80 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 80 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 tomato butter roast chicken, 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.
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.
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.
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.
Baked Brie Pasta
If the TikTok famous baked feta pasta is a tad salty for your taste or you’re ready to try something new, reach for a hunk of brie instead. This melty, brie-coated pasta has earthy mushrooms, sweet shallot, smoky bacon, and a surprise sprinkled on top—kind of like if feta pasta had a cool older cousin.
Get the Baked Brie Pasta recipe.
Feta & Herb Crusted Salmon
For this Mediterranean-inspired salmon recipe, you just arrange your fish on a sheet tray (lined with aluminum foil for the easiest cleanup), sprinkle on the toppings, and bake it for 25 minutes. No flipping, no sticking, and no mess!
Get the Feta & Herb Crusted Salmon recipe.
Primavera Baked Orzo
This spring-y, one-pan dinner is inspired by the classic American pasta dish, but with a cheesy twist. It turns out that the creamy, subtly sweet flavor of fresh mozzarella plays very nicely with similarly delicate spring produce like shallots, sugar snap peas, and oyster mushrooms. Paired with al dente orzo and a light cream sauce, this hearty dinner is the perfect way to celebrate the return of longer days and warmer temperatures.
Get the Primavera Baked Orzo recipe.
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.
Pasta Primavera
This delicate, luscious pasta is the epitome of spring, showcasing fresh produce like red radishes, asparagus, and maiitake mushrooms. We love them for their pastel pops of color, but feel free to swap in whatever veggies you like.
Get the Pasta Primavera recipe.
Tomato Butter Roast Chicken
Tomato butter works wonders on chicken. Not only does it keep the bird moist, but the healthy dose of tomato paste brings a slightly sweet, umami acidity to the dish, making it extra special and perfect for your Easter table.
Get the Tomato Butter Roast Chicken 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.
Baked Risotto with Lemon, Peas & Parmesan
If you’ve never made risotto because you didn’t want to stand there stirring forever, then this recipe is for you. It packs all the satisfying flavor of a slow-stirred version into a fraction of the hands-on time.
Burrata, Pea, & Prosciutto Tortellini
After a quick cook with aromatics in olive oil, sliced sugar snap peas are tossed with toasted tortellini, herbs, and plenty of lemon zest, then topped with salty, tender prosciutto and a ball of creamy burrata. Despite all of the rich and decadent ingredients in this pasta, the sweet green peas take center stage and make this an ideal springtime pasta.
Best 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 Best Rack of Lamb recipe.
Garlicky Greek Chicken
All this recipe takes is a few basic ingredients (that you most likely already have on hand) to transform chicken thighs into an herby, garlicky dream. We paired this one-pan meal with roasted zucchini and asparagus, but you can can switch it up with whatever is in season that you have on hand.
Get the Garlicky Greek Chicken recipe.
Creamy Feta-Lemon Penne With Asparagus
The secret to this springy pasta’s success? A tangy “cream” sauce made with rich Greek yogurt and salty feta that provides a bright contrast for the earthy, vegetal flavors of pan-fried asparagus.
Shepherd's Pie
In England, the birthplace of this hearty dish, shepherd's pie is most often made with a ground lamb filling. In the States, it's more common to use ground beef. Both are delicious, so use whichever you prefer.
Get the Shepherd's Pie recipe.
Maple-Glazed Ham Steak
Spiral hams are delicious, but they yield so much meat. When you're craving ham, but don't want to fuss with a full roast like that, ham steaks are the way to go! Instead of roasting and glazing a whole ham, just make everyone their own perfectly cooked, savory-sweet steak.
Get the Maple-Glazed Ham Steak recipe.
Creamy Tuscan Orzo
If you love creamy risotto, but not the time it takes to make it, this Italian-inspired orzo recipe is for you. It all comes together in one pot, with starch from the miniature pasta helping to thicken the sauce to great effect.
Get the Creamy Tuscan Orzo recipe.
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.
Best Roast Lamb
Roasting a lamb shoulder is just as easy, if not easier, than roasting a chicken. Seriously, all you need to do is rub your roast with a mixture of fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil and throw it in the oven for an hour or so. Bonus points if you roast the meat on top of a bed of potatoes. (And why wouldn't you?)
Get the Best Roast Lamb recipe.
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
