53 Easter Side Dishes to Satisfy Spring Cravings
Ham and lamb get the attention, but we all know the truth: Your Easter menu is not complete without a selection of Easter side dishes. What’s a holiday meal without buns, casseroles, an array of veggies, and at least three potato recipes? Just another weeknight dinner is the answer. The spring-y, delicious, perfect side dishes are what make this celebratory supper An Event.
Speaking of which, we’ve got Easter dinner ideas (a.k.a. mains to support the cavalcade of sides), Easter dessert recipes, Easter brunch recipes, and plenty more spring dinner ideas in case you don’t find what you’re looking for in any of those places. But back to the sides: Below we’ve rounded up our best Easter side dishes for you, your family and friends, and maybe the Easter Bunny too.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens1/53Charred Brussels Sprouts With Warm Honey Glaze
With its warm honey glaze, this Easter side dish recipe is a perfect partner for salty ham, fatty lamb, or really whatever else you have on your holiday table.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Maya Rossi2/53
Twice-Baked Potatoes
This easy recipe for twice-baked potatoes delivers the best of two worlds—perfectly pillowy potato filling and crispy potato shells—in one side dish.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Cyd McDowell. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks3/53
Kale Caesar Salad With Lemony Breadcrumbs
With no raw egg yolks and a big burst of lemon flavor, this Caesar salad dressing is primed for a holiday buffet. And the kale is happy to hang out all afternoon.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Dana Bonagura4/53
Maple-Glazed Carrots
Leave the baby carrots for another day. Look for long, slender carrots without many cracks and with their green tops still attached. (TBH, it just looks good to have a little of their stems showing.)
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Paola Andrea5/53
Cheesy Broccoli Casserole With Butter Cracker Crunchies
This easy casserole recipe is 100% comfort thanks to sharp cheddar, slightly tangy cream of mushroom soup, and a cracker crumb topping. Think of it like broccoli-cheddar soup, but in side-dish form.
- Photograph by Victoria Jane, Food Styling by Mallory Lance, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon6/53
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
File under: easy side. You only need sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper to see this simple recipe through to crispy completion.
- Alex Lau7/53
BA’s Best Green Bean Casserole
Anchored by umami-rich browned cremini mushrooms, a béchamel sauce with nutty Parmesan, and extra crispy shallots, this is the green bean casserole to end all green bean casseroles.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi8/53
Parker House Rolls
With a top coat of melted butter and a sprinkling of sea salt, these golden brown Parker House dinner rolls are nothing short of trophy-worthy.
- Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski9/53
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Cooking for any holiday meal can feel like a game of Tetris: Can you fit everything in the oven before time runs out? Enter this make-ahead mashed potatoes recipe. When the time comes, reheat them and garnish with chives and butter.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman10/53
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The key to the best brussels sprouts is to turn the oven up high and not be afraid of getting a really good char: It’ll bring out the vegetable’s sweetness and turn the insides tender and nearly creamy.
- Alex Lau11/53
Classic Spinach Salad
Spinach should be on your Easter side dish roster, don’t you think? This spring salad features mature spinach, which has a more robust flavor than baby spinach and holds up better to the creamy dressing. A little bit of this, a little bit of Easter ham, and there you have it: the perfect bite.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams12/53
Parsnip Purée
The humble parsnip: so underappreciated. This Easter, let it not be so with this four-ingredient side dish, which is as easy as it gets and highlights the delicious essence of parsnip-ness.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Claire Saffitz13/53
BA’s Best Buttermilk Biscuits
If you’re the kind of person who likes to peel biscuit layers off one by one, be prepared to spend your entire Easter dinner on just one of the towering beauties.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen14/53
Potatoes au Gratin
Whether you like mashed potatoes, Hasselback potatoes, or something else, one thing’s for sure: You need spuds on the table. This gratin involves cheese and breadcrumbs—which, by the way, are what differentiate it from another classic preparation, scalloped potatoes.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro15/53
Tex-Mex Caesar Salad
If you’re cooking up a Tex-Mex kind of Easter—and why shouldn’t you?—then go for this Caesar salad variation featuring Cotija cheese, red chile powder, cilantro, and lime.
- Photograph Guang Xu16/53
Miso Macaroni and Cheese
You may think Thanksgiving more than Easter when you see this, but there’s no reason mac and cheese shouldn’t have a place on your table come April. Or any time of the year.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime17/53
Giardiniera Antipasto Platter
Sure, crudités are more of a starter, but we see no reason why that antipasto platter—complete with raw vegetables, pickled vegetables, charcuterie, pesto, and bean dip—shouldn’t travel to the main table with you and evolve into a side dish.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Cyd McDowell. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks18/53
Air Fryer Chile-Honey-Glazed Fries
Tossed in a sticky, spicy honey glaze, these freezer-aisle fries are our most beloved texture: crispy gone soggy. Use crinkle-cut fries, waffle fries, tater tots, or even fries from your favorite take-out place if you’d like.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell19/53
Spinach Pilaf Pie
You can slice this bright and lemony spinach-packed pilaf. It holds its shape because it’s wrapped in a simple yogurt dough and baked in the oven until golden brown.
- Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophia Pappas20/53
Pears and Radishes With Gorgonzola and Nori
It’s almost as if you can skip dyeing the Easter eggs when you have pink watermelon radishes, purple daikon, golden pears, and blue and cream Gorgonzola dolce cheese to put color on the table.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Maya Rossi21/53
Yellow Squash Casserole With Easy Cheesy Cream Sauce
Want to make this cheesy squash casserole more of a meal? Bookmark it for after the holiday and fold in some shredded leftover ham before scatting the breadcrumbs on top.
- Photo by Alex Lau22/53
Carrot Salad With Feta and Anchovies
Thinly slicing the carrots on a bias with a mandoline makes all the difference in presentation, resulting in a chicer, more uniform shape than if you cut them by hand.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks23/53
Pork Floss and Seaweed Pull-Apart Rolls
If you've never heard of pork floss (also known as pork sung), it involves sweet and salty wisps of dried pork that resemble cotton candy and melt in the mouth.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart24/53
Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The beauty of this Easter side dish all comes down to a few smart moves and a simple sweet-and-savory sauce that transforms into a delicious balsamic glaze once oven-roasted.
- Photograph by Heami Lee, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by JoJo Li25/53
Lemony Pasta Salad With Crisped Capers
Softened onion and caramelized tomato paste add just the right amount of sweetness to balance the salty notes here. But the best part about this recipe? You can enjoy it immediately, after a few hours, or even chilled. (Hello, Easter leftovers.)
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop styling by Sophie Leng26/53
Kale Salad With Pecan Vinaigrette
A salad built for a big holiday feast should have enough flavor and heft to hold its own and be sturdy enough to dress ahead of time. This one checks all those boxes.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie27/53
Masala Rice
A bowl of plain white rice can certainly be comforting, but Easter is a time for something a little less quotidian. Warm spices, a spritz of lime juice, and 10 minutes are all you need to turn the everyday side into a flavor-packed one.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Taneka Morris, prop styling by Dayna Seman28/53
Chickpea Pancake With Pea Salad
This crisp-on-the-edges, tender-in-the-middle savory pancake topped with lemony mashed peas and blanched spring vegetables would be an excellent companion to slow-roasted fish, if that’s your Easter move.
- GRAYDONHERRIOTT29/53
Buttered Potatoes With Salted Lemon
This side dish mimics the fall-apart potatoes that soak up the savory stewed meat juices in a Moroccan tagine, but you can think of it as warm potato salad.
- Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua30/53
Asparagus With Parmesan Fonduta
A rich, velvety blanket of egg yolks, olive oil, and Parmesan to coat your vegetables? The Italians do it—fonduta is a classic in the northwestern region of Piedmont—and so can you.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski31/53
Scrunched Cabbage Salad With Grapefruit and Chiles
Not just for slaw, cabbage is a snappy base that can handle lots of refreshing acidity—in this case, from torn grapefruit and hot-and-sour chiles—without withering.
- Alex Lau32/53
Spinach-Yogurt Dip With Sizzled Mint
This dish can fall under “delicious sides” or “appetizers.” Our version of what’s called borani esfanaaj in Iran uses spinach, but can also be made with cooked beets or roasted eggplant.
- Photo by Gentl and Hyers, food Styling by Susie Theodorou, prop Styling by Nina Lalli33/53
Fresh Fruit With Cheese and Peppery Nuts
Make this fail-safe combination of fruit, crunchy-salty nuts, and chewy-fatty cheese your all-season salad template. Pick whatever fruit is sweet, juicy, and ripe in April and go for it.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Anna Billingskog34/53
Make-Ahead Broccoli and Quinoa Salad
The grain salad is ideal for bringing to an Easter dinner potluck. The oil and lemon juice soften the hard crunch of raw broccoli, meaning it gets better as it sits.
- Christopher Testani35/53
Roasted Carrots and Red Onions With Fennel and Mint
The key is for these veggies to be room—not refrigerator—temperature. This Easter side dish can even sit dressed for up to three hours and still be delicious.
- Christopher Testani36/53
Zucchini-Herb Fritters With Garlic Yogurt
Imagine taking a slice of lamb, placing it atop one of these crispy fritters, and topping it with a swoosh of savory, garlic-infused yogurt. Imagine cutting into it and taking a bite with all those layers intact. Yeah, you want to experience this.
- Alex Lau37/53
Citrus and Avocado Salad With Orange Water
This recipe teaches us a trick that we’ll use again and again: Salting the citrus draws out some of the juice, which becomes part of the vinaigrette.
- Gentl & Hyers38/53
Root Vegetable Tarte Tatin
We love the color and texture you get from using a combination of Yukon Gold and sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips, but any one of those root vegetables can be used on its own here, too.
- Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski39/53
Shaved Fennel Salad With Croutons and Walnuts
This is an antidote to every middling side salad. It has acidity and zing—lemon juice, the zest, sherry vinegar, mint, and red pepper flakes—just in case you were worried about palate fatigue.
- Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott40/53
Grain Salad With Olives and Whole-Lemon Vinaigrette
You really do want to choose Castelvetrano olives for this salad recipe. Their buttery flesh and mild flavor work nicely with the farro and fresh herbs—and will convert the most olive-averse.
- Alex Lau41/53
Hand Salad With Buttermilk, Grapefruit, and Mixed Seeds
There’s something so pleasing about reaching for a garlic whipped cream-loaded leaf of chilly, crispy Little Gem lettuce and crunching down on it like a potato chip.
- Alex Lau42/53
Instant Pot Polenta Cacio e Pepe
Yes, this is a recipe for cheesy, peppery polenta that you can make in an Instant Pot. “I’ll probably never make polenta on the stovetop again,” wrote one reader in the comments. “This is perfect in every way.”
- 43/53
Leeks in Vinaigrette With Walnuts and Tarragon
You may have seen the classic French side dish Leeks Vinaigrette, in which the alliums are served either whole or halved lengthwise. Our modern version has you cut the leeks into rounds, making them easier to serve to a crowd.
- Peden + Munk44/53
Golden Potato Cake
For this recipe, you’ll cook potatoes until tender, dispatch clarified butter, and give the pair the heat and time to become their best selves.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li45/53
Beet and Ricotta Hummus
We love a riff on hummus—and we especially love when that means the chickpea dip turns magenta. All you need is a roasted red beet and ricotta cheese.
- Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott46/53
Chicory Salad With Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
This sweet-sharp whole-grain mustard and sherry vinaigrette pairs well with bitter chicories like escarole and radicchio, but feel free to use another sturdy green if you like.
- Christopher Testani47/53
Carrot Tart With Ricotta and Herbs
Okay, we know we talked a big game about bias-cut carrots earlier, but for this tart, it’s carrot coins that look best scattered around in an even layer.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig48/53
Jammy Eggs With Paprika Mayo
These are like deviled eggs but faster, easier, more delicious, and fancier-sounding. You only need eggs, store-bought peperoncini (and a little bit of the brine), fresh parsley, mayonnaise, paprika, and salt.
- Eva Kolenko49/53
Braised Artichokes With Tomatoes and Mint
Seriously, how handsome is this side dish? Artichokes look so elegant and almost like flowers when halved through the stem and served, arranged in a line, on a platter.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco50/53
Grand Aioli
Dip everything—all of the things, including slices of Easter ham—into this garlicky mayonnaise. And save some for tomorrow, when you eat up the rest of those eggs you hard-boiled for decoration.
- Peden & Munk51/53
Grilled Asparagus and Spring Onions With Lemon Dressing
If it’s warm enough where you live to fire up the grill, go for this asparagus side dish. Along with whole spring onions, the stalks char in spots, making a nice smoky contrast to the lemony dressing.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski52/53
Little Wedge Salad with Sour Cream Dressing
It’s spring cleaning time. We got rid of all the extraneous ingredients and ended up with a modern, streamlined wedge salad that gives you what you’re really after: crunchy iceberg and a rich, tangy dressing.
- Christopher Testani53/53
Barley, Fennel, and Beet Salad
Here, you’ll bring hearty, filling barley and thinly sliced fennel and beets to life with fresh mint, toasted almonds, and a hit of sherry vinegar. It’s an Easter side dish that’ll serve just as well as a vegetarian main or a post-holiday take-to-work lunch.
