Salt and pepper côte de boeuf

This salt and pepper côte de boeuf with easy béarnaise sauce looks really impressive but is easy to make. Perfect for a show-stopping main course for your Sunday roast.

Chicken, leek, tarragon and bacon pie

Check out Edd Kimber's chicken, leek, tarragon and bacon pie. This classic British pie is a great warming recipe for those winter months; what's more, it will be a winner with the whole family.

Tea-smoked salmon with cucumber and lemon

Tea-smoking your own fish is much easier than you’d imagine. Earl grey adds a lovely flavour, but if you’re a real smoke-lover, try lapsang souchong.

Stilton, chard and walnut wellington

This veggie wellington is packed with big, bold flavours and looks impressive but is still easy to make. This makes a great main for vegetarians at Christmas or as an alternative for your Sunday roast.

Beef bourguignon

Classic, easy beef bourguignon to eat now or freeze for later, this French inspired recipe serves 8 people and is a hearty dish for your Sunday lunch.

Spelt, spring onion and Cumberland Yorkshire pudding to share

Our twist (quite literally) on a classic toad in the hole, uses spelt flour in the batter to create a dreamy texture and subtly nutty flavour. This makes a great alternative to a roast dinner on a Sunday.

Spitfire-braised ox cheek with mash, red cabbage and English mustard clotted cream

An easy, slow and low recipe for spitfire-braised ox cheeks from The Compasses Inn in Canterbury. Ultimate comfort food for a Sunday lunch.

Braised shoulder of lamb

Savour the perfect Sunday roast dinner with a crowd-pleasing masterpiece from London's The Red Lion & Sun – expertly done lamb shoulder. This culinary delight involves roasting lamb with a whole bottle of red wine, ensuring super-tender results.

Coconut and peanut aubergine curry

This creamy coconut and peanut aubergine curry is vegetarian, under 300 calories and ready in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect comforting meal for a Sunday lunch.

Raclette burgers

Check out these moreish raclette burgers. This quick and easy recipe makes 4 super succulent patties for all the family to enjoy. Serve with homemade chunky chips for the ultimate comfort food.

Ham hock, cider and green peppercorn pie

This is a delicious, warming pie, ideal for a Sunday lunch. If you want to skip cooking the ham hocks, some butchers and supermarkets sell them ready-cooked at the deli counter.

Mini lamb hotpots

Make a batch of these mini lamb hotpots and freeze them for your Sunday lunch. They're easy to make and under 500 calories each so a lighter option for a Sunday roast.

Roast pork with hasselback potatoes

This beauty was the cover recipe for our March 2020 issue. Slow-roasted pork, crispy roasties, and a quick gremolata for a splash of colour...it's got Sunday written all over it.

Sunday lunch puddings

Whether you want a classic winter dessert like a berry cobbler and sticky toffee pudding, or fancy an easy recipe like banoffee pie or chocolate pudding, we've put together our best pub food desserts. Click here for our best ever chocolate pudding recipes

Pain au choc bread and butter pudding

This is a real show stopping dessert but it's incredibly easy to make. You can make this indulgent chocolate pudding with croissants, but then you’d miss out on that extra chocolate hit.

Raspberry jam steamed sponge and custard

Check out this easy raspberry jam steamed sponge and custard dessert from Terry Blake of Sparrow. This jammy pudding is a real winter winner for all the family to enjoy.

Gingercake trifle

This classic trifle recipe is easy to make and uses ginger cake. Make this showstopping dessert for your Sunday lunch.

Apple sponge pudding

Round off a slap-up Sunday lunch with a warming bowl of comfort. Flavoured with spiced apple chunks and drenched in bay leaf custard, this is a sponge pudding you’ll be itching to tuck into.

Quince and plum crumble

Serve six with this unbeatable homemade crumble featuring plums and quince. These mouth-watering crumbles are cooked slowly for nearly 4 hours. Serve it with lashings of good, vanilla-y custard.

Old-school apple crumble

Check out this really easy old-school apple crumble. This classic dessert is a firm family favourite and you won't go wrong with this foolproof recipe.

Banoffee pie

We know you love this classic olive magazine recipe - it's been one of our most popular recipes for years! Banoffee pie is a much loved family-favourite. This delicious easy banoffee pie recipe is packed with banana, cream and an oaty-biscuit base, decorated with a drizzle of dark chocolate.

Spiced berry slump

A slump is similar to a cobbler but with less fuss. Berries bubbling through the topping give this a more rustic feel. It cooks from frozen with ease for your Sunday lunch.

Spiced banana tarte tatin

This spiced banana tarte tatin recipe comes from Cinnamon Club. It's easy to make but looks impressive if you want a showstopping pudding.

Perfect lemon meringue pie

A classic, impressive lemon meringue pie with crisp pastry, tart curd and fluffy meringue that's easy to make. What more could you want from your dessert?

Sticky toffee pudding

This is a great sticky toffee pudding recipe – the perfect winter warmer! Buy Medjool dates if you can – they have a lovely natural toffee flavour and sticky texture which is just what you want in a sticky date pudding.

Malted brownies with sea salt

The malted element to these brownies add another dimension, making them even more indulgent and irresistibly gooey than usual. Serve with a scoop of ice cream for a decadent dessert at your Sunday lunch.