Easter Sunday Food Ideas
Easter Sunday Food Ideas
We love that Easter dinner isn’t as set in stone as other food holidays (looking at you, Thanksgiving). But the trouble is that can make 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 rack of lamb, but there’s nothing stopping you from going off script with a glazed turkey or a fried whole fish, or welcoming the return of fresh spring produce with any number of vegetarian entrées. Whatever your table looks like, as long as it’s covered with these Easter side dishes, appetizers, and main course items, your guests will walk away happy and full. Just don’t forget the chocolate eggs.
-
Photograph By Joann Pai, Food And Prop Styling By Rebekah Peppler1/77Seven-Hour Braised Leg of Lamb
Low, slow, and steady win the race when it comes to this juicy, tender, wine-braised Easter dinner idea from À Table author Rebekah Peppler.
-
Alex Lau2/77BA’s Best Green Bean Casserole
Chris Morocco’s take on this classic holiday side dish is anchored by umami-rich browned criminis, a béchamel with nutty Parmesan, and extra crispy shallots.
-
Photo By Alex Lau3/77Carrot Salad with Feta and Anchovies
The marinated white anchovies make this carrot recipe stand out by adding a nice vinegary bite. If you opt for the more common style of anchovies, season with less salt.
-
Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling By Kalen Kaminski4/77Pineapple-Glazed Ham
We spiked the glaze in this retro-chic 1950s-style Easter ham recipe with hot sauce and apple cider vinegar to cut through the sweetness.
-
Photo By Chelsie Craig, Food Styling By Pearl Jones, Props By Nicole Louie5/77Spring Panzanella
This herbaceous, crunchy, green riff on the iconic bread and tomato salad features all of our favorite spring vegetables, plus a tangy buttermilk dressing.
-
Peden + Munk6/77Mint and Cumin-Spiced Lamb Chops
Pulse together a mix of cilantro, parsley, mint, and spices. Rub that herby mix all over lamb chops and let them luxuriate for a few hours before taking them out to the grill. Serve with grilled or roasted asparagus.
-
Photo By Gentl & Hyers7/77Ricotta Dumplings with Asparagus and Green Garlic
Once you get the hang of it, forming these dumplings is easy, but it may take a little practice at first. For more guidance, watch our video here.
-
Photo By Chris Morocco8/77Braised Oxtails With Coconut Rice
Spoon-tender meat, silky beans, and sweet, sticky rice give this Jamaican dish the equivalent feel of a “warm hug,” according to chef Kwame Onwuachi.
-
Ted Cavanaugh9/77Arctic 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 Alex Lau, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich10/77Radish Rainbow Salad
A colorful, stunning (and dead simple) salad made with a farmers’ market bounty of different radishes.
-
Peden & Munk11/77Grilled Asparagus and Spring Onions with Lemon Dressing
This easy recipe comprises charred spring vegetables and a mustardy lemon vinaigrette. It’s the perfect side dish for an al fresco Easter dinner.
-
Photo By Isa Zapata, Food Styling By Micah Morton, Prop Styling By Nicole Louie12/77Thai Roast Chicken Thighs With Coconut Rice
This single skillet Easter recipe is a riff on Diana Yen’s favorite Thai rotisserie chicken. It packs coconut milk, lime juice, and fish sauce for plenty of umami.
-
Alex Lau13/77Lamb Meatloaf with Yogurt Sauce
This free-form meatloaf is infused with spices (coriander, cumin, and cinnamon) and topped with a lemony herb salad, making it worthy of any special occasion meal.
-
Photo By Laura Murray, Styling By Judy Mancini14/77Slow-Roasted Lapsang Salmon with Spring Vegetables
For this Easter dinner recipe, you’ll make an extra-strong cup of smoky lapsang (a Chinese black tea) to use as a marinade for salmon. Once the fish is infused, roast it in a low oven, and then spoon big chunks onto a platter with a gingery radish and snap pea salad.
-
Alex Lau15/77Fava Bean and Asparagus Salad
Green beans! Green asparagus! Green pistachios! … You get the idea—this salad is a celebration of spring. If you can’t find fava beans, substitute English peas or sugar snap peas instead.
-
Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Chris Morocco, Prop Styling By Emily Eisen16/77Miso 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 veg that get spooned over the top.
-
Photograph By Joann Pai, Food And Prop Sryling By Rebekah Peppler.17/77Eggs Rémoulade
Hard-boiled eggs in cocktail-party attire (i.e., briny, herby mayonnaise) are the ideal Easter dinner appetizer. Make them even fancier with a dedicated egg tray.
-
Ted Cavanaugh18/77Sautéed Asparagus and Morels with Gribiche Dressing
You don’t have to peel asparagus (unless you really want to!); just leave any thicker spears in the pan for an extra minute.
-
Photo By Alex Lau19/77Smashed Potato Salad with Chorizo, Aioli, and Scallions
This paprika- and chile-spiked potato salad is equally delicious served warm or room temperature.
-
Christopher Testani20/77Olive-Stuffed Leg of Lamb
The stuffing for this butterflied leg of lamb may seem like it’s not enough, but it’s packed with heavy hitters (shallot, garlic, olives, anchovies, lemon zest, mint, parsley, thyme, and pine nuts) so the flavor it imparts is ample.
-
Photo And Food Styling By Carla Lalli Music21/77Extremely Cheesy Potato Gratin
Creamy, cheesy scalloped potatoes with crispy edges, tender middles, and just a whisper of heat—need we say more?
-
Photograph By Emma Fishman, Food Styling By Micah Morton22/77Fried Fish With Piri-Piri Sauce
This Easter Sunday recipe features whole fish rubbed with an aromatic spice blend reminiscent of mchuzi mix (a seasoning popular in Kenya and other parts of Africa) that’s fried and served with a peppery sauce.
-
Photograph By Paola + Murray, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling By Marina Bevilacqua23/77Asparagus With Parmesan Fonduta
Snappy asparagus gets tucked under a rich velvety blanket of Parmesan cheese—a cozy dish for still-cold spring nights.
-
24/77One-Skillet Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie
Rotisserie chicken, store-bought puff pastry, and just one skillet keep this hearty dinner recipe from feeling too fussy—or taking all day to make.
-
Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling By Kalen Kaminski25/77Tuna Niçoise Salad
This classic spring salad works just as well for Easter brunch as it does for dinner. Using really good oil-packed tuna makes a big difference.
-
Marcus Nilsson26/77Spicy-Tamarind-and-Honey-Glazed Spiral Ham
This recipe is a sweet, sour, and spicy take on the classic Easter ham, and the leftovers will taste awesome when stuffed into a yeasted dinner roll.
-
Photo By Emma Fishman, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling By Sophie Strangio27/77Smothered Cabbage With Sausage and Hot Honey
For this riff on a comfort food classic, you’ll smother tender steamed cabbage in a velvety sauce made with bacon and sausage, then drizzle on some spicy honey to finish.
-
Photo By Heidi’s Bridge, Styling By Molly Baz28/77Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Think of this pork roast as the simplified version of a classic Italian porchetta—it’s not traditional, but it sure is delicious.
-
Photograph By Emma Fishman, Food Styling By D’mytrek Brown29/77All A’s Spring Salad With Mahi-Mahi
A spring dinner that takes 15 minutes to prepare! Throw together the asparagus, arugula, and avocado salad in the 10 minutes it takes the fish to roast.
-
Photograph By Isa Zapata. Food Styling Cyd McDowell. Prop Styling By Paige Hicks30/77Mortadella Wedge Salad
It’s not like a regular wedge; it’s a cool wedge—and by cool we mean stuffed with pickled jalapeños and paper-thin slices of mortadella and drizzled with tangy buttermilk dressing.
-
Photo By Isa Zapata, Food Styling By Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling By Paige Hicks31/77Air Fryer Crispy Brussels Sprouts With Honey Butter
These Brussel sprouts are a textural masterpiece: crisp on the outside, tender inside, and drizzled with an indulgent honey butter.
-
Photograph By Joann Pai, Food And Prop Styling By Rebekah Peppler32/77New Potatoes With Mimolette
If you can’t find French Mimolette cheese, use Parmesan, aged Gouda, or aged cheddar as a substitute. Each alternative will lend its own flavor to the final dish, but at the end of the day you’ll still have potatoes showered in cheese, and that’s never a bad thing.
-
Photograph By Emma Fishman, Food Styling By Micah Morton, Prop Styling By Stephanie Yeh33/77Smothered Pork Chops in Potlikker Gravy
Carla Hall’s juicy smothered pork chops start with a country ham potlikker. Don’t skip it or you’ll miss out on oodles of comforting southern flavor.
-
Shay Harrington34/77Leek and Potato Galette with Pistachio Crust
Adding ground pistachios creates a substantial dough that complements the leeks for in these free-form tarts.
-
Photo By Stephen Kent Johnson, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling By Kalen Kaminski35/77Shaved Cauliflower
Cauliflower shaved into thin, crunchy slices, and dressed in a crispy garlic and coconut relish will have you seeing the vegetable in an entirely new light.
-
Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Pearl Jones, Prop Styling By Sophie Strangio36/77Tangy Brisket With Fennel and Herbs
This Easter main is seasoned heavily with salt and pepper, seared until deeply browned, strewn with caramelized savory aromatics, and braised until fall-apart tender. Serve with mashed potatoes so they can soak up all the flavorful jus.
-
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott37/77Turnip and Kale Gratin
If you come across turnips with good-looking greens still attached, use in place of the kale. Mustard greens would be great here, too.
-
Photograph By Graydon Herriott, Food Styling By Sue Li, Prop Styling By Aneta Florczyk.38/77Smoky and Crunchy Peas With Creamy Nuoc Cham
Sour-salty-spicy nuoc cham goes creamy thanks to a handful of toasted cashews and a blender. Spoon the sauce over blistered peas or just about any other vegetable.
-
Photo By Emma Fishman, Bowl By Meilen Ceramics39/77Black Pepper Tofu and Asparagus
In this 30-minute dish, black pepper is the star, not the sidekick: When bloomed in oil, the coarsely ground peppercorns become piquant and fragrant enough to flavor the entire sauce.
-
Photographs By Josephine Schiele. Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich40/77Ham and Cheese Hand Pies With Honey Mustard
These savory hand pies are flaky, melty, and, thanks to a package of frozen puff pastry and sliced deli ham and cheese, really simple to assemble.
-
Photo By Chelsie Craig, Food Styling By Kate Buckens41/77Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Warm Honey Glaze
Roasty toasty brussels soak up this delicious honey sauce, creating a combo you just can’t beat. A garnish of lemon zest brightens it up for spring.
-
Photo By Emma Fishman, Food Styling By D’mytrek Brown, Small Bowls By Meilen Ceramics42/77Whole Fish Ssam
In Korean, ssam literally means “wrapped”—set the fish in the center of the table and pull the meat off the bones, using chopsticks to fill lettuce wraps along with radish salad, ssamjang, kimchi, and rice. Roasting a whole fish—skin, bones, and all—is surprisingly easy, and the flesh stays moist and flavorful even if you overcook it a touch.
-
Peden + Munk43/77Golden Potato Cake
Sauté thinly sliced potatoes in clarified butter until tender, but not falling apart, then layer in a pan and bake. The bottommost layer will turn crispy and golden, while the center gets creamy.
-
Photograph By Graydon Herriott, Food Styling By Sue Li, Prop Styling By Aneta Florczyk.44/77Big Shells With Spicy Lamb Sausage and Pistachios
Big shells aren’t just for stuffed pasta. Here they hold strong against punchy sauce, spicy sausage, and bracing broccoli rabe.
-
Alex Lau45/77Pork Tenderloin with Golden Beets
We love the easy walnut sauce that goes with this pork tenderloin. Make it up to a week ahead or save the leftover sauce to make quick work of a weeknight meal a few days after Easter.
-
Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling By Heather Greene46/77Sumac-Rubbed Lamb with Minty Artichokes
There’s no better large-format meat: A leg of lamb is fatty, flavorful, and crowd-pleasing, plus its size makes it hard to overcook.
-
Eva Kolenko47/77“The Greatest” Deviled Eggs
The filling for these, ahem, Easter eggs is coarsely mashed and studded with crunchy celery and scallion. Even the Easter bunny may want to steal a few.
-
Eva Kolenko48/77Braised Artichokes with Tomatoes and Mint
Pick artichokes with tightly packed, squeaky-firm green leaves and a fresh-looking cut on the stem end.
-
49/77Classic Potato Gratin
This Frenchy potato dish, flavored with a garlic- and shallot-infused cream, and covered in melted Gruyère and Parmesan just may be the best Easter side dish. There, we said it.
-
Alex Lau50/77Green Beans and Cucumbers with Miso Dressing
Crushing and smashing green beans and cucumbers sounds crazy, but it creates nooks and crannies to soak up as much umami-rich miso sauce as possible. And this is a dressing you’ll want a lot of.
-
Photo By Chelsie Craig, Styling By Molly Baz51/77Spiced Marinated Lamb Chops with Garlicky Yogurt
Coat lamb chops with a spiced yogurt marinade and then try to give them a full 12-hour rest before cooking. The marinade will help them take on beautiful color and crisp edges and perfume the meat with great flavor.
-
Marcus Nilsson52/77Cast-Iron Roast Chicken with Crispy Potatoes
In this simple recipe, paper thin slices of potato soak up all the drippings while the chicken roasts. It deserves an equally easy Easter dessert—may we suggest a streamlined carrot loaf cake?
-
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott53/77Deviled Eggs on Biscuits with Trout Roe and Dill
Is piping deviled egg filling into hollowed whites too finicky for you? Instead, make a deviled egg spread, spoon it onto split biscuits, and top with a bright, salty pop from trout roe.
-
Marcus Nilsson54/77Slow-Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mint Yogurt and Salsa Verde
Grill a rosemary- and garlic-perfumed leg of lamb over indirect heat for a few hours and save the oven for Easter cakes, pies, and sides.
-
Ted Cavanaugh55/77New Potatoes with Parmesan, Black Pepper, and Gribiche Dressing
If you can’t find new potatoes at the farmers’ market, look for Peewee potatoes or very small Yukon Golds at the grocery store.
-
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott56/77Romaine and Sugar Snap Peas with Pecan Dressing
Using pecans as a nut butter in the dressing and salt-roasted on top lends an earthy note to this bright spring salad.
-
Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling By Heather Greene57/77Chicken 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.
-
Alex Lau58/77Spinach-Yogurt Dip with Sizzled Mint
Andy Baraghani’s version of this dip (called borani esfanaaj in Iran) uses spinach, but it can be made with cooked beets or roasted eggplant, too.
-
Photo By Stephen Kent Johnson, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling By Kalen Kaminski59/77Lamb Meatballs with Raisin Pesto
Raisins in your pesto?!? We promise that they deliver the right amount of sweetness to complement the lamb. Stuff leftover meatballs onto slider buns with a swipe of Dijon mustard for lunch the next day.
-
60/77Shockingly Easy No-Knead Focaccia
We’re not exaggerating when we say making this fresh baked bread requires zero skill and provides ample opportunity to be amazed by yourself and by the wonders of yeast.
-
Photo By Stephen Kent Johnson, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling By Kalen Kaminski61/77Shaved Fennel Salad with Croutons and Walnuts
This is an antidote to every side salad that ever was. Instead of meh greens, it’s got shavings of fennel that bend and twist but keep their refreshing crunch.
-
Photo By Chelsie Craig62/77Jammy Eggs with Paprika Aioli
Whisk paprika into store-bought mayonnaise and then dollop on jammy soft-boiled eggs and top with something pickly (the recipe calls for pepperoncini, but sliced cornichon or cherry peppers also work well).
-
Eva Kolenko63/77Cacio e Pepe Potatoes
The classic Pecorino and black pepper combination is delicious on way more than pasta. Try it on veg and rice, too.
-
Eva Kolenko64/77Stuffed Lamb Breast with Lemon, Ricotta, and Oregano
Straining the ricotta will tighten the filling, making it easier to roll. Let it hang out in a sieve while you’re measuring everything else out.
-
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott65/77Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes and Asparagus Gremolata
This special occasion main is the star of the Easter dinner menu chef Vivian Howard curated for our April 2017 issue. Get her full Easter menu here.
-
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott66/77Braised Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic
If you really want to go all out, you can brown the lamb in a wood-burning oven (erm, if you’ve got one handy) where it could absorb smoky flavors. For the rest of us, that step for this recipe can be done in a hot oven.
-
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott67/77Moroccan Lamb Shanks with Pomegranate
With a spice mix inspired by North African foodways and the finishing touches of tart pomegranate seeds and fresh torn mint, this braise has bright, dynamic flavor.
-
Alex Lau68/77Classic Cassoulet
Layers of duck, two kinds of sausage, a hearty ragout, and beans make this the comfort meal to end all comfort meals. Our classic cassoulet recipe takes no shortcuts and requires a little planning, but every step is totally doable, even if you’re not a pro.
-
Photo By Emma Fishman, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou69/77No-Fail Roast Chicken with Lemon and Garlic
This easy, lemony roast chicken requires just six ingredients, no trussing, and turns out great every time. Stick that in your Easter basket!
-
Alex Lau70/77Citrus and Avocado Salad with Orange Water
Use whatever mix of end-of-season citrus you can get your hands on (we love blood oranges and Oro Blanco grapefruit). Salting the citrus draws out some of the juice, which becomes part of the vinaigrette.
-
Photo By Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling By Michelle Gatton71/77Roasted Salmon with Citrus Salsa Verde
This slow-cooked fish (really it only takes about 30 minutes in a low oven) is perfumed with citrus zest and gets an herby olive oil–based relish spooned over the top when it’s done.
-
Photo By Chelsie Craig, Food Styling By Claire Saffitz72/77Roast Chicken with Bell Peppers, Lemon, and Thyme
Roast a chicken over a bed of sweet peppers and the veg will collapse into a jammy side dish that’s full of flavor from the drippings.
-
Marcus Nilsson73/77Lamb 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 all in one.
-
Christopher Testani74/77Duck Breast with Mustard Greens, Turnips, and Radishes
Don’t be tempted to crank the heat. Pan-seared duck breasts need a steady, mild temperature so that the fat renders out and the skin becomes wonderful crisp.
-
Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling By Heather Greene75/77Brothy Meatballs with Peas, Fennel, and Tiny Pasta
This dish is a perfect choice for those blustery but bright early spring days: It’s comforting from the simple-but-flavorful broth and bright from the crunchy fresh topping.
-
Photo By Alex Lau, Food Styling By Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling By Heather Greene76/77Butter-Roasted Halibut with Asparagus and Olives
Our best tip for cooking fish for a crowd? Slow-roast a single large fish fillet instead of making several small ones—it ensures that the fish is buttery and delicious.
-
77/77One-Skillet Steak and Spring Veg with Spicy Mustard
This one-skillet sauté of spring veggies (asparagus, green peas, and scallions) cooked in the drippings from a strip steak may not be among the most traditional Easter dinner ideas, but it’s one that’s sure to please the whole family—especially the person tasked with cleaning up.
About Author
