Father’s Day dinner is often the antithesis of Mother’s Day brunch—more laid back, less ceremonious, and, frankly, lower expectations all around. Often (speaking from experience) all it takes to help the man of the hour feel celebrated is to have everyone gathered around for a meal.
While we can’t promise everyone will be in the same place in time for dinner, we can get dinner itself covered. Below are 16 recipes perfect for making this Father’s Day, with options to take advantage of grilling season or tackle dinner over the stove. Plus, a few options for dessert—just because.
Grilling Recipes
If the father figure in your life has been finding excuse after excuse for al fresco cooking since Memorial Day, give him one (or seven) more reasons to break out his trusty outdoor cooking supplies. Below are recipes that are designed to be grilled or griddled, perfect for making with (or for) Dad. For even more grill-centric recipe inspiration, be sure to check out our roundup of grilling recipes courtesy of our culinary team and restaurant customers.
Smoky Onion and Bacon Patty Melt
If Dad is looking for something different than standard grilling fare, look no further than this deeply savory and rich patty melt. The best parts of a cheeseburger and a grilled sandwich, these make for an elevated yet endlessly tasty addition to a casual Father's Day spread.
Spanish-Style Grilled Shrimp with Garlic Butter
Inspired by two classic tapas dishes—gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) and gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp), both of which are served in bars all over Spain—this dish practically begs to be cooked on a griddle over open flame. The shrimp come out perfectly charred, without running the risk of becoming dry. In fact, we recommend serving with some crispy baguettes to soak up any leftover juice. Serve with grilled vegetables or a side salad for a perfectly celebratory summertime meal.
Steak and Potato Salad
Whether grilling a ribeye or New York Strip (like from our friends at Porter Road), you can never go wrong with steak for a celebratory meal. This pairing from Mike and Mark Black of Austin’s famous Black’s BBQ pairs everyone's favorite protein with a baked potato-style potato salad, perfect for a laid-back Father’s Day dinner that tastes anything but.
Wagyu Burger with Balsamic Onions and Pecorino
Chef Tom Colicchio’s upscale take on a cookout classic includes Pecorino cheese, Wagyu beef, and homemade pickles and balsamic onions. While it may require a bit more planning than your everyday burger, we can promise the payoff is well worth the effort.
That said, if you're looking for something a bit more straightforward, try our back-to-basics (but just as delicious) Smash Burger.
Grilled Lobster Roll with Yuzu Butter
Appeal to both team mayo and team butter with this uniquely bright and flavorful take on lobster rolls thanks to the addition of yuzu, a citrus originating from East Asia. Topped with a punchy slaw, this is sure to transport Dad straight to the coast for a breezy dinner.
Grilled Oysters, Two Ways
Good news if Dad is a bivalve and grilling enthusiast—these combine the best of both with endlessly customizable topping options. Thanks to the perforations at the bottom of our Carbon Steel Grill Frying Pan or Half-Perforated Grill Griddle, these have a smoky, flame-kissed flavor profile without the risk of falling through the grates.
While Culinary Director Rhoda Boone chose New Orleans and Bloody Mary-inspired flavor palettes, the world is—forgive the pun—your oyster when it comes to how these get dressed.
Grilled Shrimp Kabobs
Colorful, delicious, and good for a crowd, these kabobs are as easy to put together as they are to enjoy. Mix up the summer veg with whatever you have on hand and fire up your Grill (if Dad will let you)—there will surely be requests for seconds.
Stovetop Recipes
If outdoor cooking isn’t his jam—or if it’s just too hot out to think about grilling—there are plenty of meals that can be cooked with the AC blasting. The following five are some of our favorites.
Brisket Mac and Cheese
A barbecue favorite, this dish elevates everyone’s favorite side to a full-fledged entrée with the addition of brisket—or any other leftover protein lurking in your fridge. This recipe from pitmaster Evan Leroy of Austin’s LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue utilizes four different types of cheese and a roux-based béchamel sauce, so plan a post-meal nap accordingly.
Lamb with Mint and Pistachio Salsa Verde
Something about lamb always feels a bit celebratory, perfect for cheers-ing to the father figure in your life. This recipe from the Made In Studio is topped with a punchy, acidic salsa verde that perfectly tempers lamb’s grassy, pastoral notes. Pair with a side salad or starch like potatoes, and you’ve got a special occasion meal ready to go.
Steak Frites
Not your average steak recipe, this iteration on the bistro classic is (somehow) even better. From Austin-based Chef Jo Chan, the steak gets an overnight marinade in creamy shio koji—a Japanese ferment made from cooked grains and the precursor to condiments like miso and soy sauce—which lends an incredible savoriness and umami to the finished protein. Homemade fries may seem intimidating, but actually are one of the easiest parts of this dish when equipped with a large-format Dutch oven to simplify deep frying.
Portioned for two but easily doubled, this is bound to make an unforgettable—and undeniably celebratory—Father's Day meal.
Pickle Fried Chicken
Take your usual fried chicken recipe up a notch with the addition of a quick brine in pickle juice leftover from an almost-empty jar. The result is savory, sour, and sure to prove to Dad he can do better than drive-thru fried chicken.
Wrangler Cowboy Steak
No Father's Day recipe roundup would be complete without three steak recipes. Developed as part of our collaboration with Wrangler, this recipe is fit for a cowboy—er, king, especially with a healthy douse of Cowboy Butter to top it all off.
Dessert Recipes
After all, it's not really dinner without dessert. Below are four dessert options of varying sweetness levels to match Dad’s sweet tooth—or lack thereof. Each of these recipes make use of in-season summer fruits, so you can revel in the bounty of early summer with every bite as the cherry on top of a perfect Father’s Day.
Blueberry Pound Cake with Lime Glaze
Equal parts breakfast and dessert, this blueberry-studded pound cake from Sarah Seghi, pastry chef at Austin restaurant Eberly, makes excellent use of crème fraîche to produce a moisture-packed cake that’s far better than anything you can get at the grocery store. Topped with a lime glaze and plated with fresh blueberry compote, the only thing better than how it smells is how delicious it is.
Olive Oil Cake with Brûléed Stone Fruit and Chantilly
If Dad leans more toward savory, then this olive oil cake from Lutie’s Chef Susana Querejazu may become his new go-to. Utilizing Texas olive oil is a must for added tenderness, body, and moistness, but the stone fruit you top it with is completely up to you. Peaches, plums, or whatever else you have locally available makes for a perfectly seasonal topping to this surprisingly light dessert.
Peach Cobbler
Perhaps the most quintessential of all summertime desserts, peach cobbler is the perfect vehicle to allow local fruit to shine. This recipe from Chef Chris Shepherd calls for fresh peaches, but you can substitute in fresh apricots, nectarines, or even mangoes. Serve warm with Dad’s topping of choice for the perfect end to Father’s Day.
Icebox Banana Pudding Pie
For Made In HQ in Austin, Father's Day weekend falls during the unofficial Texas season "I am not turning on my oven for any reason" that runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day—so no-bake desserts are an absolute must. From the Made In Studio, this banana pudding-inspired recipe hits on all of our favorite factors: no-bake, little equipment required, and lick-the-plate delicious.
Ready to Cook?
Whether Father’s Day is a big deal or something your dad begrudgingly accepts once a year, you might as well enjoy a delicious dinner together. With the above recipes, you’re bound to find something he’ll love. All that’s left is finding the right gift to accompany (or be used to cook) the meal—check out a few of our favorites in our Father’s Day Collection.
