61 Easter Dinner Ideas for a Dazzling Holiday Spread
We love that Easter dinner isn’t as set in stone as other food holidays (looking at you, Thanksgiving), but it makes shuffling through Easter dinner ideas that much harder. Your guests certainly won’t mind if you go with a classic main dish like honey-baked ham or a gorgeous leg of lamb, but nothing is stopping you from going off-script with a whole roast fish or welcoming the return of fresh spring produce with any number of vegetarian entrées. The many choices, the many strategies; it can be paralyzing!
If there’s one thing we’ve learned through many years of coming up with Easter dinner ideas, it’s this: Go big. If your table is showstoppingly full, your whole family will walk away happy with pretty much any of our best Easter sides, appetizers, and entrées. (Oh, and don’t forget the chocolate eggs.)
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Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Victoria Granof, prop styling by Sophie Strangio1/61Beef Wellington With Green Sauce
We begin our Easter dinner ideas with a winning beef tenderloin dish that incorporates multiple umami-rich ingredients: bacon, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and maitake mushrooms.
- 2/61
Pull-Apart Sour Cream and Chive Rolls
Imagine sour cream and onion potato chips—except, in this case, it’s another of the tastiest spring alliums, chives—as Easter supper rolls. Actually, you don’t have to. We already did.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua3/61
Green Garlic Romesco With Crispy Smashed Potatoes
The best potatoes recipes are multi-textural: buttery on the inside and crispy on the outside. This one, then, can be considered one of the best of the best.
- Eva Kolenko4/61
Braised Artichokes With Tomatoes and Mint
These Italian-style braised artichokes get their grounding from tomato sauce, anchovies, and garlic; and a lift from fresh mint and lemon.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata5/61
Spring Orzotto
This quicker take on risotto, featuring fresh snap peas and your favorite pesto, would be a great side for fish. Here’s our Easiest Grilled Salmon for your consideration.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser6/61
Sheet-Pan Chicken and Potatoes With Lots of Lemon
This chicken recipe—made in a sheet pan along with potatoes and enlivened by salty feta, fresh dill, and lemon—is the perfect casual Easter dinner idea for four.
- Alex Lau7/61
BA’s Best Quiche Lorraine
Yes, you can serve quiche for dinner. Call it retro if you want, but we say this classic bacon and cheese quiche with a homemade crust is timeless.
- Photograph by Joann Pai, food and prop styling by Rebekah Peppler8/61
Seven-Hour Braised Leg of Lamb
Low, slow, and steady win the race when it comes to this juicy, tender, wine-braised Easter dinner idea. Serve with cheesy new potatoes and a citrusy radish salad for a well-rounded meal.
- Alex Lau9/61
BA’s Best Green Bean Casserole
Anchored by umami-rich browned criminis, a béchamel with nutty Parmesan, and extra crispy shallots, we named this take on the classic holiday side the best for a reason.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser10/61
No-Fail Roast Chicken With Lemon and Garlic
This easy recipe for lemony roast chicken requires just six ingredients, no trussing, and it turns out great every time. Grab a hunk of good baguette and you’re good to go.
- Photo by Alex Lau11/61
Carrot Salad With Feta and Anchovies
Marinated white anchovies add a nice vinegary bite to this carrot recipe. Note: If you opt for the more common style of anchovies, season with less salt.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman12/61
Ultra-Creamy Mashed Potatoes
No Easter dinner is complete without a potato side. There are endless ways to dress up a few pounds of spuds, but this smooth, silky mash will always be our favorite.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski13/61
Pineapple-Glazed Ham
We spiked the glaze with hot sauce and apple cider vinegar to cut through the sweetness of this retro-chic, 1950s-style pineapple-slicked Easter ham.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Claire Saffitz14/61
BA’s Best Buttermilk Biscuits
The best way to upgrade any holiday meal? Homemade bread. For Easter, we turn to tall, flaky buttermilk biscuits—ideal for sandwiching leftover ham the next day.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton15/61
Roasted Salmon With Citrus Salsa Verde
Perfumed with citrus zest and spooned over with an herby, olive oil–based relish, this “slow-cooked” fish only takes about 30 minutes in a low oven.
- 16/61
Roast Rack of Lamb With Strawberry Pan Sauce
This rack of lamb recipe pairs tender, grassy meat with tart, slightly sweet strawberry sauce. No need for peak-season berries: Even wan supermarket strawberries will work here since they get cooked down.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Dana Bonagura17/61
Maple-Glazed Carrots
Even in a more eclectic Easter spread, there’s always a spot for classic maple-glazed carrots. It’s a crowd-pleasing, simple, satisfying, sweet-and-savory side dish.
- Photo by Chris Morocco18/61
Braised Oxtails With Coconut Rice
Spoon-tender meat, silky beans, and sweet, sticky rice give this Jamaican dish the feel of a “warm hug,” according to chef Kwame Onwuachi.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen19/61
Potatoes au Gratin
Sometimes you just can’t beat the classics. Flavored with garlic and shallots and covered in cream and melty Gruyère and Parmesan, these scalloped potatoes just might be the best Easter side dish.
- Photograph by Doaa Elkady, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker20/61
Grapefruit Crudo
Hesitant to serve raw fish at home? You can make crudo out of just about anything. In this recipe, we swap the seafood for grapefruit and radishes, marinated in a zingy lime dressing.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore21/61
Shawarma-Spiced Carrots With Date and Herb Salad
Classic roasted carrots are delicious—but coated in shawarma-style spices and piled high with jalapeños, sweet dates, and fresh herbs? That’s a revelation.
- Photo by Marcus Nilsson22/61
Spicy-Tamarind-and-Honey-Glazed Spiral Ham
This recipe is a sweet, sour, and spicy take on the classic Easter ham. If you’ve never cooked with tamarind concentrate before, get ready to find your new favorite flavor.
- Photograph by Victoria Jane, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi23/61
Simple Does It Deviled Eggs
The filling for these, ahem, Easter eggs is studded with crunchy celery and scallion. Even the Easter Bunny may want to steal a few.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susan Ottaviano, prop styling by Sophie Strangio24/61
Spring-y Panzanella With Kombucha Vinaigrette
What makes a panzanella—a popular summertime Italian chopped salad of soaked stale bread, onions, and tomatoes—a springtime panzanella? Shelled fresh peas, thinly sliced fennel, watercress, and green garlic.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich25/61
Radish Rainbow Salad
This will put your farmers market haul of radishes to good use. We suggest using a few different types of radishes, but don’t forget the Easter Egg variety (wink).
- Photo by Laura Murray, Styling by Judy Mancini26/61
Slow-Roasted Lapsang Salmon With Spring Vegetables
For this Easter dinner recipe, you’ll make an extra-strong cup of smoky lapsang tea to use as a marinade for the salmon. It brings gravity to an otherwise bright dish, topped with a gingery radish and snap pea salad.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Allison Ritchie27/61
Wedge Salad With Toasted Sesame-Seaweed Ranch
Is your Easter menu heavy on meat and potatoes? This refreshing salad with crisp iceberg lettuce and avocado and jazzed-up ranch is a good counterbalance.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore28/61
Charred Asparagus and Dates With Goat Cheese
Charred asparagus is good, but you know what’s even better? Charred dates. They’re the sticky-sweet star of the show in this Easter side dish, which you can get on the table in just 15 minutes.
- Marcus Nilsson29/61
Lamb Shoulder with Citrus-Fennel Salad
This might be your last chance for fresh, in-season citrus until next year. Take advantage with this stunning main and side dish in one.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Molly Baz, prop styling by Emily Eisen30/61
Niçoise Toast
Hosting Easter brunch alfresco? Maybe it’s a picnic, even? Turn a classic French salad into handheld toasts, topped with oil-packed tuna, olives, and perfect soft-boiled eggs.
- Alex Lau31/61
Fava Bean and Asparagus Salad
Green beans. Asparagus. Pistachios. You get the idea: This salad is a celebration of spring. PS. If you can’t find fava beans, substitute English peas or sugar snap peas.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen32/61
Miso Polenta With Spring Vegetables and Tofu
Miso adds deep flavor to the polenta in this vegetarian main course, while black bean sauce adds an extra savory note to the crisped tofu, mushrooms, and spring veggies spooned on top.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova33/61
Charred Kale With Citrus and Green Tahini
Sure, you could spend hours on a pot roast, but this side salad—jeweled with grapefruits and orange and tossed with green tahini dressing—might steal the show.
- Photograph by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon, Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy34/61
Tuna Niçoise Salad
This classic spring salad is as good for Easter brunch as it is for dinner. Using really good oil-packed tuna makes a big difference.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks35/61
Air Fryer Crispy Brussels Sprouts With Honey Butter
As the title says, you will need an air fryer, but these brussels sprouts are a textural masterpiece: crisp on the outside, tender on the inside.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by D’mytrek Brown36/61
All A’s Spring Salad With Mahi-Mahi
If you prefer an Easter feast on the lighter (and simpler) side, you can throw together the asparagus, arugula, and avocado salad here in the 10 minutes it takes to roast the fish.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh37/61
Smothered Pork Chops in Potlikker Gravy
Smother juicy seared pork chops in a rich brown gravy made with savory Country Ham Potlikker, a crucial step, for layer upon layer of rich pork flavor.
- Marcus Nilsson38/61
Cast-Iron Roast Chicken With Crispy Potatoes
In this simple Easter dinner idea, paper-thin slices of potato soak up all the drippings while the chicken roasts. It deserves an equally dashing Easter dessert.
- Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott39/61
Deviled Eggs on Biscuits With Trout Roe and Dill
No need to mess around with a piping bag. Make the deviled egg spread, spoon it onto split biscuits, and top with a bright, salty pop of trout roe. It’s fancy made easy.
- Alex Lau40/61
Spinach-Yogurt Dip With Sizzled Mint
Often made with cooked beets or roasted eggplant, our version of this dip uses spinach and Greek yogurt. A drizzle of sizzled mint oil finishes it in style.
- 41/61
Shockingly Easy No-Knead Focaccia
We’re not exaggerating when we say making this freshly baked bread requires zero skill. Just plan ahead—the dough benefits from an overnight rise.
- Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski42/61
Shaved Fennel Salad With Croutons and Walnuts
This delightfully crunchy salad recipe is an antidote to every sad side salad that ever was. Fennel shavings pair with walnuts and sourdough croutons, and it’s all finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan.
- Alex Lau43/61
Citrus and Avocado Salad With Orange Water
Use whatever mix of end-of-season citrus you can get your hands on for this salad (we love blood oranges and grapefruit). Salting the citrus draws out some of the juice, which becomes part of the vinaigrette.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart44/61
Spice-Crusted Ham With Brown Sugar Glaze
A sweet glaze of brown sugar, orange juice, and honey helps this hunk of ham develop a sweet, crackly crust in the oven.
- Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Frances Boswell, prop styling by Sophie Strangio45/61
Spring Vegetable Bhajia
This popular Indian snack transforms scallions, onion, Napa cabbage, carrots, and sugar snap peas into crispy, golden bites. Serve them as Easter appetizers with scallion chutney.
- Photo by Alex Lau46/61
Pasta Salad With Spring Vegetables and Tomatoes
Unlike its mayo-slicked ancestors, this light, bright side dish is dressed with lemon juice and plenty of fresh herbs. Is it still pasta salad if it’s not creamy? Why, yes it is.
- Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua47/61
Asparagus With Parmesan Fonduta
Tuck snappy asparagus under a rich, velvety blanket of Parmesan fondue for a cozy but elegant dish worthy of the Easter dinner table.
- Photograph by Joann Pai, food and prop sryling by Rebekah Peppler48/61
Fried Lemon and Radish Salad
With sizzled lemon wheels, toasted pistachios, and thinly sliced radishes, this salad is...well, unforgettable. Blanching the lemons before frying them strips away unwanted bitterness.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro49/61
Boquerones With Green Olives and Orange
The best appetizers require minimal time and effort. Accordingly, this dish of marinated boquerones and olives—which looks pretty impressive, mind you—takes less than 15 minutes to assemble.
- Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua50/61
Bagna Cauda With Spring Vegetables
This warm, garlicky anchovy dip dates back to 16th-century Italy. (The name translates to “hot bath.”) Serve it beside crunchy raw spring vegetables as an appetizer.
- Peden + Munk51/61
Mint and Cumin-Spiced Lamb Chops
Rub an herby mixture all over lamb chops and let them luxuriate for a few hours before grilling. And for after? Well, if there are any leftovers, we love cold lamb in a sandwich with cream cheese and sliced cucumbers.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh52/61
Bean and Vegetable Salad With Potlikker Vinaigrette
Here’s how to transform potlikker into a sweet, savory, spicy, and salty salad recipe: Turn it into a rich, tangy dressing for sliced apples, fennel, and roast delicata squash.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua53/61
Spicy Maple-Glazed Ham
This recipe from French culinary authority Jacques Pépin uses a clever trick to yield the most tender holiday ham slicked with sriracha and vinegar. Be prepared, though: You’ll need an extra-large stockpot.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens54/61
Ham and Cheese Feuilleté
Take a snackable approach to Easter dinner and fill the table with appetizers: Instead of baked ham, make these crispy, buttery ham and cheese bites the centerpiece.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Allison Ritchie55/61
Black Bass With Preserved Lemon–Pistachio Sauce
Preserved lemons lend their salty tang to this brown butter-pistachio pan sauce. Spooning it over seared black bass makes for an elegant Easter dinner idea for a smaller party.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime56/61
Sweet Potatoes With Maple Tahini
These crispy sweet potato wedges with sweet-nutty maple syrup-laced tahini are a fun play on the flavors found in a typical sweet potato casserole.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton57/61
Fried Fish With Piri-Piri Sauce
This Easter Sunday recipe features whole fish (tilapia, porgy, or black sea bass all work) rubbed with an aromatic spice blend, fried until properly crispy, and served with a peppery piri-piri sauce.
- Ted Cavanaugh58/61
Arctic Char With Greens and Gribiche Dressing
Dress simply cooked fish with spring greens and gribiche (a relish made from hard-boiled eggs, capers, and cornichons) for an Easter dinner that’s a lot easier than it looks.
- Alex Lau59/61
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
No more fighting for oven space before the big meal—this pot roast cooks all day in the slow cooker, filling your home with a warm, savory fragrance. Comfort food at its finest.
- Photograph by Joann Pai, food and prop sryling by Rebekah Peppler.60/61
Eggs Rémoulade
Hard-boiled eggs in cocktail party attire (i.e., briny, herby mayonnaise) are an ideal way to start your Easter meal. Make their presentation even fancier with a dedicated egg tray.
- Alex Lau61/61
Lamb Meatloaf With Yogurt Sauce
No one said your Easter dinner ideas have to be labor-intensive. Topped with a lemony herb salad and served with a simple yogurt sauce, this free-form, spiced meatloaf is easy and worthy of a special occasion meal.