Dinner Party Diaries – Volume 2 Issue 13 – Father’s Day Menu Ideas
In the same way that Mother’s Day menus often get filed under “brunch”, I feel like Father’s Day menus wind up under “cookout”. Whatever. I’ll take it as an excuse for a food theme and be happy.
That said, when I was thinking about great menu ideas for a Father’s Day celebration, I was more taken with the idea of simple to make yet flavor-loaded foods than with traditional “cookout” food. To me, that typically means nicely seasoned proteins and roasted or sautéed veggies for side dishes. Whereas for Mother’s Day I leaned into more recipes of the “make-ahead” variety, this Father’s Day Menu is much more focused on options that are relatively quick cooking or quick prep with very hands-off cooking.
Take a look, pick a few, and enjoy!
The Details
Serving Style: Buffet
No reason to be complicated with serving. All of these dishes are good for people being able to grab their own portions.
The Menu
Appetizers
In the appetizer department, I went with finger foods. However, these are fairly easy to put together and all but the Mini Furikake Tomato Toasts work well for advanced prep if / as needed.
Entrées
Whether your guest(s) of honor prefer chicken, beef, vegetarian dishes, lamb, salmon, or pork; here are some suggestions for you.
Keto BBQ Rubbed Chicken Thighs
Sometimes we serve these as-is; sometimes we use them for sandwiches; sometimes we shred them for tacos.
Don’t be intimidated by the thought of doing these at scale / for a group. They cook so fast that even if you need to work in batches, it’ll be fine.
Braised Beef in Wine Reduction Sauce
Making this in advance gives the flavors more time to meld in the fridge overnight and means just needing to heat it up before serving.
While I most often stick with the seasoning mix listed in this recipe, it’s easy to change it up depending on what you’re in the mood for that day.
Easy Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
This is one of my tried and true favorites whether we’re having a dinner party or we just need an easy dinner on a weeknight.
Creamy Garlic, Broccoli, and Mushroom Spaghetti Squash
I just skip the sausage to turn this one into a filling vegetarian main.
Sides
This Broccoli Caesar Salad is definitely one of my current obsessions, but can your really blame me? It’s easy to make and flexible for many menus.
So easy, but zucchini are a perfect match for many types of cuisine. Just change up your season mix to match whatever entrée you’re making.
Green Beans with Garlic and Roasted Red Peppers
I love the flavor of these beans and the textural interest of the roasted red peppers.
This one is easy, but soooo good. You can also changes things up by drizzling this Simple Caprese Salad with pesto, balsamic, or Italian dressing. Some crushed pistachios or peanuts can add some fun as well.
Desserts
Easy and portable are my favorite types of desserts.
Lower Carb Cherry Brownie Bites
Easy, quick, and delicious, these tasty bites are a great way to minimize your baking effort.
I love these Snickerdoodles because they are so versatile. In addition to eating them as cookies, I also serve them as dippers and use them to make ice cream sandwiches.
Wine Pairing Suggestions
- White Wines
- Cakebread Chardonnay Reserve
- Peju Sauvignon Blanc
- Red Wines
- Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cakebread Cellars Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon
- Paraduxx Proprietary Red
- Daou Vineyards The Pessimist
- Peju Province Winery Piccolo
Recipe Ideas for Your Father’s Day Menu
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