85 Delicious Easter Dinner Ideas The Whole Family Will Love
Make this Easter dinner the most memorable yet.
There’s no better way to celebrate spring, fresh seasonal veggies, and Lent finally being over than with the perfect Easter dinner. From classic ham and lamb centerpieces to easy one-pot pasta dishes, these recipes will appeal to everyone at your table. Whether it’s your first time making holiday dinner or you’re an old pro, our list of 85 Easter dinner mains is sure to inspire.
An Easter ham is a classic, and we’ve got 5+ solid recipes for you to try (including one in made easy on a sheet pan). If you’re looking to branch out, check out our recipes for other meaty holiday showstoppers, like braised lamb shank, pork loin roast, and beef wellington. Not a big red meat fan? Don’t fret, we’ve got chicken and fish dishes that’ll be just as impressive on your dinner table, like our one-pan crispy chicken primavera, our feta & herb-crusted salmon, and our chicken saltimbocca.
Vegetarians, we’ve got you covered too. Dishes like moussaka (with lentils instead of beef!), our seitan piccata, or our chicken-fried mushrooms & gravy are just as special as their meat counterparts. Paired with our veggie-forward Easter sides, no one will even miss the meat.
Going solo this holiday and want something more low-key? Stick with the traditional, but aim at meals you can reheat throughout the week. Perhaps something like our Greek avgolemono soup that’s a lemony play on comfort chicken noodle, our whipped ricotta pasta, or our Italian pizza rustica (great served great warm or cold).
To be honest, all our Easter dinners make great leftovers—check out our top things to do with leftover ham and lamb if you’re lucky enough to have extra. To fully round out your holiday meal, get inspired by our Easter appetizers, side dishes, and desserts too.
How To Cook A Ham
If you're making ham for the first time this Easter, then this should be your go-to baked ham guide. Our recipe not only perfects a moist, delicious ham, but is glazed with a classic brown sugar glaze, which adds incredible flavor and creates those sought-after caramelized edges.
Get the recipe for How To Cook A Ham.
Sheet-Pan Easter Dinner
Think you don’t have enough time or space to cook Easter dinner? Think again. Featuring cheesy potatoes au gratin, maple-glazed ham, garlicky asparagus, and paprika-spiced carrots, our streamlined version of this notoriously complicated meal is as simple as 2 sheet pans and 30 minutes in the oven.
Get the Sheet-Pan Easter Dinner recipe.
One-Pan Crispy Chicken Primavera
Just when you thought pasta primavera was the king of spring comfort food, we’re dropping this one-pan chicken primavera. It it, crispy-skinned chicken thighs are roasted alongside spring veggies and topped with a confetti of goat cheese and herbs for a dinner that captures the promise of warmer days.
Pizza Rustica
This is an Italian Easter pie that, despite its name, doesn't have anything to with pizza! Think of it as better, more decadent version of quiche Lorraine.
Get the Pizza Rustica recipe.
Roast Chicken
The perfect centerpiece to any holiday dinner, the steps to make this chicken are simple: You season the bird (just salt & pepper!), then roast it at high heat until the skin is bronzed and crisp and the flesh juicy.
Get the Roast Chicken recipe.
Cheesy Mashed Potato & Ham Bake
Imagine a crispy mac & cheese topping on your rich mashed potatoes with an added ham layer, and you've got this cheesy casserole. Serve it as a main or as a side this Easter—it'll be beloved no matter what.
Shepherd's Pie
In this comfort food staple, ground beef is cooked with aromatics and red wine before being combined with corn and peas, all covered with a blanket of velvety, rich mashed potatoes and topped with Parmesan before being broiled until golden brown. It’s the perfect choice for a chilly Easter dinner.
Get the Shepherd's Pie recipe.
Rack Of Lamb
A roasted rack of lamb is the perfect showstopper, especially when it comes to Easter dinner. If working with lamb isn't something you do often, it can seem intimidating, but trust us—it's quite simple.
Get the Rack Of Lamb recipe.
Creamy Chicken Spanakopita Bake
This easy casserole is a fun take on the classic spanakopita. In it, we take the classic Greek dish and turn it into a family-friendly dinner featuring shatteringly crisp phyllo layers that envelop a creamy chicken filling with a lot of spinach and feta.
Quiche
Quiche is a favorite in the canon of classic dishes, and this version is no exception. Soft, creamy filling studded with ham, chives, and Gruyère rests inside a crunchy, buttery pie crust to create the Easter dinner of your dreams.
Get the Quiche recipe.
Pastitsio
Derived from the Italian word pasticcio, which means “mix” or “hodgepodge,” pastitsio is a classic Greek casserole best described as a cross between lasagna and moussaka. Rich and hearty, creamy and comforting, it’s well worth the extra effort it takes to put together.
Get the Pastitsio recipe.
Chicken, Spinach, & Artichoke Lasagna
We love spinach–artichoke anything, be it a hearty bun, a cozy soup, a deluxe stuffed baked potato, or a crispy taquito. While we’ve already paired these flavors with gnocchi, tortellini, pasta shells, and more, making a super-cheesy chicken, spinach, and artichoke lasagna just had to happen.
Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham
This zingy retro classic glazed ham is a stunner set in the center of a table, and just a few easy sides short of a fantastic feast. Beyond the eye-popping pineapple rings and bright maraschino cherries, the glaze lends a shine and texture to the ham’s caramelized crust too.
Get the Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham recipe.
Copycat Honey Baked Ham
Honey Baked ham is grand, deliciously smoky, and has a signature caramelized crust all over. Sadly, it’s something you have to plan to order in advance and can be a little on the pricey side. If you didn't have time to order a ham, want to save some money, or just try a homemade version of this classic centerpiece, this copycat recipe is for you.
Get the Copycat Honey Baked Ham recipe.
Roasted Pork Tenderloin
If you're tired of old standbys like a whole chicken or ham for your holiday meal, look no further than pork tenderloin. It’s quick-cooking, takes extremely well to countless flavors, and is easy enough for a chill family meal but remarkable enough for a special Easter dinner too.
Get the Roasted Pork Tenderloin recipe.
Lamb Marinade
Few types of meat scream “special occasion” like lamb. So whether it's a dainty and delicious rib chop, a slow-cooked shank, or a centerpiece-worthy leg of lamb, this marinade will make it even more special. To get the most irresistible flavor possible, we blended tangy Greek yogurt, olive oil, earthy herbs and spices, and a few cloves of grated garlic for a spicy punch.
Get the Lamb Marinade recipe.
One-Pot Greek Chicken Chili
Featuring tender pieces of dark meat chicken, creamy white beans, and tender veggies, this cozy Greek-inspired chili is the perfect filling-but-not-too-heavy dinner for an extra-chilly Easter night.
Get the One-Pot Greek Chicken Chili recipe.
Chicken Pot Pie
This cozy meal represents the marriage of a flaky, buttery crust with chopped chicken, onions, carrots, and peas in a perfectly creamy sauce. While this classic comfort food is one that you can easily find pre-made in almost any grocery freezer aisle, we strongly believe that making your own at home is more than worth it.
Get the Chicken Pot Pie recipe.
Avgolomeno Soup
This Greek lemon chicken soup is an Easter staple! If you don't have leftover chicken, you can easily boil chicken breasts and shred them yourself (check out our tips for how to shred chicken if you need).
Get the Avgolomeno Soup recipe.
Homemade Mac & Cheese
A comfort food classic, mac and cheese can mean something different to everyone. In our book, the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe has to nail three things: be extra creamy, plenty cheesy, and paired with a golden, crunchy topping. This tried-and-true recipe aces all of these requirements (and more!) with flying colors.
Get the Homemade Mac & Cheese recipe.
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