Holidays & Occasions Easter Our Favorite Easter Menu Ideas Of All Time By Alana Al-Hatlani Alana Al-Hatlani Alana Al-Hatlani is an Assistant Food Editor at Southern Living. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on February 20, 2024 Close Photo: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Celebrate Easter with one of our creative and delicious Easter meal recipes. You will find all your favorite Easter dinner recipes included in this selection, from glazed hams to scalloped potatoes and pretty green salads. If you are hosting a formal Easter supper, we have the perfect lineup of tasty dishes that will impress your guests. Or choose a hearty breakfast casserole, break out the champagne flutes, and gather family and friends for a mid-morning brunch. If the weather promises to be nice, pull the picnic tables together for a casual potluck gathering full of everyone's favorite Easter food. Whether you need a menu for a small party of four or large gathering of more than 20 guests, you will find a host of ideas in this Easter menu collection. Try one of our favorite Easter menus, and you'll be sure to revisit it for years to come. 01 of 12 Family Easter Dinner Johnny Autry; Food and Prop Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Maple-Bourbon Glazed HamRecipe: Classic Parmesan Scalloped PotatoesRecipe: Oven-Roasted AsparagusRecipe: Spring Salad With Berries And BaconRecipe: Make-Ahead Yeast RollsRecipe: Classic Coconut CakeRecipe: Blueberry-Lemon Iced Tea Maple syrup combined with brown sugar, fresh ginger, and cinnamon update the traditional baked ham. A creamy casserole of scalloped potatoes and tender Oven-Roasted Asparagus round out this family-pleasing menu. Sliced strawberries, bacon, and a tangy vinaigrette make our colorful Spring Salad with Berries and Bacon (pictured) a perennial holiday favorite. Warm, fluffy rolls straight from the oven are a must-have on Easter Sunday, and our Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls take the stress out of holiday cooking. And of course we wouldn't even think about having Easter without a coconut cake! The best part about this layered delicacy is the creamy coconut filling. 02 of 12 Laid-Back Easter Sunday Dinner Hector Sanchez Recipe: Chicken Under A BrickRecipe: Roasted Tomato Macaroni And CheeseRecipe: Creamy Broccoli SlawRecipe: Strawberry-Spinach SaladRecipe: Double Citrus TartRecipe: Classic Sweet Tea This easy menu brings together familiar ingredients in fresh new ways. After church, slip the chicken on the grill and the mac and cheese in the oven. Prep for the Creamy Broccoli Slaw is minimal thanks to store-bought broccoli slaw mix. Put the finishing touches on the citrusy tart, toss the slaw, and pour the iced tea. And there you have it, Easter dinner made easier thanks to some pre-planning and simple prep work. 03 of 12 Elegant Easter Menu Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Recipe: Glazed Spiral-Cut Holiday HamRecipe: Buttermilk Drop BiscuitsRecipe: Hot Potato SaladRecipe: Field Pea, Corn, And Bacon SaladRecipe: Brown Butter Easter Egg Blondies This easy and elegant menu keeps things classic, but with an extra helping of flavor and color. Make your Easter celebration truly special with a Glazed Spiral-Cut Holiday Ham (pictured). This meaty main is already fully-cooked, leaving you with more time on your hands to whip up one of our three homemade glazes instead of using the sugary store-bought packet. Hot Potato Salad will make a wonderful addition to your Easter spread, combining the flavor you've come to love in traditional potato salad with a warm and cheesy twist. 04 of 12 Easiest Easter Ever Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Herb-Crusted Roasted Leg of LambRecipe: Garlic Parmesan Green BeansRecipe: Cheesy Grits SouffléRecipe: Strawberries-And-Cream Sheet CakeRecipe: Strawberry-Mint Tea Any cook can conquer these fresh, celebratory recipes. For the main dish star, roasted lamb is surprisingly no-fuss. Simply season the meat an hour before you pop it in the oven. Trust an instant-read meat thermometer to ensure the lamb is the perfect rosy pink in the center. The roasted green beans add a pop of color to the plate. A cheesy grits soufflé is worthy of special occasion. This side dish is the perfect blend of comfort food taste and company-worthy presentation. A pretty pink strawberry sheet cake completes the fresh springtime menu. 05 of 12 The Easter Potluck Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Tangy Potato-Green Bean SaladRecipe: Creamy Kale and Pasta BakeRecipe: Basic Deviled EggsRecipe: The Ultimate Chocolate PieRecipe: Asparagus QuicheRecipe: Champagne Punch Want to plan an everyone-pitches-in meal that still looks stunning? Here's how. Use this list of suggested recipes as a starting point, assigning one out to each person pitching-in. If there's a beloved family dish that must grace table, feel free to add it to this springy lineup featuring a hearty pasta bake and deviled eggs, of course! 06 of 12 A Laid-Back Easter Lunch Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Spinach-Artichoke DipRecipe: Carrot Soup With Pea PestoRecipe: Sautéed Radishes With BaconRecipe: Bacon-Wrapped AsparagusRecipe: Baked Ham With Brown Sugar-Citrus GlazeRecipe: Angel BiscuitsRecipe: Mini Coconut-Key Lime Pies Gather the whole family for a beautiful spring meal that celebrates the best seasonal ingredients. Keep your guests satisfied when they arrive with a fresh dip. Start the meal with a beautiful spring soup. The two side dishes showcase colorful spring favorites like radishes and asparagus. Covered in sugar-citrus glaze, this ham recipe is a showstopper worthy of the center of the table. Make ahead tip: The dough for our heavenly Angel Biscuits can be refrigerated until you're ready to bake. Finally, end the meal with a heavenly dessert of miniature Key Lime pies. They can be made ahead, too! 07 of 12 A Beautiful Easter Brunch Photographer Victor Protasio Food Stylist: Torie Cox Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Ham BiscuitsRecipe: Mini Cheese Grits CasserolesRecipe: Potato-Bacon HashRecipe: Fresh Fruit SaladRecipe: Carrot Cake With Maple-Cream Cheese FrostingRecipe: Ginger-Orange Mocktails Impress loved ones with little stress with this easy-to-prepare brunch featuring a spread of ham biscuits, springtime salads, and a festive punch. The good news for busy hosts? The biscuits can be cut and frozen up to two weeks in advance. We used a small 2-inch biscuit cutter, so you may want to bake extra. We serve our cheese grits casseroles in mini ramekins for a more formal look and easier serving than a casserole dish. Our potato hash holds up better on a buffet than a bowl of mixed greens, but still includes plenty of spinach. A lightly spiced, sheet-cake twist on carrot cake was made for feeding a crowd and travels well if you've been assigned dessert duty at someone else's house. 08 of 12 Easter Made Easy Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Glazed Ham With Pineapple ChutneyRecipe: Southern Cobb Salad With Cornbread CroutonsRecipe: Asparagus With Cheese Sauce And Herb BreadcrumbsRecipe: Potato Salad With Dijon and ScallionsRecipe: Sugar Snap Peas With Orange Zest And Buttery Almonds Although ham is delicious on its own, the spiced pineapple chutney in this recipe (pictured) takes it to another level. Use fresh (not canned) pineapple, and don't move the fruit around in the skillet too much at first. Serve with our suggested fresh sides and you have a winning combination. 09 of 12 Easter Feast Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl Jones Recipe: Roasted Lamb With Fresh-Herb SauceRecipe: Ginger CarrotsRecipe: Romaine Salad With Oranges And RadishesRecipe: Potato-And-Rutabaga GratinRecipe: Hummingbird Sheet CakeStaying tried-and-true to a traditional menu might satisfy your older relatives, but sometimes breaking from tradition makes a meal more memorable and treasured. Make roasted lamb the star of your holiday menu by adding a fresh herb sauce and a lot of brightness to the otherwise heavy main. We've also lightened up the traditional potato gratin by adding rutabagas for an extra layer of goodness. The finishing touch of the Hummingbird Sheet Cake is an effortlessly elegant way to end the meal. 10 of 12 Easter On The Grill Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Grilled Lamb Chops With Green Garlic ChimichurriRecipe: Grilled Baby Artichokes With Brown Butter AïoliRecipe: Grilled Radish-and-Fennel Salad With Goat Cheese ToastsRecipe: Spring Onion Grilled PizzaRecipe: Grilled BananasEaster is the ultimate excuse to dust off the grill and get outside. While you're adding charcoal to the grill, don't put the usual hamburgers and hotdogs on the lineup. We've pulled some recipes that you will be proud to serve up with style as you celebrate spring. Start off the festivities with the Grilled Baby Artichokes and then continue with Grilled Lamb Chops and two sides that focus on the freshness of the season. Ending the meal with the Grilled Bananas served hot over ice cream will have all of your relatives scheduling next year's Easter celebration in your backyard. 11 of 12 Easy Easter Breakfast Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Overnight Blueberry French Toast Casserole With Blueberry-Maple SyrupRecipe: Citrus Salad with Spiced HoneyRecipe: Breakfast PotatoesRecipe: Millionaire BaconRecipe: Sausage-Cheddar Muffins Rise and shine with this Easter breakfast spread. It all starts with a breakfast casserole you can assemble the night before, and then is rounded out with crispy Breakfast Potatoes, Millionaire Bacon, and a beautiful citrus fruit salad. Our favorite part of the menu are the Sausage-Cheddar Muffins, serve them with a couple dashes of hot sauce, and you’ll for sure start Easter off right. 12 of 12 Vegetarian Easter Feast Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Sheet Pan Vegetable Lasagna Recipe: Garlic BreadRecipe: Chopped Kale Salad with Toasted BreadcrumbsRecipe: Roasted BroccoliRecipe: Garden Pleasures Cocktail Not every Easter gathering has to feature meat as the main attraction. If you have family coming over that doesn't eat meat, this is the lineup for you. A beautiful but easy Sheet Pan Vegetable Lasagna is just as delicious as any ham, and when served with fresh Garlic Bread, our take on a caesar salad, Roasted Broccoli, and a refreshing cocktail, no one will even notice there's no meat in the mix. Frequently Asked Questions How can you best prepare an Easter menu for a large crowd? Preparing a large holiday feast requires planning. Make side dishes in advance so all that's needed the day of is to bake or reheat. Additionally, prepare in stages so there is less chopping or measuring work. Finally, making dessert in advance will save time on the holiday. Other preparation ideas include delegating specific dishes to family members to help contribute to the meal. What's a traditional Easter menu include? The main dish for an Easter meal varies, but some typical dishes include honey-baked ham, pot roast, pork chops, and fish. Some popular side dishes include scalloped or mashed potatoes, spring vegetables, and dinner rolls. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit