With vegetable-filled appetizers, glazed ham and roasted lamb, as well as bunny-shaped sweet treats, this recipe collection includes all the celebration-worthy Easter dinner ideas you'll want to add to your menu.

65 Best Easter Dinner Ideas for Your Holiday Feast

Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze
With just five minutes of prep and a three-ingredient glaze, this gorgeous Easter ham could not be simpler. Bonus: You’ll get to enjoy all the tasty dishes you can make with leftover ham, like casseroles, soups and sandwiches.
Party Mashed Potatoes
Of all our best side dishes for a crowd, these creamy baked mashed potatoes tend to be the biggest hit. And we think we know why: With four types of dairy (sour cream, cream cheese, butter, cheddar cheese), this recipe couldn’t get more decadent.
Asparagus Tart
Asparagus is an earthy vegetable that tastes best when cooked until crisp-tender. This rustic recipe takes the deliciousness of roasted asparagus even further by spreading it atop a buttery puff pastry with lots of fontina cheese. Make the puff pastry from scratch if you really want to impress.
Ultimate Scalloped Potatoes
Cheesy, silky scalloped potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. This gluten-free version of the classic dish features a blend of mild and nutty Swiss cheese and salty Parmesan, both of which brown beautifully in the oven.
Cheese Biscuits
Thanks to the easy “drop” method, these cheddar-y, garlicky biscuits come together in a flash. If you like copycat Red Lobster cheddar biscuits, you’ll love this recipe. A bit of crushed red pepper flakes add the perfect amount of zing.
Rack of Lamb
Lamb dishes are classic main course options for Easter, and this elegant rack of lamb is very impressive. For the prettiest presentation, make sure to ask for a frenched rack of lamb or ask your butcher to french it for you.
Herby Pea Salad
Frozen peas come alive with fragrant minced herbs like chives, parsley and tarragon, as well as sweet sauteed leeks and fresh asparagus. Opt for a fruity extra virgin olive oil to infuse the Dijon dressing with even more brightness.
Spanakopita
Layers of seasoned spinach, tangy feta cheese and buttery, crisp phyllo dough come together to make magic in this iconic Greek recipe that can be served as a side or as a vegetarian main dish. Use any types of green you prefer, like kale or Swiss chard.
Paska Bread
This gorgeously braided egg bread is a Ukrainian Easter staple that’s quite similar to a brioche. Serve it with butter, honey or any of your favorite jams. To make the bread more of a confection, top it with an easy glaze: Mix lemon juice, confectioners’ sugar and just a touch of milk.
Deviled Eggs
It’s not Easter without eggs—plain and simple. If you don’t have any Easter egg hunts penciled in, get your fix with these creamy deviled egg bites, which are always a potluck hit. Make your life easier and learn a fantastic way to peel hard-boiled eggs: Roll the eggs back and forth on a hard surface while applying slight pressure. The shells will be easier to peel off!
Leg of Lamb Recipe
All you need to make this gorgeous roast leg of lamb (besides the lamb!) is a simple herb rub and a low-temperature oven. The leg cut is a great option because it’s much less expensive than a rack of lamb but still packed with loads of rich, juicy flavor. Check out our guide to buying and cooking lamb.
Crab and Asparagus Soup
Fresh asparagus is one of the most special springtime ingredients, in part because it’s at the farmers market for such a small window of time. Put those beautiful spears to good use in this creamy crab and asparagus soup, which gets extra pizzazz from zesty seafood seasoning and a hint of ground nutmeg.
Glazed Carrots
For a quick, elegant side dish that uses a vegetable you probably already have in your fridge, look no further. These sweet baby carrots are glazed simply with butter and brown sugar. We recommend using unsalted butter, so if you want to add salt to the glaze, you can control how much is in the dish.
Easter Cake Pops
These pretty egg-shaped cake pops transform a boxed cake mix into the most kid-friendly dessert (that also happens to look great in an Easter basket). Invest in a real piping bag to make your designs as precise as possible.
Hot Cross Buns
A traditional Easter bread, these doughy buns are delicately sweet and oh, so fluffy. Sprinkle the tops of the buns with cinnamon for some earthy flavor that goes beautifully with the glaze.
Corn Pudding
Made with hearty cornmeal and sweet corn kernels, this comforting side dish has a soft, custard-like texture that makes it best eaten with a spoon (hence its other name, spoonbread). This simple recipe uses pantry staples like a boxed cornbread mix, canned corn and canned cream-style corn.
Skillet Mac and Cheese
While instant mac and cheeses certainly hit the spot, there’s nothing as indulgent as a thick and creamy skillet mac and cheese, which takes only a few minutes longer than the boxed stuff. Make sure to cook your macaroni in well-salted pasta water for the most flavorful dish.
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Broccoli drenched in creamy broth will appeal to even the pickiest eaters. This rich soup recipe, which is thickened with a cornstarch slurry, is so comforting when served with fluffy yeast rolls.
Coconut Cake
This ultra-moist coconut cake is a decadent treat that lends itself well to cupcake form too. The cake contains a whopping 4 cups shredded coconut, so don’t forget to toast the coconut for the very best, slightly nutty aroma.
Carrot Soup
Warm, earthy seasonings like ground cumin and dried thyme pair perfectly with the naturally sweet root vegetables in this simple soup. Add a tablespoon of grated fresh ginger with the carrots for a zesty kick.
Roasted Asparagus Risotto
Rich prosciutto gets nice and crispy in the oven, making it easy to crumble over this elegant risotto. Risotto gets its creaminess from the method of cooking, which involves gradually incorporating chicken broth and white wine as the rice cooks. And let’s not forget the generous dose of Parmesan cheese—no heavy cream required!
Easter Ham
A jar of orange marmalade makes a beautiful citrus-flavored glaze for holiday ham, and it gets a slightly spicy edge thanks to Dijon mustard. Note that marmalade is different from jam and jelly in that it typically contains citrus peels.
Pasta with Asparagus
This light 20-minute pasta showcases earthy in-season asparagus and nutty Parmesan cheese. For a crunchy, savory topper, saute cubed pancetta, drain off the grease and top the dish when you’re ready to serve it.
Rhubarb Rosemary Flatbread
It doesn’t get much prettier than this fluffy, herbaceous rhubarb flatbread, which displays the pink stalks beautifully on the bread’s surface. Drizzle the bread with honey before serving—or try hot honey if you like a kick.
Crescent Rolls
Store-bought crescent rolls are never a bad option, but these buttery homemade rolls are beyond heavenly. Avoid instant yeast for this recipe and find active dry yeast (in packets or jars) in your supermarket’s baking aisle. Here’s our goof-proof way to proof yeast.
Smashed Potatoes
Crispy, creamy and crackling, these dressed-up smashed potatoes are an impressive potato side dish that puts french fries to shame. Chives and parsley are classic complements to potatoes, but customize the seasoning as you like: garlic powder, taco seasoning and even za’atar are fun, unexpected options.
Roast Chicken
Perfectly juicy, tender roast chicken is a satisfying main dish for special occasions and weeknight dinners. You’ll want an instant-read meat thermometer to get the most accurate internal temperature reading.
Roasted Carrots and Onions
This classic roasted carrot and onion side dish is naturally sweet and gets tons of savory goodness from garlic and dried thyme. The recipe works well with just about any root vegetable you have on hand, like wedges of celery root, turnips or rutabaga.
Deviled Egg Potato Salad
Torn between making southern potato salad or rich deviled eggs? This tangy, creamy side dish is the best of both worlds. When picking potatoes for potato salad, we like to go for waxy red potatoes or all-purpose Yukon Gold.
Baby Swiss Appetizer Cheesecake
This savory cheesecake is an elegant make-ahead appetizer that can be made the day before to save time on the holiday. We never tire of Ritz cracker recipes!
Pork Loin with Strawberry-Rhubarb Chutney
Sweet-tart rhubarb is one of the highlights of spring, and here it is excellent in a chunky chutney used as a thick sauce for pork. All the great health benefits of rhubarb make it taste even sweeter.
Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Cream cheese is the secret weapon of creamy, decadent mashed potatoes. Dress up this recipe with toppings of shredded cheddar, crumbled cooked bacon or chopped green onions.
Pineapple-Glazed Ham
The bright and sweet flavor of pineapple is irresistible with salty, smoky ham, and brown sugar adds even more caramelized goodness to the equation. When deciding what ham to buy or how much ham to make, estimate approximately 3/4 to 1 pound of ham per person.
Slow-Cooker Lemon Chicken
This hearty slow-cooker recipe requires just 10 minutes of prep to turn out the most tender, moist chicken breast with a wonderful zesty citrus flavor. If your sauce looks too watery, thicken the juice with a slurry of cornstarch mixed with a little water. Serve the chicken with fluffy white rice or your favorite rice side dish.
Southern Deviled Eggs
The addition of sweet pickle relish gives these classic deviled eggs a satisfying tang. Make sure to use the best mayonnaise you can get your hands on (we can never resist Duke’s mayo).
Roast Rosemary Leg of Lamb
Marinate the lamb ahead of time—up to 24 hours in advance—to make Easter prep a breeze. Woodsy fresh rosemary is the key to the brightest flavor, but if you don’t have it on hand, swap in 4 teaspoons dried rosemary.
Easter Bunny Treats
What’s Easter without cute edible bunny treats? These marshmallow-and-frosting rabbits are so fun to decorate and even more fun to eat. Check out our collection of sweet bunny-shaped recipes.
Pesto Gnocchi
Pillowy, soft potato gnocchi is perfect for absorbing rich pesto sauce—and cooks way more quickly than your average pasta. Use your favorite jar of store-bought pesto or whip up classic green pesto yourself.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This comforting small-batch soup recipe is ideal for smaller Easter gatherings, as it makes two servings. Serve it with crusty no-knead Dutch oven bread for dipping, or even copycat Olive Garden breadsticks.
Sour Cream & Cheddar Biscuits
You can never go wrong with buttery, cheddar-packed biscuits. They make the ideal bread accompaniment to sweet Easter hams. Whip up any of these rich sour cream desserts with the leftover sour cream.
Pear and Pomegranate Lamb Tagine
Mix things up this Easter with a slow-cooked lamb tagine that’s subtly sweet thanks to finely chopped pear, pomegranate and a tiny bit of honey. Tagine was made for couscous, so try one of these couscous recipes to serve alongside it.
Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes with Pancetta
Unlike most mashed potato recipes, this fluffy potato recipe doesn’t include a drop of dairy. It gets all its depth from fruity olive oil and savory pancetta (or bacon). Pancetta and bacon have very similar textures and flavor profiles, but the main difference is that bacon has a smoky flavor.
Orange-Glazed Ham
Earthy allspice is the powerhouse spice that gives this impressive baked ham a unique flavor. Our Test Kitchen found the very best hams you can order online for your holiday feast.
Greek Orzo Chicken
Whether you celebrate Greek Easter or not, this fragrant, zesty chicken dish makes a festive Mediterranean-inspired centerpiece complete with orzo, olives, raisins and feta. Inexpensive, succulent and tender, slow-cooker chicken thighs are always a good idea.
Roasted Asparagus
Roasting asparagus in a foil packet ensures that the vegetable stays bright green and ends up with a perfectly crisp texture. Make sure you’re using the freshest possible stalks—here’s how to tell if asparagus is bad.
Easy Batter Rolls
We love that these fluffy dinner rolls can be baked ahead and frozen in airtight containers after cooling. When you’re ready to serve them, just microwave them on high until they’re warmed, around 30 to 45 seconds.
Orange-Pistachio Quinoa Salad
This salad looks like springtime sunshine in a bowl. Don’t worry—you don’t have to spend hours shelling pistachios! Search your grocery store for pre-shelled nuts to save on time.
Swiss Potato Puffs
These savory bites of potato goodness make a fun, starchy appetizer for Easter brunch. This is one of our favorite recipes with mashed potato flakes.
Grandma's Rosemary Dinner Rolls
It’s safe to say that most recipes with “Grandma” in the title are huge hits, and there’s nothing more comforting than these slightly sweet rolls flavored with aromatic rosemary. This recipe calls for bread flour, which gives the rolls a satisfyingly chewy texture.
Slow-Cooked Ham with Pineapple Sauce
Starting with a fully cooked boneless ham makes prep an absolute breeze for this filling main course. Unsweetened crushed pineapple forms the base of the tangy sauce that complements the smoky meat wonderfully.
Dijon-Rubbed Pork with Rhubarb Sauce
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more succulent, tender pork loin than this one. The robust flavor comes from a zesty Dijon rub. You can also use frozen rhubarb for the sauce: Just make sure to thaw it completely and drain it in a colander.
Asparagus and Green Beans with Tarragon Lemon Dip
We love covering crisp-tender asparagus and green beans in a zippy aioli-like sauce made with lemon juice, mayonnaise and fresh herbs. Of all the vegetable side dishes out there, this is one of the easiest, and it looks very elegant on a serving dish.
Apple Cider-Glazed Ham
Apple and pork are a classic flavor combination, so it’s only logical that apple cider—with a little help from Dijon, honey and cider vinegar—makes a tasty glaze for bone-in ham. Increase the chili powder content for more of a kick.
Ham and Potatoes Au Gratin
These cheesy, starchy au gratin potatoes are an excellent way to use up leftover cooked ham, but any type of bacon would also taste wonderful here. The best way to slice super-thin potatoes for this recipe, which helps everything cook evenly, is with a mandolin slicer.
Marshmallow Easter Eggs
Feel free to prepare these sweet egg-shaped confections with silicone molds instead of flour, and make sure to avoid these homemade candy mistakes, like not using a candy thermometer. For more holiday sweet ideas, check out these adorable Easter candy recipes.
Cream of Carrot Soup
Heavy cream gives this naturally sweet carrot soup a luxurious mouthfeel. To get the soup perfectly smooth, all you need is a basic immersion or countertop blender. If you don’t have fresh carrots, frozen carrots work fine.
Herb-Stuffed Pork Loin
Thanks to its jelly roll-style format, this pork loin roast stuffed with fragrant fresh herbs and lots of garlic has vibrant flavor in every bite. Make sure to let the roast stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
Split Pea Soup
Cooking with a meaty ham bone is the key to the best-tasting pea soup—it infuses the dish with a subtle touch of smokiness. Rather than having the split peas soak overnight, this recipe uses a quick-boil soak method.
Garlic Herbed Beef Tenderloin
Beef tenderloin is a succulent cut of steak that’s easy to work with and reliably tender. This simple roast is seasoned with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, like dried basil, dried rosemary and garlic.
Cauliflower Soup
There are many ways to cook cauliflower, but turning it into soup has the creamiest results. Use an aged sharp cheddar or even smoked cheddar to give the soup a bolder flavor.
Baked Ham with Pineapple
If you thought we were finished with ham and pineapple recipes … well, we’re not! This golden baked ham is a total showstopper that looks so pretty with sweet pineapple rings as a garnish. Check out our guide on how to carve a ham for step-by-step instructions that will have you carving like a pro.
Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
Buttery toasted pine nuts and crispy, salty pancetta give this contest-winning Brussels sprouts recipe such an elevated feel. A tablespoon of balsamic vinegar adds a hint of tanginess that brings all the elements together.
Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
If you have a more casual Easter dinner planned, consider this fun pasta salad that tastes just like deviled eggs and is incredibly cost-effective to put together. For a zestier kick, swap in a strong mustard, like hot English-style, for the regular mustard.
Plum-Glazed Lamb
The sweet glaze made of juicy canned plums is a spectacular match for the tender baked leg of lamb. There are many ways to cook lamb, but this method may be the most foolproof.
Pesto Tortellini Salad
Filled with tasty Mediterranean ingredients like Greek olives and marinated artichoke hearts, this pretty tortellini salad has so much rich, briny flavor. Even better, it can be made hours in advance. Throw in a few handfuls of arugula to give this pasta salad even more beautiful green color.
Easter Dinner Ideas FAQ
What should I include for a traditional Easter dinner menu?
Easter ham is perhaps the most classic dish served for the holiday, but other traditional Easter items include deviled eggs, vegetable side dishes featuring spring ingredients or starchy potatoes, and all types of bread, from hot-cross buns to simple dinner rolls. Comforting dishes like macaroni and cheese, cozy carrot soups and corn puddings are also popular. Don’t forget the sweet treats, either: These are our top-rated Easter desserts.
What is the best main dish to serve for Easter Sunday dinner?
An Easter Sunday dinner isn’t complete without an impressive main dish. While you can’t go wrong with a glazed, sweet-salty baked ham, other popular Easter main dishes include roasted leg of lamb, tender pork loin or roasted chicken.
What should I serve as side dishes for Easter dinner?
Potato dishes like mashed potatoes and potato salad are wonderful with just about any Easter main course, and other popular Easter sides include mac and cheese, oven-roasted carrots, springy salads and baked dinner rolls. Bright Easter salads add much-needed freshness to a decadent holiday spread.