{"id":299,"date":"2026-10-31T08:38:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-31T07:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lucreziamagazine.com\/?p=299"},"modified":"2026-10-31T09:05:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T08:05:00","slug":"sunday-lunch-ideas-slovenian-menu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lucreziamagazine.com\/en\/sunday-lunch-ideas-slovenian-menu\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Lunch Ideas for a Traditional Slovenian Menu"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A classic Slovenian Sunday lunch has three courses: soup first, then a meat dish served with a side and a salad at the same time, and finally dessert. The best-known combination is beef soup with noodles, a pork roast or schnitzel, saut\u00e9ed potatoes and a seasonal salad. Below you will find tried-and-tested Sunday lunch ideas, a cooking timeline and tips for making the meal simpler, healthier and cheaper.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pbn-summary\"><strong>In short:<\/strong> make the soup on Saturday and marinate the meat the evening before. For the least effort, choose a one-tray oven lunch where meat and vegetables roast together. For a healthier version, fill half the plate with vegetables and make dessert from seasonal fruit.<\/div>\n<h2>What a traditional Slovenian Sunday lunch looks like<\/h2>\n<p>The order that almost every Slovenian family knows is also described by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.slovenia.info\/sl\/dozivetja\/kulinarika\/lokalno-obicajno\" rel=\"noopener\">the Slovenian Tourist Board<\/a>: soup, then a main course with a side and salad, and dessert to finish. Beef soup with noodles, vegetable soup and mushroom soup are the usual starters, while the most typical side is pra\u017een krompir \u2013 boiled potatoes saut\u00e9ed with onions.<\/p>\n<p>The custom has deep roots. In many working-class families, meat used to appear only on Sundays, when beef soup was simmered. The boiled beef from the soup was served with potatoes, horseradish sauce and salad: green salad with hard-boiled egg in summer, sauerkraut, beetroot or pickled cucumbers in winter. Lunch was served at a fixed time, usually at noon.<\/p>\n<p>Today&#8217;s Sunday table is more varied, but the basic structure remains:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>soup<\/strong> \u2013 beef, chicken, mushroom or a creamy vegetable soup,<\/li>\n<li><strong>meat main course<\/strong> \u2013 pork roast, Wiener schnitzel, roast chicken, a meat roll or goulash,<\/li>\n<li><strong>side<\/strong> \u2013 saut\u00e9ed potatoes, mash, rice, mlinci flatbread or roast vegetables,<\/li>\n<li><strong>salad<\/strong> \u2013 seasonal, dressed with pumpkin seed oil and apple cider vinegar,<\/li>\n<li><strong>dessert<\/strong> \u2013 apple strudel, cake, a cream dessert or simple baked fruit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Sunday lunch ideas: from traditional to easy<\/h2>\n<p>If you are stuck for ideas, pick one of these four menus. All of them work well in a home kitchen and feed four to six people.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Menu<\/th>\n<th>Soup<\/th>\n<th>Main and side<\/th>\n<th>Dessert<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Traditional<\/td>\n<td>beef soup with noodles<\/td>\n<td>pork roast, saut\u00e9ed potatoes, green salad<\/td>\n<td>apple strudel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Oven-baked<\/td>\n<td>creamy pumpkin soup<\/td>\n<td>chicken thighs with potatoes and carrots in one tray<\/td>\n<td>baked apples with cinnamon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Healthy<\/td>\n<td>vegetable soup<\/td>\n<td>turkey fillet, buckwheat, roast vegetables<\/td>\n<td>yoghurt with fruit and walnuts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Easy<\/td>\n<td>mushroom soup<\/td>\n<td>meatballs in tomato sauce, mashed potatoes<\/td>\n<td>no-bake tiramisu in glasses<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>The easiest Sunday lunch: straight from the oven<\/h2>\n<p>An oven-baked lunch is the answer for anyone who does not want to spend the whole morning at the stove. Once the tray is in the oven, you have time for the family, setting the table or a walk.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/lucreziamagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/nedeljsko-kosilo-2997406-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Chicken and vegetables roasted in one tray\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lucreziamagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/nedeljsko-kosilo-2997406-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lucreziamagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/nedeljsko-kosilo-2997406-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lucreziamagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/nedeljsko-kosilo-2997406-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lucreziamagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/nedeljsko-kosilo-2997406.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<h3>Meat that roasts itself<\/h3>\n<p>The most forgiving cuts for a roast have a little fat, such as pork neck or shoulder, which stay juicy even after long cooking. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are just as reliable. The evening before, rub the meat with salt, garlic, rosemary and mustard and leave it in the fridge. Roast it covered first so it becomes tender, then uncovered for the last half hour to get a crisp crust. Let it rest for ten minutes before carving so the juices stay in the meat.<\/p>\n<h3>The side in the same tray<\/h3>\n<p>Cut potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, onion and parsley root into even pieces and add them to the meat about an hour before the end. The vegetables roast in the meat juices and you only have one tray to wash afterwards.<\/p>\n<h2>A timeline for a stress-free Sunday lunch<\/h2>\n<p>Most of the stress comes from having to do everything at once. A simple plan spreads the work over two days:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Saturday:<\/strong> shopping, beef soup (slowly, two to three hours), marinade for the meat and a no-bake dessert.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sunday, three hours before lunch:<\/strong> meat goes into the oven.<\/li>\n<li><strong>An hour and a half before:<\/strong> boil the potatoes for saut\u00e9ing or add the vegetables to the tray.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Half an hour before:<\/strong> reheat the soup, cook the noodles, prepare the salad and dress it just before serving.<\/li>\n<li><strong>During the soup:<\/strong> the meat rests and the potatoes finish cooking.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>A healthier Sunday lunch without missing out<\/h2>\n<p>Sunday lunch can be festive and balanced at the same time. Healthy eating guidelines recommend that roughly half of every meal should be vegetables, ideally fresh, seasonal and local. A few easy swaps:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>roast instead of fry \u2013 now and then replace Wiener schnitzel with oven-baked chicken,<\/li>\n<li>leaner meat such as turkey or chicken breast, and more vegetables in the tray,<\/li>\n<li>less salt and more herbs: marjoram, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf,<\/li>\n<li>buckwheat or millet, wholegrain pasta or pulses instead of one of the sides,<\/li>\n<li>a dessert based on seasonal fruit, such as baked apples or pears.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How much does Sunday lunch cost?<\/h2>\n<p>A home-cooked Sunday lunch is almost always cheaper than eating out, especially for a larger family. The biggest saving is the choice of meat: shoulder, neck and chicken thighs cost less than fillet and are juicier too. Beef soup can be made from bones and cheaper boiling cuts, and seasonal vegetables are at their most affordable in autumn and winter. Turn leftover roast into sandwiches or risotto on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>If you would rather let someone else cook, many Slovenian inns (gostilne) offer a Sunday set menu with soup, main course and dessert. Prices vary considerably between places, so check the menu and price in advance and book a table, as Sundays fill up quickly.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What should I cook for Sunday lunch?<\/h3>\n<p>A reliable choice is beef soup with noodles, a pork roast or schnitzel, saut\u00e9ed potatoes and a seasonal salad, followed by a fruit dessert. For less work, go for a one-tray oven lunch where the meat and vegetables roast together.<\/p>\n<h3>How can I prepare Sunday lunch in advance?<\/h3>\n<p>Make the beef soup on Saturday, as the flavour improves overnight, and marinate the meat that evening. A no-bake dessert can also be made the day before. On Sunday you only need to roast the meat and prepare the side and salad.<\/p>\n<h3>What is the typical side dish for a Slovenian Sunday lunch?<\/h3>\n<p>The most typical Slovenian side for meat is pra\u017een krompir: boiled potatoes saut\u00e9ed with onions. Mashed potatoes, rice, mlinci flatbread or roast vegetables are also common, and horseradish sauce goes with boiled beef.<\/p>\n<h3>How do I make Sunday lunch healthier?<\/h3>\n<p>Let vegetables fill roughly half the plate, choose leaner meat and roast it rather than fry it. Replace some of the salt with herbs and now and then swap the side for buckwheat, wholegrain pasta or pulses.<\/p>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What should I cook for Sunday lunch?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A reliable choice is beef soup with noodles, a pork roast or schnitzel, saut\u00e9ed potatoes and a seasonal salad, followed by a fruit dessert. For less work, go for a one-tray oven lunch where the meat and vegetables roast together.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How can I prepare Sunday lunch in advance?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Make the beef soup on Saturday, as the flavour improves overnight, and marinate the meat that evening. A no-bake dessert can also be made the day before. 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