59 Easter Dinner Ideas for the Spring-Ready Spread of Your Dreams
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Seven-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. See recipe.Photograph by Joann Pai, food and prop styling by Rebekah Peppler - 2/59
BA’s Best Green Bean Casserole
Anchored by umami-rich browned criminis, a béchamel with nutty Parmesan, and extra crispy shallots, this take on the classic holiday side is called the best for a reason. See recipe.Alex Lau - 3/59
No-Fail Roast Chicken With Lemon and Garlic
This easy recipe for lemony roast chicken requires just six ingredients, no trussing, and it turns out great every time. See recipe.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser - 4/59
Carrot Salad With Feta and Anchovies
Marinated white anchovies add a nice vinegary bite to this carrot recipe. If you opt for the more common style of anchovies, season with less salt. See recipe.Photo by Alex Lau - 5/59
Ultra-Creamy Mashed Potatoes
No holiday dinner is complete without a potato side. There are endless ways to dress up a few pounds of spuds, but this smooth, silky mash will always be our favorite. See recipe.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman - 6/59
Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Tossing brussels sprouts in balsamic vinegar before roasting helps them absorb lots of flavor without going soggy. More brussels sprout recipes, right this way → See recipe.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart - 7/59
Spring Panzanella
This herbaceous, crunchy riff on the iconic Italian bread and tomato salad features some of our favorite spring produce—cucumbers, sugar snap peas, and asparagus—plus a tangy buttermilk dressing. See recipe.Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Pearl Jones, props by Nicole Louie - 8/59
Pineapple-Glazed Ham
We spike the glaze in this retro-chic 1950s-style Easter ham recipe with hot sauce and apple cider vinegar to cut through the sweetness. See recipe.Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski - 9/59
Roast 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 watery supermarket strawberries will work here since they get cooked down. See recipe. - 10/59
BA’s Best Buttermilk Biscuits
The best way to upgrade any holiday meal? Homemade bread. In the case of Easter, we’re turning to tall, flaky buttermilk biscuits—ideal for sandwiching leftover ham the next day. See recipe.Alex Lau - 11/59
Roasted Salmon With Citrus Salsa Verde
Perfumed with citrus zest and spooned over with an herby, olive oil–based relish, this “slow-cooked” fish only takes about 30 minutes in a low oven. See recipe.Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton - 12/59
Maple-Roasted Carrots
Even in a more eclectic Easter spread, there’s always a spot for classic maple-glazed carrots. It’s the simple side you’ll make year after year. See recipe.Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Dana Bonagura - 13/59
Braised Oxtails With Coconut Rice
Spoon-tender meat, silky beans, and sweet, sticky rice give this Jamaican dish the feel of a “warm hug,” according to chef Kwame Onwuachi. See recipe.Photo by Chris Morocco - 14/59
Classic Potatoes au Gratin
Sometimes you just can’t beat the classics. Flavored with garlic and shallot and covered in cream and melty Gruyère and Parmesan, these scalloped potatoes just might be the best Easter side dish. See recipe.Photo by Christopher Testani - 15/59
Grapefruit Crudo
Hesitant to serve raw fish at home? You can make crudo out of just about anything. In this recipe, we swap the seafood for grapefruit and radishes, marinated in a zingy lime dressing. See recipe.Photograph by Doaa Elkady, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker - 16/59
Shawarma-Spiced Carrots With Date and Herb Salad
Classic roasted carrots are delicious—but coated in spices and piled high with jalapeños, dates, and fresh herbs? That’s a revelation. See recipe.Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore - 17/59
Spicy-Tamarind-and-Honey-Glazed Spiral Ham
This recipe is a sweet, sour, and spicy take on the classic Easter ham. Stuff the leftovers into a yeasted dinner roll. See recipe.Marcus Nilsson - 18/59
Simple Does It Deviled Eggs
The filling for these, ahem, Easter eggs is studded with crunchy celery and scallion. Even the Easter bunny may want to steal a few. See recipe.Photograph by Victoria Jane, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi - 19/59
Spring-y Panzanella With Kombucha Vinaigrette
If you’ve got a bottle of kombucha in the fridge, turn it into vinaigrette. It pairs up with sherry vinegar to add real punch to this bountiful panzanella salad. See recipe.Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susan Ottaviano, prop styling by Sophie Strangio - 20/59
Radish Rainbow Salad
This vibrant, fresh salad will put your farmers market haul of radishes to good use. We suggest using a few different types of radishes, but don’t forget the Easter Egg variety (only appropriate for the occasion). See recipe.Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich - 21/59
Slow-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 the 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. See recipe.Photo by Laura Murray, Styling by Judy Mancini - 22/59
Wedge Salad With Toasted Sesame-Seaweed Ranch
If your Easter menu is heavy on meat and potatoes, this refreshing salad with crisp iceberg lettuce and jazzed-up ranch is a wonderful counterbalance. See recipe.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Allison Ritchie - 23/59
Charred Asparagus and Dates With Goat Cheese
Charred asparagus is good, but you know what’s even better? Charred dates. They’re the sticky-sweet star of the show in this Easter side dish, which you can get on the table in just 15 minutes. See recipe.Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore - 24/59
Niçoise Toast
Hosting Easter brunch alfresco? Turn a classic French salad into handheld toasts, topped with oil-packed tuna, olives, and perfect soft-boiled eggs. See recipe.Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Molly Baz, prop styling by Emily Eisen - 25/59
Fava 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. See recipe.Alex Lau - 26/59
Miso 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 spooned on top. See recipe.Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen - 27/59
Charred Kale With Citrus and Green Tahini
Sure, you could spend hours on a pot roast, but this colorful kale salad still might steal the show. Jeweled with grapefruit wedges and tossed with green tahini dressing, it’s hearty enough to serve as a vegetarian main for Easter. See recipe.Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova - 28/59
Tuna 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. See recipe.Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski - 29/59
All A’s Spring Salad With Mahi-Mahi
Throw together the asparagus, arugula, and avocado salad in the 10 minutes it takes the fish to roast. Yes, it’s as simple as that. See recipe.Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by D’mytrek Brown - 30/59
Air Fryer Crispy Brussels Sprouts With Honey Butter
These brussels sprouts are a textural masterpiece: Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. Don’t skip the drizzle of honey butter. See recipe.Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks - 31/59
Smothered Pork Chops in Potlikker Gravy
Carla Hall’s juicy smothered pork chops start with a country ham potlikker, which you can also use in salad dressing or gravy. See recipe.Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh - 32/59
Whole Fish Ssam
In Korean, ssam literally means “wrapped.” With this technique, 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. See recipe.Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D'mytrek Brown, Small Bowls by Meilen Ceramics - 33/59
Cast-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? See recipe.Marcus Nilsson - 34/59
Deviled Eggs on Biscuits With Trout Roe and Dill
No need to mess around with a piping bag. Make the deviled egg spread, spoon it onto split biscuits, and top with a bright, salty pop of trout roe. It’s fancy made easy. See recipe.Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott - 35/59
Spinach-Yogurt Dip With Sizzled Mint
Often made with cooked beets or roasted eggplant, our version of this dip (called borani esfanaaj in Iran) uses spinach and Greek yogurt. A drizzle of sizzled mint oil finishes it off in style. See recipe.Alex Lau - 36/59
Shockingly Easy No-Knead Focaccia
We’re not exaggerating when we say making this fresh baked bread requires zero skill. Just plan ahead—the dough benefits from an overnight rise. See recipe. - 37/59
Shaved Fennel Salad With Croutons and Walnuts
This salad is not just a side: It’s a main event. Fennel shavings pair with walnuts and sourdough croutons in this delightfully crunchy salad, finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan. See recipe.Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski - 38/59
Classic Cassoulet
Layers of duck, two kinds of sausage, ragout, and beans make this the comfort meal to end all comfort meals. It requires some planning, but every step is doable, even if you’re not a pro. See recipe.Alex Lau - 39/59
Citrus and Avocado Salad With Orange Water
Use whatever mix of end-of-season citrus you can get your hands on for this salad (we love blood oranges and grapefruit). Salting the citrus draws out some of the juice, which becomes part of the vinaigrette. See recipe.Alex Lau - 40/59
Lamb 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. See recipe.Marcus Nilsson - 41/59
Spice-Crusted Ham With Brown Sugar Glaze
A sweet glaze of brown sugar, orange juice, and honey helps this hunk of ham develop a sweet, crackly crust in the oven. See recipe.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart - 42/59
Spring Vegetable Bhajia
Spring veggies, but make them fritters. This popular Indian snack transforms scallions, onion, Napa cabbage, carrots, and sugar snap peas into crispy, golden bites. Serve them with scallion chutney and spiced ketchup or your favorite creamy dip. See recipe.Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Frances Boswell, prop styling by Sophie Strangio - 43/59
Pasta Salad With Spring Vegetables and Tomatoes
Unlike its mayo-slicked ancestors, this light, bright pasta salad is dressed with lemon juice and plenty of fresh herbs. See recipe.Photo by Alex Lau - 44/59
Asparagus With Parmesan Fonduta
Tuck snappy asparagus under a rich, velvety blanket of Parmesan fondue for a cozy dish perfect for still-cold spring nights. See recipe.Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua - 45/59
Fried Lemon and Radish Salad
With sizzled lemon wheels, toasted pistachios, and thinly sliced radishes (for uniform rounds, use a mandoline), this salad is truly unforgettable. Blanching the lemons before frying them strips away unwanted bitterness. See recipe.Photograph by Joann Pai, food and prop sryling by Rebekah Peppler - 46/59
Boquerones With Green Olives and Orange
The best appetizers require minimal time and effort. Accordingly, this dish of marinated boquerones and olives—which looks pretty impressive, mind you—takes less than 15 minutes to assemble. See recipe.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro - 47/59
Bagna Cauda With Spring Vegetables
This warm, garlicky anchovy dip dates back to 16th-century Italy. Serve it beside snappy spring vegetables on a crudités platter. See recipe.Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua - 48/59
Mint and Cumin-Spiced Lamb Chops
Pulse together cilantro, parsley, mint, and spices. Rub that herby mix all over lamb chops and let them luxuriate for a few hours before grilling. Serve with grilled or roasted asparagus. See recipe.Peden + Munk - 49/59
Bean and Vegetable Salad With Potlikker Vinaigrette
Transform meaty potlikker into a rich, tangy dressing for apples, fennel, and roast delicata squash. See recipe.Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh - 50/59
Spicy Maple-Glazed Ham
This recipe from French culinary authority Jacques Pépin uses a clever trick (hint: you’ll need a large pot) to yield the most tender holiday ham, slicked with sriracha and vinegar. See recipe.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua - 51/59
Ham and Cheese Feuilleté
Take a snackable approach to Easter dinner and fill the table with appetizers. Instead of baked ham, make these crispy, buttery ham and cheese bites the centerpiece. See recipe.Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens - 52/59
Sweet Potatoes With Maple Tahini
These crispy sweet potato wedges with sweet-nutty maple tahini are a fun play on the flavors found in a typical sweet potato casserole. See recipe.Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime - 53/59
Fried 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). It’s fried and served with a peppery piri-piri sauce. See recipe.Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton - 54/59
Arctic 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. See recipe.Ted Cavanaugh - 55/59
Crispy Potatoes With Bay and Scallions
After boiling potatoes, coat them in duck fat so they get a crinkly golden crust in the oven. Adding scallions to the sheet tray after 30 minutes of cooking ensures they’re crisp, but not burnt. See recipe.Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio - 56/59
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
No more fighting for oven space before the big meal—this pot roast cooks all day in the slow cooker, filling your home with a warm, savory fragrance. See recipe.Alex Lau - 57/59
Eggs Rémoulade
Presenting: hard-boiled eggs in cocktail party attire (i.e., briny, herby mayonnaise). The ideal Easter dinner appetizer, you can make their presentation even fancier with a dedicated egg tray. See recipe.Photograph by Joann Pai, food and prop sryling by Rebekah Peppler. - 58/59
Lamb Meatloaf With Yogurt Sauce
Topped with a lemony herb salad and served with a simple yogurt sauce, this free-form, spiced meatloaf is worthy of any special occasion meal. See recipe.Alex Lau - 59/59
Black Bass With Preserved Lemon–Pistachio Sauce
Preserved lemons bring salty tang to this brown butter-pistachio pan sauce. Spoon it over seared black bass, red snapper, cod, grilled chicken…we could go on. It’s an elegant Easter dinner idea for a smaller party. See recipe.Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Allison Ritchie
Alma Avalle, Zoe Denenberg
Prepare for seasonal produce—and a massive holiday feast—with our favorite Easter dinner menu ideas.
Originally Appeared on Bon Appétit