Forty-One Easter Dinner Menu Ideas – 2023 is a one-stop curated collection of the best menu ideas and recipes for your Easter meal.
Whether you celebrate with Easter with brunch, lunch, or dinner, I’ve included options for traditional and not-so-traditional Easter entrées, main dishes, salads, side dishes, bread, and desserts.
You will also find simple to sophisticated choices for everything from a formal sit-down Easter dinner to casual Easter picnics outside and everything in between.
I have teamed up with my sister Chula at the Pudge Factor Blog to bring you these top-rated recipes and menu ideas, which are the best of the best, to make planning and preparing an unforgettable Easter meal easy.
And, because we know you don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, most of these dishes can be made ahead so you can enjoy the day with your family!
If you need even more dinner menu ideas and recipes for Easter, check out these other updated collections: 50+ Easy Easter Dessert Recipes and Treats for 2023 and The Best Easter Side Dish Recipes for 2023.
Jump to:
- My traditional Easter dinner menu:
- Best Easter entrées and main dish recipes:
- Best Easter side dish recipes:
- Best Easter salad recipes:
- Best Easter bread recipes:
- Bonus: 52 Easter Desserts and Treat Recipes 2023:
- Best dish to take to an Easter potluck:
- Uses for leftover ham:
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Easter treats recipes for your big and little kids:
My traditional Easter dinner menu:
These traditional Easter dishes are my family’s favorites, and they grace our dinner table every year with very little change. All of them can be made ahead and scaled up or down depending on how many folks are joining us. What are your favorites?
Best Easter entrées and main dish recipes:
Baked Ham with Pineapple and Cherries
Nothing says Easter like glazed ham! Lots of it! And I know you and your family or guests will love my oven-baked, old-fashioned glazed ham with its brown sugar bourbon glaze!
Roasted Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs
Surprisingly easy to make, Roasted Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs is an impressive, crowd-pleasing main dish full of herbaceous deliciousness. Traditionally served at Easter, this lamb recipe has the best of everything.
Elegant Chicken Kiev – Pudge Factor
Chicken Kiev is an elegant dish with a breaded tender chicken breast wrapped around an oozing core of herbed butter. Done correctly, the crispy Chicken Kiev releases a flowing stream of herbed butter when you cut into it.
Smoked Turkey with Herb and Garlic Butter
Garlic Smoked Turkey with fresh herbs is a delicious choice for any holiday when your oven is space-challenged! And, if you have never smoked a turkey before, you will be surprised at just how easy it is.
Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Madeira Cream Sauce – Pudge Factor
Look no further if you’re looking for an elegant entrée for your special Easter dinner. Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Madeira Cream Sauce is absolutely delicious and is guaranteed to produce the WOW factor!
Cast-Iron Roast Chicken
Cast-Iron Roast Chicken has deliciously crisp skin with flavor-packed, tender, and juicy meat. This main dish, roasted whole chicken, is easy enough for a weeknight dinner and fancy enough for company or a special occasion like Easter dinner!
New York Strip Roast – Oven Roasted
New York Strip Roast is quite possibly the most delicious and tender roast beef you will ever taste, and it’s a perfect entrée for your holiday dinner! And did I mention that this flavorful roast beef is incredibly easy to prepare?
Crown Roast of Pork – Pudge Factor
Looking for a replacement for the traditional ham for your Easter dinner? Try Crown Roast of Pork. It is an elegant entrée for your special holiday dinner.
Double Smoked Ham with Spicy Peach Glaze
My Double Smoked Ham with Spicy Peach Glaze is outrageously delicious. It features a double-smoked spiral-cut ham, topped with a smoked ham rub that infuses it with a flavorful, sweet taste, and a two-ingredient, luscious spicy peach glaze transforms it from ordinary to extraordinary.
Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce
Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce is the perfect entrée for your Easter Dinner or an excellent appetizer for any party. It’s elegant and easy to make, and everyone will love it!
Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Bacon
This Bacon and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is a delicious and elegant entree! It’s the perfect main dish for the holidays, special occasions, dinner parties, or Sunday dinners.
Best Easter side dish recipes:
Southern-Style Baked Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and Cheese is synonymous with Southern entertaining. You would be hard-pressed to find any holiday or celebration involving food in the South without a macaroni and cheese casserole front and center on the table.
Southern Baked Pineapple Casserole
A quintessential Easter side dish in the South, Southern Baked Pineapple Casserole is the epitome of a quick and easy recipe! You will be saying yes, please, to a serving of this popular pineapple cheese casserole full of sweet pineapple chunks and blanketed with a crisp, buttery Ritz cracker topping.
Southern Style Scalloped Potatoes
Southern Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are melt-in-your-mouth tender potatoes baked in an ultra-decadent and cheesy bechamel sauce. Easy-to-make creamy scalloped potatoes make an incredible side dish for holidays and special occasions; even your pickiest eaters will love it.
Southern Potato Salad
A classic Southern Potato Salad and a must-have Easter side dish like Grandma used to make, this easy old-fashioned side dish is creamy, tangy, and delicious. And it’s full of crunchy dill pickles, yellow mustard, mayonnaise, and must-have hard-boiled eggs!
Easy Make-Ahead Zucchini Gratin – Pudge Factor
A gratin is a dish topped with a golden browned crust of breadcrumbs and melted cheese. In France, gratins are generally made with potatoes. This Easy Make-Ahead Zucchini Gratin is an amazing deviation that will have you coming back for more!
Ultimate Blue Cheese Potatoes Au Gratin
Are you looking for a delicious side dish for your Easter dinner? How about something just a little different from traditional mashed potatoes? Hold on to your chef’s hat because Blue Cheese Potatoes Au Gratin will rock your world.
Grown-Up Green Bean Casserole – Pudge Factor
Are you tired of the mandatory cream of mushroom soup Green Bean Casserole? If so, you should try this Grown-up Green Bean Casserole. It’s easy to make and absolutely delicious! Even better, this Grown-up Green Bean Casserole is a cinch to make, can be made ahead of time, and reheats beautifully.
Green Bean Bundles Wrapped in Bacon
Delicious Green Bean Bundles Wrapped in Bacon lend an elegant touch to your Easter dinner table. These divine little packages of tender green beans, wrapped in smoky bacon with a touch of brown sugar, will surely be a favorite of your family and friends.
Roasted Carrots with Lemon Vinaigrette
Roasted Carrots with Lemon Vinaigrette are delicious roasted, crisp-tender, sweet carrots topped with a yummy lemon and fresh herb vinaigrette. This elegant side dish would be a stunning and flavorful addition to your Easter dinner table.
Easy Spicy Southern Corn Casserole
Easy Spicy Southern Corn Casserole is a fiesta for the senses with luscious corn deliciousness, spicy chilies, jalapenos, bacon, and decadent cream cheese filling that brings it all together.
Ultimate Broccoli Cheese Casserole
When you see a recipe with the name Ultimate Broccoli Cheese Casserole, you expect it to be, well, something pretty spectacular, and this popular Easter casserole loaded with cheesy goodness lives up to its name!
Sweet and Sour Green Beans
Sweet and Sour Green Beans is one delicious green bean recipe that deserves a place of honor on your Easter table. It can be made ahead and served hot or at room temperature.
Southern Sweet Onion Casserole
Perfect for Easter, this easy Southern Sweet Onion Casserole is the best side dish ever! Caramelized sweet onions, Vidalia, if you can find them, are meltingly tender and paired with buttery, crunchy Ritz crackers, sour cream, and cheese. This decadent onion casserole literally melts in your mouth!
Easy Southern Cornbread Pudding
Southern Cornbread Pudding is a beloved traditional holiday and potluck side dish in the South! You would be hard-pressed to find a holiday dinner table without some version of this decadent and creamy corn casserole front and center.
Best Easter salad recipes:
Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Pecans
If you are looking for a delicious, healthy, low-calorie salad recipe, you are in the right place! Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Pecans with my homemade poppy seed dressing is a great choice when you are looking for a quick and easy dinner idea.
Cucumber Dill Salad – Pudge Factor
Cucumber Dill Salad, or Gurkensalat is an incredible salad that is easy to make. It’s tasty and very refreshing, making it perfect for your holiday get-together.
Spinach Apple and Cranberry Salad
Are you looking for delicious ways to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet? Are you short on time but still want a healthy and satisfying meal on your Easter table that your family will enjoy? Today I have for you easy and healthy, Spinach, Apple, and Cranberry Salad with delicious homemade Poppy Seed Dressing.
Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad
This delicious and healthy Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad is the very essence of springtime entertaining! Perfect for Easter, it is light, cool, and refreshing to eat.
Make-Ahead Frozen Fruit Salad
Make-Ahead Frozen Fruit Salad is an easy, quick, and delicious fruit salad full of pineapple, cherries, and pecans, and it would be perfect for serving for your Easter or Mother’s Day brunch, lunch, or dinner, or anytime for that matter.
Classic Seven-Layer Salad – Pudge Factor
When planning the perfect make-ahead dish for your holiday gathering, look no further than Classic Southern Seven-Layer Salad. It’s as versatile as it is delicious and always receives rave reviews!
Easy Southern Broccoli Salad
This fresh, colorful, crunchy, make-ahead, veggie-filled salad is the perfect side or salad for your Easter Dinner. It will pair beautifully with just about any main course you serve.
Creamy Southern Cole Slaw – Pudge Factor
Creamy southern coleslaw is full of creamy goodness, with the perfect blend of sweet and sour. It’s consistently amazing and goes well with so many dishes. Even better, the food processor does most of the work.
Best Easter bread recipes:
Easy Southern Cornbread with Buttermilk
Easy Southern Cornbread with Buttermilk has rich corn flavor and texture with a deliciously crunchy crust. Made with stone-ground cornmeal, this moist, savory cornbread is a true reflection of southern goodness!
Crusty French Bread – Pudge Factor
The awesome aroma of freshly baked bread by itself will inspire you to make this Crusty French Bread time and time again. However, once you taste it, you’ll be hooked. It only has five ingredients, and the bread machine does most of the work!
Hoecakes, AKA Cornmeal Pancakes
No matter what you call it, this staple of early America is a type of cornmeal pancake that is quick and easy to make and would make a great addition to your Easter table.
French Bread Rolls – Pudge Factor
Since I got my little bread machine, I’ve been experimenting and perfecting different breads. One success story is my french bread rolls! I make these incredible rolls at least once a week.
Buttery Dinner Rolls – Pudge Factor
These soft and fluffy dinner rolls are full of buttery goodness. They take less than 3 hours to make from start to finish, with the bread machine doing most of the work. In addition, the dough is a dream to work with. These dinner rolls are incredible on their own with a pat of butter and amazing wrapped around a piece of leftover ham!
Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread Muffins
This is such a simple recipe; you will wonder why you haven’t tried it before. Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread Muffins combine three of my favorite foods: cheese, cornbread, and broccoli, into one flavor-packed parcel.
Amish Potato Rolls – Pudge Factor
Amish Potato Rolls are the quintessential soft dinner roll. Because they stay fresh-tasting for several days, they’re the perfect make-ahead roll for your special holiday feast. Even better, they make the ultimate slider buns to wrap around your leftover turkey or ham.
Southern Cheddar Biscuits
Southern Cheddar Biscuits are light, flaky, tender, Southern-style cream biscuits with sharp gooey cheddar cheese with just three ingredients. Eaten hot right out of the oven with a pat of butter. These delicious cheddar biscuits fairly melt in your mouth.
Bonus: 52 Easter Desserts and Treat Recipes 2023:
We have you covered whether you want a delicious and decadent classic dessert for Easter or a new twist on an old favorite. Check out these crowd-pleasing Easter desserts, which include gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options.
Your only problem will be deciding which scrumptious desserts to prepare and serve! Of course, who says you can’t make several? After all, it’s Easter!
Best dish to take to an Easter potluck:
For a potluck, you want a sturdy make-ahead dish that travels well and can be served warm or at room temperature. Some ideal dishes include ham, potato salad, a bundt cake, broccoli salad, mac and cheese, and broccoli cheddar cheese cornbread muffins.
Uses for leftover ham:
Every year I get this question, and it’s one of my favorites. Leftover ham can be utilized in so many ways.
Ham sandwiches or sliders immediately come to mind. But my favorite is Easy Au Gratin Potatoes and Ham. This popular recipe is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs main dish, which also makes terrific leftovers.
And, of course, there is also my Devilishly Delicious Deviled Ham which is also a family favorite. Don’t forget to save your ham bone for soup and ham scraps for seasoning Southern peas and greens.
Frequently Asked Questions:
This varies and depends on what part of the country you live in and where you grew up. At our house, our traditional Easter meal is pretty casual. Usually, it includes Baked Ham with Pineapple and Cherries, Southern Potato Salad or Southern Scalloped Potatoes, Sweet and Sour Green Beans or Broccoli Cheese, Casserole, and Deviled Eggs.
For dessert, it’s either Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing, Strawberry Pie, or Pineapple Upside Down Cake.
A Rack of Lamb is a trendy traditional main dish. Other excellent options include Beef Tenderloin, Smoked Turkey, Crown Roast of Pork, or Prime Rib.
Baked Ham with Pineapple and Cherries is always a popular choice, as is Southern Potato Salad or Southern Scalloped Potatoes, Sweet and Sour Green Beans or Broccoli Cheese Casserole, and Deviled Eggs. These dishes can be scaled up or down, and most can be made ahead.
Grilled Ham Steak, Rustic Mashed Potatoes for Two, and Brussels Sprout Salad with Citrus Vinegarette would make a lovely Easter meal for two.
Easter treats recipes for your big and little kids:
Easter is such a fun time for families to gather. You can find all of my Easter recipes here if you need more quick and easy menu ideas.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make any of these recipes please leave a comment and give the recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon!
*This roundup post was originally published on April 18, 2019.
How wonderful! Just a treasure trove of deliciousness. I will not need another website or cookbook ever. Just trying to figure out how to save this as a permanent reference. I appreciate all the work you put into creating this resource for your readers.
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! You made my day!
Sharon