Our 15 Best Beef Dinner Recipes to Make for Sunday Evenings

Chile-Braised Beef Two Ways recipe
Marcus Nilsson

Sunday is a time to unwind and also to get ahead on tasks for the coming week. It's often a time to get together with friends and family, and many of us see Sunday dinners as an opportunity to make a meal that takes more time to cook than you can spare on a weeknight. One perfect example? A delicious beef dinner. Luckily, we have plenty of beef dinner ideas that are well-suited to weekend cooking: They're perfect for lazy Sunday afternoons and include a mix of recipes that simmer slowly on the stovetop, braise in the oven, or use the pressure cooker to tenderize tougher cuts of beef. Short on time but still want a delicious beef dinner? We even have a few that come together quickly.

As for our favorites beef dinner ideas? We tend to like recipes that are versatile. Consider the Chile-Braised Beef, Two Ways, pictured here. This chuck-roast dish is inspired by birria, a traditional dish from the Jalisco region of Mexico. It's a recipe, like several in this gallery, that has mostly hands-off. The meat cooks for over two hours in an onion-, tomato-, and chile-infused broth. Whether you opt to serve it in soup form or as a filling for tortillas, this beef will be fork-tender and delicious to eat as your weekend nears its end.

We have plenty of other delicious beef dinner recipes to choose from, too. Whether you prefer to go the familiar route with a traditional stew, a meatloaf from our test kitchen team, or put a twist on an all-around favorite like as meatballs, our best beef dinner ideas will ensure you're able to satisfy everyone's cravings for a warming, comforting meal come Sunday evening.

01 of 14

Beef Braciole with Olives and Raisins

beef braciole with olives and raisins
Chris Simpson; Recipes by Greg Lofts; Art Direction by James Maikowski; Food Styling by Greg Lofts; Prop Styling by Tanya Graff

For a Sunday dinner that's sure to please, try this beef braciole. Thin slices of meat are wrapped around a filling of pimiento‐stuffed olives, raisins, and Parmigiano‐Reggiano. After browning on the stovetop, they braise in the oven in a delicious mix of wine, broth, and tomatoes until fork-tender.

02 of 14

Classic Beef Stew

Classic Beef Stew recipe
Con Poulos

Aromatic and satisfying, classic beef stew hits home on cold nights. In our recipe, seared meat simmers with tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dry red wine, and fire-roasted tomatoes, which bring subtle smokiness. Beef chuck is our choice cut for this recipe because of its marbling; the fat imbues the broth with a buttery taste as it melts.

03 of 14

Pici with Short-Rib Ragu

pici short rib ragu
Paola + Murray

Boneless short ribs combine with pici (a spaghetti-like noodle) to make a melt-in-your-mouth-worthy meal. The meat is browned then transferred to the oven to braise with tomatoes and broth for three hours.

04 of 14

Test Kitchen's Favorite All-Beef Meatloaf

two plates of meatloaf potatoes and broccolini
Lennart Weibull

We bake this all-beef meatloaf on a sheet pan rather than in a loaf pan because that produces more crusty, ketchup-glazed crust that we all love. Another bonus? Baking the meatloaf on a sheet pan speeds up cooking.

05 of 14

Grandma's Bolognese

grandma's bolognese
The Ingalls

Ground beef and ground pork are the key to sauce like Grandma used to make. This old-school recipe gets further richness from pancetta, porcini mushrooms, and a touch of heavy cream; everything cooks slowly on the stovetop.

06 of 14

Pressure-Cooker Pot Roast

pressure cooker pot roast with dates olives and orange blue white serving tray
Marcus Nilsson

Boneless beef chuck roast becomes meltingly tender in just 90 minutes when you use a pressure cooker or multi-cooker. This recipe enhances the meat with dates, olives, and oranges.

07 of 14

Beef-Zucchini Meatballs

bowls of spaghetti squash and zucchini noodles with zucchini meatballs
Kate Mathis

Beef, zucchini, and cooked quinoa (or millet) come together quickly to make ultra-tender and healthier meatballs; they're the perfect topping to spaghetti or a vegetable noodle.

08 of 14

Lasagna with Meat Sauce

ultimate lasagna slice on plate with fork
Justin Walker

Lasagna lovers, rejoice! You'll love this test-kitchen approved recipe that uses no-boil noodles to streamline prep and a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage for a flavor-packed meat layer, plus the trio of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmigiano for a rich cheesy layer.

09 of 14

Slow-Cooker Brisket and Onions

med106601_0411_slo_brisket_onions.jpg

We use first cut of brisket for this family favorite. It cooks in a slow cooker—alongside onions and garlic—in chicken stock for six hours until juicy and tender.

10 of 14

Stovetop Chili Mac

stovetop-chili-mac-0911med107344.jpg
John Kernick

Simplify Sunday dinner with this one-pot meal that comes together in 45 minutes. It's packed with vegetables—there's corn, zucchini, and tomatoes—as well as beef chuck, and it's all served atop family-friendly rigatoni.

11 of 14

Beef Stroganoff Stir-Fry

beef stroganoff stir-fry
Romulo Yanes

Here's a delicious riff on the classic stroganoff. Using a stir fry-like technique makes this dish quicker but just as tasty.

12 of 14

Slow-Cooker Ropa Vieja

slow cooker root ropa vieja
Stephen Kent Johnson

Flank steak is the star of this low-and-slow cooked take on the favorite Cuban beef dish. Our recipe calls for browning the meat before adding to the slow cooker; it's an extra step that's worth it for the depth of flavor it adds.

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Cheddar, Beef, and Potato Casserole

cheddar beef and potato casserole
Chris Simpson

Who doesn't love a hearty casserole? This crowd-pleaser combines ground beef with hash browns, onions, mushrooms, frozen mixed vegetables, and plenty of cheddar cheese. It takes about 45 minutes in the oven, which means dinner is on the table before you know it.

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Vegetable, Beef, and Barley Stew

barley-soup-168-med110298.jpg
Andrew Purcell

Simmer this vegetable-, beef chuck-, and barley-filled stew on low for eight hours or on high for four hours to bring the ultimate comfort food to your Sunday dinner.

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