47 Easter Dinner Ideas You’ll Want to Make a Tradition
Easter dinner isn’t as fixed as other food-centric holidays (looking at you, Thanksgiving). You can go classic with honey-baked ham or a roast lamb leg—or lean into spring with lighter fare and bright, fresh sides.
That flexibility is part of the fun—but it can make menu planning a little overwhelming. Consider this your guide to building a complete Easter dinner, with mains, sides, salads, and breads to help you pull it all together. Our advice? Go big. Mix a few classic Easter recipes with new favorites, fill the table, and make it a meal worth repeating year after year.
Looking for more? We’ve got Easter sides, desserts. and brunch too.
Rhubarb ricotta toasts, bibingka waffles, ham-and-cheese-croissant bake, and more Easter brunch recipes to satisfy your holiday cravings.
Parmesan smashed potatoes, asparagus-artichoke galette, miso mac and cheese, and more sides worthy of your Easter table.
The airiest lemon cake, an apricot-almond tart, easy chocolate mousse, and more sweets to cap your Easter celebration.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski1/47Pineapple-Glazed Ham
We spiked the glaze for this retro-chic Easter dinner main with hot sauce and apple cider vinegar to cut through the sweetness. Serve with some simple roasted asparagus.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart3/47Spice-Crusted Ham With Brown Sugar Glaze
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Heather Greene4/47Sumac-Rubbed Lamb With Minty Artichokes
5/47Roast 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.
Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Victoria Granof, prop styling by Sophie Strangio6/47Beef Wellington With Green Sauce
Marcus Nilsson9/47Lamb 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.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser10/47Sheet-Pan Chicken and Potatoes With Lots of Lemon
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco11/47Tadka Turkey and Gravy
Break up with classic roast turkey for this cumin-rubbed, ghee-basted version that’s finished with a crackling mustard seed and curry leaf tadka.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Heather Greene12/47Chicken With Lemon and Spicy Spring Onions
A main and a side all in one: As the chicken fat renders, it bastes the vegetables for a built-in side dish. The perfect ending to this meal? Carrot cake. (And oh, do we have carrot cakes: classic carrot cake, gluten-free carrot cake, sheet-cake carrot cake, loaf-cake carrot cake, you name it.)
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling Christine Keely13/47Salmon With Sizzled Nut Salsa
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Kat Boystova14/47BA’s Best Linguine and Clams
A big bowl of linguine and clams is made for sharing—don’t forget garlic bread for sopping up the briny sauce.
Photograph by Heami Lee, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco15/47Spanish Shrimp and Rice with Saffron Mayo
Like a faster, easier paella, this Easter seafood dinner comes together in just 45 minutes. Make it for the holiday, and then again a few weeks later for an easy dinner party.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Allison Ritchie16/47Black 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.
Ted Cavanaugh18/47Arctic 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.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams19/47Carrot Wellington
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Leslie Garetto, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon20/47Mushrooms au Poivre
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen21/47Miso 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 Boytsova22/47Fall-Apart Caramelized Cabbage
This centerpiece-worthy vegetarian holiday dish is one of the easiest, most delicious ways to cook a whole head of cabbage until it’s falling-apart tender.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton, Prop Styling by Christine Keely24/47Easter Salad
Photo by Alex Lau26/47Carrot Salad With Feta and Anchovies
Marinated white anchovies add a nice vinegary bite to this carrot recipe. Important note: If you opt for the more common style of anchovies, season the salad with less salt.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman27/47Ultra-Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman28/47Spring Greens With Hot Bacon Vinaigrette
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Christina Allen29/47Extra-Creamy Deviled Eggs
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore30/47Shawarma-Spiced Carrots With Date and Herb Salad
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco31/47Hazelnut Green Beans With Prosciutto and Dates
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie32/47Spring-y Rice and Lentils With Coconut Yogurt
This spring side dish takes its cues from mujadara. And while the recipe makes a wonderful Easter side dish, you might come back to the recipe for weekday lunches throughout the season.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen35/47Potatoes au Gratin
The classics simply cannot be beaten. 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 Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore36/47Charred Asparagus and Dates With Goat Cheese
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks37/47Air Fryer Crispy Brussels Sprouts With Honey Butter
Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski38/47Shaved 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.
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco39/47The Gooiest Baked Mac and Cheese
This oozy, saucy, creamy mac and cheese—which, honestly, you could use any medium shell pasta; it doesn’t have to be macaroni—is ready to rock the terrain of side dishes on your Easter table.
Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua40/47Asparagus With Parmesan Fonduta
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Frances Boswell, prop styling by Sophie Strangio41/47Spring Vegetable Bhajia
Alex Lau42/47Fava 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.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Micah Morton44/47Cheddar Biscuits With Old Bay
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Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Gerri Williams45/47Buttery Milk Buns
Soft, buttery milk buns are perfect for sopping up sauces—or turning into next-day ham sandwiches. They combine the shape of Parker House rolls with the pillowy texture of milk bread for a star Easter bread.
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco46/47Garlic Bread Biscuits
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