60 Easter Dinner Ideas That Go Beyond Glazed Ham
Ham, we hate to break it to you, but you’re not the only star of the Easter spread anymore. Don’t worry, you’ll still get your 15 minutes of fame at brunch—but with mouthwatering mains like slow-cooker turkey breast and foolproof side dishes (harissa-roasted carrots, anyone?), we think it’s it’s time to reinvent the holiday menu in the most delicious way possible. Here are 60 Easter dinner ideas that will impress the entire table. (Just save room for dessert.)
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1. Spicy Orange-Honey Glazed Ham
For the sake of tradition, we couldn’t leave it off the list. Our version is a little spicy to keep things modern.
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2. Slow-Cooker Turkey Breast with Orange and Herbs
When you make a turkey in the slow cooker, there’s no basting, rotating or fiddling with tinfoil. (Plus, the oven is free for a batch of dinner rolls.)
3. Greek Chicken and Rice Skillet
If one-and-done is more your speed, this dish is as pretty to look at as it is tasty.
4. Pomegranate-Maple Glazed Lamb Chops
Easter and lamb are like peanut butter and jelly: A no-brainer. This recipe comes together in all of 40 minutes’ time.
5. Pistachio-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Apple and Escarole Salad
Behold the most buttery, tender pork you’ve ever tasted. The pistachios add crust and a festive color.
6. Whole Roasted Branzino with Shaved Fennel Slaw
Cooking a whole fish at home sounds intimidating, but it’s actually so simple. Prepare to blow your dinner guests away.
7. Baked Sesame-Ginger Salmon in Parchment
For those who love cooking but hate the post-feast cleanup, this recipe has almost none of the latter. More time for Easter baskets, right?
8. Grilled Flank Steak with Lemon-Herb Sauce
If the weather treats you well, fire up the coals. If not, this can easily be cooked on a griddle pan on the stove.
9. Lemon and Herb Roast Chicken
Tender, juicy meat? Check. Crispy, golden skin? Double check.
10. Ina Garten’s Tuscan Turkey Roulade
That’s right, the Barefoot Contessa is coming over for dinner. This main looks so impressive, but it’s actually super easy to make. (That’s Ina for you.)
11. Pork Scallopini with Lemon, Capers and Radicchio
It’s ready in 20 minutes, so you can whip up a side to go with it and not lose your entire evening to the kitchen.
12. Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Barley Risotto
This one goes out to the vegetarians at the table. (And even if you’re not vegetarian, you’ll want a second helping.)
13. Foolproof Cheater’s Confit
Confit is luxurious and elegant, albeit a little time-consuming. Our recipe is streamlined, and can be made with chicken or duck.
14. Orecchiette with Spring Greens
Pasta is always a good idea. Dress it up in its spring Sunday best and it’s an ideal Easter dinner.
15. Dorie Greenspan’s Sheet-Pan Balsamic Chicken with Baby Potatoes and Mushrooms
Prepare for everyone to ooh and ahh when this comes out of the oven. Just don’t tell them how easy it was to put together.
16. Creamy Vegan Lentil and Roasted Vegetable Bake
Yep, it’s plant-based, but it still tastes super indulgent thanks to a homemade cashew cream sauce.
17. Sheet-Pan Honey Tahini Salmon with Chickpeas and Couscous
Minimal prep, modest cooking time and almost no cleanup after? This is our idea of an Easter dinner.
18. Joanna Gaines’s Spring Vegetable Risotto
Take a trip to the farmers market and buy whatever produce looks good. Voilà, you’re hallway done already.
19. Bacon-Wrapped Black Cod with Spinach and Capers
Bacon-wrapped anything gets our seal of approval.
20. Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower
It’s unconventional and dramatic, aka the perfect thing to serve at a holiday meal.
21. Harissa and Honey-Roasted Carrots
Easter side dishes have the potential to be a snooze-fest, but not these carrots. They’re smothered in a spicy-sweet harissa and honey mixture that’s irresistible at first bite.
22. The Best Potatoes au Gratin Ever
They’re an Easter classic for a reason: cheese, cream and crispy bits. This one can be assembled ahead for ease, too.
23. Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes with Feta and Dill
If you’re more of a crispy-potato person, these salty spuds are sure to impress. They taste like a potato chip in the best way possible.
25. Whole Roasted Radishes
Radishes lose some of their peppery bite when roasted in the oven, so you’re left with tender, buttery goodness.
26. Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts
Is there anything Parmesan cheese can’t improve? (That’s a rhetorical question.)
27. Zesty Chargrilled Broccolini
You can make these in a cast-iron pan over high heat if grilling isn’t an option.
28. Spicy Broccoli Sauté
The key to keeping broccoli interesting is the crispy breadcrumb topping.
29. Whole Roasted Carrots
Glazed carrots? Yawn. Give the veggie a modern update with onions, cumin, red wine vinegar and lots of fresh lemon zest.
30. Domino Potatoes
These might be the most gorgeous potatoes we’ve ever seen. We’ll take another helping, please.
31. Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
Pick and choose everyone’s favorite vegetables and toss them all on a sheet pan. It doesn’t get simpler.
32. Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin
Two of our go-to cruciferous veggies, together in cheesy harmony.
33. Charred Sweet Potatoes with Pistachio-Chili Pesto
It’s the pistachio-chili pesto that will have everyone coming back for more.
34. Broccoli Rabe and Burrata with Lemon
A side dish featuring burrata is already a treat, but this one happens to be ready in ten minutes. Win-win.
35. Baby Vegetables with Orange and Thyme
Everything gets cooked in its own parchment parcel, so there’s almost no cleanup.
36. Oven-Roasted Beets and Potatoes
It’s part side, part work of art. If you don’t have a mandoline for slicing, just use a sharp chef’s knife.
37. Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Horseradish and Sea Salt
It’s like serving French fries at your Easter spread, but fancier.
38. Cacio e Pepe Cauliflower
To be honest, we can’t think of a bad way to serve cauliflower. But this definitely ranks up at the top.
39. Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sriracha and Lime
Give the Easter feast a little kick with sriracha and lime. (Just warn everyone about the spice level before digging in.)
40. Swiss Chard au Gratin
Here’s definitive proof that anything can be holiday-ready when topped with breadcrumbs.
41. Spring Panzanella Salad
Instead of a boring mixed greens salad, whip up a medley of spring’s finest produce.
42. Prosciutto and Fig Salad Board
Bowls are fine, but boards are better. Why? Because you can put all the delicious toppings on display, like a salad collage.
43. Shaved Spring Vegetable and Apple Salad with Ginger-Dijon Dressing
After a long, cold winter, this fresh salad is a sight for sore eyes.
44. Radicchio, Lentil and Apple Salad with Vegan Cashew Dressing
The cashew cream is completely dairy-free, but no one would know just by tasting it.
45. Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw
Our advice? Save some for leftovers. It tastes even better the next day.
46. Minty-Fresh Zucchini Salad with Marinated Feta
This side tastes best when you make it ahead of time, which is music to our ears.
47. Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Chèvre Ranch
’Tis the season for peas—why not turn them into a crisp, fresh salad?
48. Asparagus Caesar Salad
Ditto that for asparagus, but don’t tell anyone we’re here for the croutons.
49. Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
The homemade dressing has Dijon, garlic, lemon and anchovies for a savory je ne sais quoi.
50. Citrus, Fennel and Avocado Salad
You can use any mix of fresh citrus you like. (Just make sure you have a ripe avocado at the ready.)
51. Cast-Iron Cornbread
The cast-iron skillet is the key to a golden-brown, toothsome edge. Serve it with lots of butter, of course.
52. Easy Dinner Rolls
Skip the freezer-section rolls in favor of these fluffy cuties, which are way easier to make than they seem.
54. Pull-Apart Bread with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
Like monkey bread, but savory and fancy for Easter.
55. 6-Ingredient Peasant Bread
This bread comes together with just six ingredients and you don’t even have to knead it. Genius? We think so.
56. Sweet and Spicy Cornbread
The cornbread gets brushed with honey before it’s done in the oven, but you should definitely serve it with extra on the side.
57. Sprightly Biscuits
These biscuits have a secret: They’re made with lemon-lime soda, which lends a fluffy texture.
59. Apple Focaccia with Blue Cheese and Herbs
It’s part cheese plate, part carb-y side. We’re smitten.
60. Spicy Ricotta-Stuffed Phyllo Rolls
An Easter meal wouldn’t be complete without a little cheese.
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