Need help planning a gluten-free dinner for dad? After treating him to cheesy hash browns or banana pancakes for breakfast, carry on the Father’s Day feast with our gluten-free dinner ideas, including two starter suggestions, three mains (meat, fish and veggie) and two indulgent desserts.

Advertisement

Kick things off with a stack of nachos loaded with grilled bacon and cheese sauce, or a summery seared beef salad. Next, keep it simple with lemony baked sea bass and a pile of our crispiest ever roasties on the side, or spend time and a little effort on bourbon-glazed brisket with creamy chive mash. And for vegetarian dads, it has to be Esther Clark’s top-rated aubergine pie, made spicy with plenty of rose harissa paste. Dessert is a celebration of chocolate and peanut butter, or a boozy coconut rice pudding.

For more delicious ideas, check out our best gluten-free cake recipes and 10 gluten-free pancake ideas. Or discover our favourite gluten-free beers to buy.

Starters

Bacon nachos with cheese sauce

bacon-nachos-cheese-sauce-700-350-cfcb52d

Make your own rich cheese sauce (whipping cream, maple syrup and two types of cheese) to pour over a mound of crunchy tortilla chips, crispy smoked bacon, jalapeños and spring onions. Despite its impressive appearance, this nacho starter only takes 20 minutes to make. Put your finished platter on the table and let everyone dig in – dad gets first dibs, though!

Seared beef salad with capers & mint

A seared beef salad with greens

Father’s Day always falls in sunny June, so keep it seasonal with our fillet steak salad. Sear strips of lean steak until pink and serve alongside thick new potato slices, fine green beans, peas and crunchy lettuce. A quick mint and basil dressing gives the dish a refreshing lift. This gluten-free salad is best served warm, so make sure dad is sitting at the table ready and waiting. It’s a great dish to eat al fresco, too, if the sun is out.

Mains

Gluten-free fish option:

Baked sea bass with lemon caper dressing

Baked sea bass with lemon caper dressing on a white plate

If dad loves white fish, treat him to this elegant gluten-free sea bass dish on Father’s Day. It’s ready in just 20 minutes and comes drizzled with a simple caper dressing – olive oil, lemon zest and juice, capers, a little mustard (make sure it’s gluten-free) and plenty of fresh parsley. It only takes 7 minutes to bake fresh sea bass, so this is a good option if you’re short on time. We love it served with a pile of seriously crispy roast potatoes and some steamed greens.

Gluten-free meat option:

Bourbon & honey-glazed brisket with soured cream & chive mash

Beef brisket with mash and peppers

Got time to spare? This epic brisket recipe slow-cooks in the oven for up to 7 hours, so it’s best to make a start on Father’s Day morning. The result is meltingly tender meat, made sweet and irresistible with an unctuous sugared whiskey glaze. And if that wasn’t enough, this beef brisket recipe comes with mounds of velvety mash, finished with soured cream and butter. Dad will be so impressed.

Gluten-free vegetarian option:

Spicy harissa aubergine pie

An aubergine pie with sweet potato topping

Nearly 50 5/5 reviews makes this one of our most popular gluten-free pie recipes. Load your baking dish with puy lentils, fried aubergine chunks, garlic, cherry tomatoes and pitted green olives; use a generous amount of rose harissa paste for flavour and colour; and finish with a mashed sweet potato topping. Don’t forget to crumble feta on top!

Sides

An asparagus side dish

Dad deserves plenty of sides. Add indulgence to your special Father’s Day menu with one of our favourite gluten-free potato dishes, including creamy next level Dauphinoise potatoes, hasselback new potatoes with oregano and mustard mash.

Stick to the season with summery greens (try a colourful tray of roasted vegetables, charred courgettes, runner beans & ricotta, or beetroot hummus) or add asparagus with lemon and parmesan to the mix.

Desserts

Chocolate & peanut butter pavlova

Chocolate and peanut butter pavlova

Does dad love chocolate? And peanut butter? Then make him the gluten-free dessert of his dreams with this impressive-looking pavlova recipe – the perfect blend of sweet and salty. It takes a little effort, and just shy of two hours to make, but it's worth it for the beautiful layers of crisp white meringue, creamy chocolate crémeux, peanut butter cream and candied peanuts.

Coconut, rum & raisin rice pudding

A bowl of rice pudding with raisins on top

Finish on a high with this rum-laced rice pudding recipe, perfect for dads who love nostalgic puds. Ramp-up the indulgence levels by toasting the pudding rice in brown butter first, cooking it in coconut cream, and stirring through a slosh of homemade rum & raisin syrup before serving. Seriously comforting, it’s like a great big hug in a bowl.

Advertisement

More Father's Day inspiration

Homemade Father's Day gift ideas
14 of the best Father’s Day food gifts
Barbecue gifts for Father’s Day
Top 10 easy baking recipes for Father’s Day
Father’s Day cooking projects for kids
Breakfast recipes for Father’s Day
8 boozy gifts to buy your dad this Father’s Day

Did you know we have a BBC Good Food Cheese Club? We’ve teamed up with cheesegeek to bring you some of the finest fromages produced in the UK. Delivered free and straight to your door, each box is guaranteed to bring the best of the season's cheeses. Read more about the BBC Good Food Cheese Club and discover how to order your first box.

Comments, questions and tips

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Choose the type of message you'd like to post
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement