17 Recipes for Your Easter Celebration
From lamb roasts to ham or french toast, I’ve got you covered with Easter recipes for brunch, lunch and more! In addition to the classic Easter egg hunt (fun at any age, honestly) I’d recommend using my tips to dye eggs as a fun craft.
Easter is one of the true signals that Spring really is in the air. Even if it’s still a bit chilly outside I’m more than ready to break out a fun pastel dress, start cooking with seasonal spring produce like asparagus or peas and begin wearing lighter jackets. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy Easter egg hunts and candy? My personal favorite are Cadbury mini eggs! I usually buy a few bags 1/2 off after Easter to stock up for the year!
I’ve always found it interesting that many Easter menus typically contain similar ingredients. It turns out, eggs are a symbol of rebirth and life while lamb represents sacrifice.
17 Recipes for Your Easter Celebration
Easter Side Dishes & Appetizers
Crispy Smashed Fried Potatoes
These potatoes garnished with luxurious toppings like caviar, roe and crème fraîche make a wonderful appetizer or side for Easter brunch or dinner. Dauphinoise or scalloped potatoes also make another great side dish!
French Potato Salad with Green Beans
This herby French potato salad with green beans is tossed in a simple lemon and garlic vinaigrette over a bed of arugula then topped with poached eggs. It makes for a wonderful side dish for a more unique dish than classic deviled eggs.
Crostini with Ricotta, Figs and Balsamic
I love taking advantage of fresh figs when they are in season. But if you can’t find fresh figs, I recommend substituting fig jam.
Whipped Pecorino Dip with Lemony Garlic Bread
The base of this creamy dip is actually tangy Greek yogurt blended with Pecorino Romano (though you can use Parmesan cheese instead). Pair it with fresh vegetables like carrots and peas or this bread made with lemon garlic butter topped with lemon zest.
Little Gem Salad with Green Goddess Dressing and Buttered Breadcrumbs
Green goddess dressing gets its name from the addition of fresh herbs, blended until smooth and uniform in color. Then I add avocado to my dressing and top the leaves with buttered breadcrumbs and avocado. For a more simple salad try this arugula salad with candied pine nuts
Easter Brunch
Brioche French Toast Topped with Fresh Berries and Whipped Cream
Eggy brioche bread soaks up a good amount of the egg mixture and leaves you with fluffy French toast when it’s cooked in the pan. Top with fresh berries and whipped cream for a classic breakfast.
Baked French Toast
Made casserole-style for an easy breakfast, this sweet dish has the consistency of bread pudding. It’s is acceptable to eat for breakfast drizzled (or drenched) in maple syrup!
Spring Vegetable Quiche
This vegetarian quiche recipe has a velvety, custardy filling paired with fresh spring vegetables like peas, asparagus and spinach, then topped with creamy goat cheese and pea shoots. Pair with some hot crossed buns, a sweet Easter bread.
Coffee Cake Streusel Muffins
These coffee cake muffins are perfect for an Easter brunch. They can be made a day ahead of time and warmed right before serving for that “fresh out of the oven” feel.
Veggie Frittata
A frittata is great because it’s a flexible recipe. You can follow my recipe or swap the vegetables for what you have in your fridge. Crumbled bacon or breakfast sausage also make great additions!
Apple Cinnamon Rolls
I add baked apples to this twist on classic cinnamon rolls. The sweet and tart apples complement the brown sugar and butter filling.
Easter Dinner Recipes
Buttermilk Brined Curry Spiced Roast Chicken with Spring Vegetables
I use a curry powder with the brine, which adds a subtle flavor to the roasted chicken. Buttermilk isn’t just for fried chicken! It works just as well for roasted chicken, creating tender, juice meat. The fat from the chicken adds flavor to the spring vegetables as they cook in the pan. This can be made in a roasting pan or sheet pan.
Anchovy-Garlic Butter Rubbed Whole Roasted Lamb Leg with Potatoes
This whole leg of lamb is roasted in a pan filled with potatoes at the bottom to catch the fat drippings as the lamb cooks. The whole leg of lamb makes for an impressive entrée!
Croque Madame
This gooey French classic combines creamy béchamel sauce with thinly sliced ham, melted Gruyère, crisp bread and a fried egg. This upgraded ham and cheese sandwich can be made for a group by assembling on a baking sheet.
Pastrami Spiced Roasted Whole Ham
The outside of the spiced meat develops a delicious heavily seasoned crust. Pastrami spices can vary – I use a base of black pepper and coriander mixed with brown sugar, paprika, mustard powder, salt, garlic and onion.
Greek Moussaka
Roasted eggplant is layered with slices of potatoes, a ground beef and lamb sauce as well as creamy béchamel for a classic, filling and delicious Greek entrée.
Easter Desserts
Easter Chocolate Coconut Macaroon Nests
Macaroons (with a OO), made from egg whites, sugar and coconut dipped in chocolate are not to be confused with their French counterpart macarons, which sandwich cookies made from almond flour. I top these with my favorite mini Cadbury egg candy for a seasonal twist.
Baklava
Baklava is made from buttery, crispy layers of phyllo dough alternated with a nutty pistachio and walnut filling drizzled with a sugary honey syrup. This sticky-sweet Greek dessert is also one of my favorites and can easily be made ahead of time for your Easter celebration.
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot cake isn’t as overly sweet as many desserts. The slightly savory cake helps to offset the creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting. Make this cake in layers or as a sheet cake.
Tips for Your Easter Table
- I like to decorate my easter table with fresh greenery with decorated Easter eggs.
- Try rolling cloth napkins in a U-shape and tie with a pink bead for napkins that look like bunnies.
- My mom always decorated store-bought or fresh-cut branches (blooming if you can find them!) with easter eggs looped with ribbons. It’s a German Easter tradition.
- Spring flowers like pastel tulips arranged in vases make for the perfect decor.
Rate + Review
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THIS RECIPE?