70 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 Sunday spread anymore. Don’t worry, you’ll still get your 15 minutes of fame at family brunch—but with mouthwatering mains like slow cooker turkey breast and foolproof spring side dishes (harissa-roasted carrots, anyone?), we think it’s it’s time to reinvent the holiday menu and celebrate in the most delicious way possible. Here are 70 Easter dinner ideas that will impress the entire table. (Just save room for dessert.)
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1. Skillet Roast Chicken with Schmaltzy Potatoes
Time Commitment: 5 hours, 45 minutes
Why We Love It: High-protein, one pan, special occasion–worthy
Thanks to a buttermilk brine, this burnished chicken looks and tastes impressive but is foolproof for all skill levels. (Plus, the side dish makes itself.)
2. Antoni Porowski’s Strip Steak with Harissa Butter and Parsley Salad
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, special occasion–worthy
You love to order steak in a restaurant, but you’re too nervous to cook it at home. Queer Eye star Antoni Porowski is coming to the rescue with this foolproof, flavorful NY strip.
3. Seared Scallops with Green Peas, Mint and Shallots
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, special occasion–worthy
Our biggest tip for success with scallops? Make sure they’re super dry before plopping them in a hot skillet. Otherwise, they’ll never get a gorgeous golden brown sear (and that’s kind of the best part).
4. Dorie Greenspan’s Potato-Parm Tart
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes (+ chilling time)
Why We Love It: Special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
Beautiful, versatile and overflowing with carbs and cheese—what more do you need to know?
5. Jammy Upside-Down Onion Tart
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, special occasion–worthy, vegetarian
Onions usually take a backseat in most recipes, but when offered the spotlight, they shine. Don’t believe us? Try this tart, which is deeply savory and works as a side dish or main course.
6. Strawberry, Basil and Arugula Salad with Lots of Black Pepper
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <15 minutes, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
Proof that fruit salad doesn’t have to mean a bowl of grapes and flavorless melon.
7. Carrot, Fennel and Miso Soup
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: Vegan, dairy free, under 500 calories
Carrots for spring? Groundbreaking. Seriously—when roasted and blitzed together with fennel and miso, you won’t believe the depth of flavor of this soup.
8. Smashed Brussels Sprouts
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: Vegetarian, <10 ingredients, under 500 calories
Think smashed potatoes, but sub good-for-you Brussels sprouts instead of spuds. (Don’t worry, they’re dusted with plenty of Parmesan cheese.)
9. Seared Scallops with Citrus-Shallot Salad
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <30 minutes, special occasion–worthy, <10 ingredients
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Scallops should be at the top of your easy-yet-fancy dinner list.
10. Pommes Anna
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: Special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, one pan
Only the French could turn a vegetable that grows underground into a work of art.
11. Spicy Orange-Honey Glazed Ham
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, high-protein
For the sake of tradition, we couldn’t leave it off the list. Our version is a little spicy to keep things modern.
12. Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Orange and Herbs
Time Commitment: 6 hours, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: Slow cooker recipe, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
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.)
13. Greek Chicken and Rice Skillet
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: One pan, high-protein, beginner-friendly
If one-and-done is more your speed, this dish is as pretty to look at as it is tasty.
14. Pomegranate-Maple Glazed Lamb Chops
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: Special occasion–worthy, gluten free, beginner-friendly
Easter and lamb are like peanut butter and jelly: a no-brainer. This recipe comes together in all of 40 minutes’ time.
15. Pistachio-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Apple and Escarole Salad
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: Sheet pan recipe, special occasion–worthy, gluten free, dairy free
Behold the most buttery, tender pork you’ve ever tasted. The pistachios add crust and a festive color.
16. Whole Roasted Branzino with Shaved Fennel Slaw
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Why We Love It: Special occasion–worthy, high protein, gluten free, dairy free
Cooking a whole fish at home sounds intimidating, but it’s actually so simple. Prepare to blow your dinner guests away.
17. Baked Sesame-Ginger Salmon in Parchment
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: Beginner-friendly, sheet pan recipe, under 500 calories
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?
18. Grilled Flank Steak with Lemon-Herb Sauce
Time Commitment: 2 hours
Why We Love It: Low carb, paleo, special occasion–worthy
If the weather treats you well, fire up the coals. If not, this can easily be cooked on a griddle pan on the stove.
19. Lemon and Herb Roast Chicken
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Beginner-friendly, special occasion–worthy, <10 ingredients
Tender, juicy meat? Check. Crispy, golden skin? Double check.
20. Ina Garten’s Tuscan Turkey Roulade
Time Commitment: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Special occasion–worthy, high protein, gluten free
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.)
21. Pork Scallopini with Lemon, Capers and Radicchio
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, low sugar
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.
22. Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Barley Risotto
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Why We Love It: Vegetarian, under 500 calories, high protein
This one goes out to the vegetarians at the table. (And even if you’re not vegetarian, you’ll want a second helping.)
23. Foolproof Cheater’s Confit
Time Commitment: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: Special occasion–worthy, high protein, beginner-friendly
Confit is luxurious and elegant, albeit a little time-consuming. Our recipe is streamlined, and can be made with chicken or duck.
24. Orecchiette with Spring Greens
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <15 minutes, kid-friendly, vegetarian
Pasta is always a good idea. Dress it up in its spring Sunday best and it’s an ideal Easter dinner.
25. Dorie Greenspan’s Sheet-Pan Balsamic Chicken with Baby Potatoes and Mushrooms
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Why We Love It: Sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly, high protein
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.
26. Creamy Vegan Lentil and Roasted Vegetable Bake
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Why We Love It: Vegan, one pan, crowd-pleaser
Yep, it’s plant-based, but it still tastes super indulgent thanks to a homemade cashew cream sauce.
27. Sheet-Pan Honey Tahini Salmon with Chickpeas and Couscous
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: Sheet pan recipe, ready in <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
Minimal prep, modest cooking time and almost no cleanup after? This is our idea of an Easter dinner.
28. Joanna Gaines’s Spring Vegetable Risotto
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Take a trip to the farmers market and buy whatever produce looks good. Voilà, you’re hallway done already.
29. Bacon-Wrapped Black Cod with Spinach and Capers
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly
Bacon-wrapped anything gets our seal of approval.
30. Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, under 500 calories
It’s unconventional and dramatic, aka the perfect thing to serve at a holiday meal.
31. Harissa and Honey-Roasted Carrots
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, sheet pan recipe
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.
32. The Best Potatoes au Gratin Ever
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, vegetarian
They’re an Easter classic for a reason: cheese, cream and crispy bits. This one can be assembled ahead for ease, too.
33. Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes with Feta and Dill
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, gluten free
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.
34. Melted Onions
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, under 500 calories, beginner-friendly, gluten free, vegetarian
Never served onions as a side dish? Tonight’s the night.
35. Whole Roasted Radishes
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: Vegetarian, one pan, <10 ingredients
Radishes lose some of their peppery bite when roasted in the oven, so you’re left with tender, buttery goodness.
36. Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, under 500 calories, low carb, gluten free
Is there anything Parmesan cheese can’t improve? (That’s a rhetorical question.)
37. Zesty Chargrilled Broccolini
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients
You can make these in a cast iron pan over high heat if grilling isn’t an option.
38. Spicy Broccoli Sauté
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
The key to keeping broccoli interesting is the crispy breadcrumb topping.
39. Whole Roasted Carrots
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Glazed carrots? Yawn. Give the veggie a modern update with onions, cumin, red wine vinegar and lots of fresh lemon zest.
40. Domino Potatoes
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Special occasion–worthy, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
These might be the most gorgeous potatoes we’ve ever seen. We’ll take another helping, please.
41. Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: Beginner-friendly, under 500 calories, low carb, sheet pan recipe
Pick and choose everyone’s favorite vegetables and toss them all on a sheet pan. It doesn’t get simpler.
42. Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Why We Love It: Beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, high-protein
Two of our go-to cruciferous veggies, together in cheesy harmony.
43. Charred Sweet Potatoes with Pistachio-Chili Pesto
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, gluten free
It’s the pistachio-chili pesto that will have everyone coming back for more.
44. Broccoli Rabe and Burrata with Lemon
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <15 minutes, low carb, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
A side dish featuring burrata is already a treat, but this one happens to be ready in ten minutes. Win-win.
45. Baby Vegetables with Orange and Thyme
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: Sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly, low carb
Everything gets cooked in its own parchment parcel, so there’s almost no cleanup.
46. Oven-Roasted Beets and Potatoes
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: One pan, under 500 calories, <10 ingredients
It’s part side, part work of art. If you don’t have a mandoline for slicing, just use a sharp chef’s knife.
47. Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Horseradish and Sea Salt
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, gluten free
It’s like serving French fries at your Easter spread, but fancier.
48. Cacio e Pepe Cauliflower
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
To be honest, we can’t think of a bad way to serve cauliflower. But this definitely ranks up at the top.
49. Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sriracha and Lime
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, under 500 calories
Give the Easter feast a little kick with sriracha and lime. (Just warn everyone about the spice level before digging in.)
50. Swiss Chard au Gratin
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: Vegetarian, under 500 calories, crowd-pleaser
Here’s definitive proof that anything can be holiday-ready when topped with breadcrumbs.
51. Spring Panzanella Salad
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, beginner-friendly, ready in <30 minutes
Instead of a boring mixed greens salad, whip up a medley of spring’s finest produce.
52. Prosciutto and Fig Salad Board
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: No cook, special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly
Bowls are fine, but boards are better. Why? Because you can put all the delicious toppings on display, like a salad collage.
53. Shaved Spring Vegetable and Apple Salad with Ginger-Dijon Dressing
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: No cook, ready in <30 minutes, gluten free
After a long, cold winter, this fresh salad is a sight for sore eyes.
54. Radicchio, Lentil and Apple Salad with Vegan Cashew Dressing
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: Vegan, gluten free, special occasion–worthy
The cashew cream is completely dairy free, but no one would know just by tasting it.
55. Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <30 minutes, no cook, dairy free
Our advice? Save some for leftovers. It tastes even better the next day.
56. Minty-Fresh Zucchini Salad with Marinated Feta
Time Commitment: 15 minutes (+ marinating time)
Why We Love It: No cook, <10 ingredients, make ahead
This side tastes best when you make it ahead of time, which is music to our ears.
57. Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Chèvre Ranch
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <30 minutes, low carb, crowd-pleaser
’Tis the season for peas—why not turn them into a crisp, fresh salad?
58. Asparagus Caesar Salad
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: Under 500 calories, low carb, crowd-pleaser
Ditto that for asparagus, but don’t tell anyone we’re here for the croutons.
59. Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
The homemade dressing has Dijon, garlic, lemon and anchovies for a savory je ne sais quoi.
60. Citrus, Fennel and Avocado Salad
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: No cook, <10 ingredients
You can use any mix of fresh citrus you like. (Just make sure you have a ripe avocado at the ready.)
61. Cast Iron Cornbread
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
The cast iron skillet is the key to a golden-brown, toothsome edge. Serve it with lots of butter, of course.
62. Easy Dinner Rolls
Time Commitment: 2 hours, 5 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
Skip the freezer-section rolls in favor of these fluffy cuties, which are way easier to make than they seem.
63. Scallion and Chive Flatbread
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, under 500 calories
It’s almost too pretty to serve—almost.
64. Pull-Apart Bread with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
Time Commitment: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
Like monkey bread, but savory and fancy for Easter.
65. 6-Ingredient Peasant Bread
Time Commitment: 2 hours, 35 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
This bread comes together with just six ingredients and you don’t even have to knead it. Genius? We think so.
66. Sweet and Spicy Cornbread
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Why We Love It: One pan, crowd-pleaser
The cornbread gets brushed with honey before it’s done in the oven, but you should definitely serve it with extra on the side.
67. Sprightly Biscuits
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Ready in <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
These biscuits have a secret: They’re made with lemon-lime soda, which lends a fluffy texture.
68. Easy Pretzel Buns
Time Commitment: 3 hours, 40 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Are you a professional baker or something? You have us fooled.
69. Apple Focaccia with Blue Cheese and Herbs
Time Commitment: 12 hours, 20 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly
It’s part cheese plate, part carb-y side. We’re smitten.
70. Spicy Ricotta-Stuffed Phyllo Rolls
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: Crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, under 500 calories
An Easter meal wouldn’t be complete without a little cheese.
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