79 Easter Recipes Perfect for Any Celebration

Plan your menu with these festive ideas for breakfast, dinner, dessert and more.

March 14, 2022

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Company-Worthy Dishes

Whether you’re hosting Easter dinner for your friends or planning brunch for your family in the morning before the egg hunt, you’re going to need a few special recipes — dishes that aren’t difficult to make but that are sure to impress. That’s where we come in. We can help you get a showstopping main on the table (think ham, lamb or even pork roast) and plan the perfect festive dessert. And, we’ve got plenty of appetizers and side dishes to help round things out. No matter what type of celebratory meal you’re planning, we’ve got you covered. Wondering where to start? Try this elegant appetizer that comes together easily with simple, time-saving ingredients. Frozen hash browns are pressed into mini muffin tins and baked into crispy nests filled with ham, lemony cream cheese and peas. They make the perfect pre-dinner bite.

Get the Recipe: Potato Nests with Peas, Ham and Cream Cheese

Easter Dinner on Two Sheet Pans

Easter dinner for four comes together easily in a little over an hour when you cook it on a pair of sheet trays. With tender asparagus, sweet glazed carrots, a decadent potato gratin, roasted ham, and even homemade biscuits, there's plenty to eat with little fuss.

Get the Recipe: Easter Dinner on Two Sheet Pans

Bunny Oreo Balls

This no-bake dessert is the perfect way to hop into spring! White melting wafers and mini marshmallows transform these cookies-and-cream bites into impressive bunnies that are sure to be a hit all season long.

Get the Recipe: Bunny Oreo Balls

Mini Egg Cupcakes

Package these mini cupcakes in egg cartons as a hostess gift for your Easter celebration.

Get the Recipe: Mini Egg Cupcakes

Creamy Herbed Easter Ham and Pea Pasta Salad

Dress ham and peas with a creamy parsley, chive and mint dressing for a pasta salad that sings of spring.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Herbed Easter Ham and Pea Pasta Salad

Beety Pickled Eggs

With some pickled-beet juice and thinly sliced red onion, classic pickled eggs get a pink twist. Serve as a snack or alongside a leafy green salad.

Get the Recipe: Beety Pickled Eggs

Asparagus and Cheese Tart

Take advantage of fresh asparagus by making this impressive springtime tart.

Asparagus and Cheese Tart: Asparagus and Cheese Tart

Italian Easter Cookies

These lemony Italian cookies are traditional treats in the southern part of the country but are also often found at Italian-American bakeries around Easter time. While they have several different Italian names you will most likely see them labeled "lemon drops” in the States. They are light, not too sweet and have a tender, buttery crumb. Dipped in a thin lemony glaze and decorated with holiday-inspired sprinkles, they are the perfect festive addition to any table.

Get the Recipe: Italian Easter Cookies

Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze

Sugar, mustard and vinegar are the only ingredients you need for this easy glazed Easter ham.

Get the Recipe: Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze

Hot Cross Buns

Make these fresh sweet buns part of your Easter tradition. Plumped currants and lemon zest-spiked glaze dress these up for the holiday.

Get the Recipe: Hot Cross Buns

Coconut Bunny Butt Cake

Crushed pineapple in the batter gives this cake a dense pound cake-like texture, which is helpful when anchoring the cupcakes and decorating. The cakes and cupcakes can be made a day ahead and wrapped in plastic wrap. Don't worry if you're frosting job doesn't look perfect -- covering the cake with coconut hides every flaw.

Get the Recipe: Coconut Bunny Butt Cake

Ricotta, Ham and Scallion Tart

This simple brunch-perfect tart starts with a store-bought pizza crust. Fill it with creamy ricotta, ham, egg and scallions.

Get the Recipe: Ricotta, Ham and Scallion Tart

Four-Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

To make this decadent side dish, layer thinly sliced potatoes with heavy cream and mozzarella, asiago and raclette cheeses. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake until bubbly.

Get the Recipe: Four-Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

Bunny Buns

With a few twists and pulls, we turned sweet Easter rolls into the cutest holiday side dish.

Get the Recipe: Bunny Buns

Giada's Easter Pie

Easter pie is an Italian springtime tradition, but it's easy enough to make year round. Giada's sweet version has a ricotta-orange filling with a tender phyllo dough shell.

Get the Recipe: Easter Pie

Easter Egg Sugar Cookies

We took our best sugar cookie recipe and made these festive versions for Easter. They look like they have been dip-dyed just like a classic Easter egg. By tinting a simple royal icing with your choice of colors, you can create an array of beautifully swirled cookies.

Get the Recipe: Easter Egg Sugar Cookies

Classic Glazed Ham

Get Food Network Magazine's tips on choosing the best-quality ham, then choose one of four mix-and-match glazes for a delicious, customized main dish.

Get the Recipe: Classic Glazed Ham

Steamed Asparagus

Olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon are all of the ingredients you need to make easy-to-steam asparagus.

Get the Recipe: Steamed Asparagus

Risotto with Yogurt and Peas

Parmesan cheese and nonfat Greek yogurt are stirred into risotto to make this dish extra-creamy.

Get the Recipe: Risotto With Yogurt and Peas

The Cutest Easter Cupcakes

Make 11 adorable Easter cupcakes, from little lambs to chicks to spring-hued flowers, with one vanilla cupcake batter.

Decorating Ideas: Cutest-Ever Easter Cupcakes

Alton's Ambrosia Salad

Serve up a tropical melding of textures and flavors with Alton's ambrosia; whip it up ahead of time so it can chill.

Get the Recipe: Ambrosia

Honey-Glazed Carrots

Sunny's easy side is foolproof — which is key if you're hosting a big group for your holiday meal. The recipe calls for baby carrots, not the kind of baby carrots you might be thinking of, but rather very young carrots, which are pop up in grocery stores and farmers markets throughout spring.

Get the Recipe: Honey Glazed Carrots

Alton's Crown Roast of Lamb

This is an amazing cut of meat for a special occasion. Follow Alton's lead to cook it up perfectly.

Get the Recipe: Crown Roast of Lamb

Greek Easter Bread

Bake a beautiful loaf of this traditional bread to celebrate Easter.

Get the Recipe: Greek Easter Bread

Bunny Butt Marshmallow Pops

These cute bunnies are so easy to put together. They make a fun party favor or Easter-basket treat when wrapped in clear cellophane bags and tied with a pastel ribbon.

Get the Recipe: Bunny Butt Marshmallow Pops

Quick Herb and Cheese Monkey Bread

Prepared biscuit dough is the base for this pull-apart loaf, which is formed by rolling the dough in olive oil and herbs before piling in a bundt pan, which helps turn the loaf crispy and golden brown. Our tasters called them the Southern version of pizza-shop garlic knots.

Get the Recipe: Quick Herb and Cheese Monkey Bread

Classic Deviled Eggs

Don't fix what ain't broke, right? Deviled eggs are always a hit and this is our most popular recipe (ever!) for the classic appetizer.

Get the Recipe: Classic Deviled Eggs

Ina's Orange Baked Ham

Ina dolls up ham with a glaze that comes at you with three types of orange flavor: marmalade, juice and the zest.

Get the Recipe: Orange Baked Ham

Pavlova Eggs with Lemon Curd

This fun and beautiful Easter treat is deceptively easy to make. Simply fill sweet meringues with a tart homemade lemon curd (or buy the jarred kind). To get the most volume when making your meringues, make sure the beaters and bowl are super clean.

Get the Recipe: Pavlova Easter Eggs with Lemon Curd

Baked Mac and Cheese

In classic Southern style, this is a baked mac and cheese set in a light egg custard and flavored with sharp yellow Cheddar. Creamy and moist, it bridges the gap between those who like their mac and cheese sliceable and those who prefer to spoon it, oozing, from the pot.

Get the Recipe: Baked Mac and Cheese

Creamy Spring Peas

Sweet peas and smoky pancetta is a classic combination; Food Network Magazine finished this version with a lemony cream sauce.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Spring Peas With Pancetta

Stuffed Hasselback Ham

Here's a showstopping holiday centerpiece combining three different sides with a hearty main. What more do you need?

Get the Recipe: Stuffed Hasselback Ham

Easter Bread

This light and airy bread is just sweet enough to go along with your traditional Easter dinner. (Add up to 1/2 teaspoon almond extract with the eggs if you prefer it a little sweeter.) Make it the day before, and if you have any left over, make amazing French toast with it the day after!

Get the Recipe: Easter Bread

Natural Dyes for Easter Eggs

This year, create beautiful Easter eggs using all-natural dyes made from food products.

Get the Recipe: Natural Dyes for Easter Eggs

Leftover Easter Candy Crispy Treats

Leftover Easter candy transforms crispy rice treats into a colorful snack that's super fun to eat. With loads of different textures and flavors at play, every bite is a surprise.

Get the Recipe: Leftover Easter Candy Crispy Treats

Chocolate Pastel Easter Cake with a Chocolate Vermicelli Nest

Moist chocolate cake is frosted with an easy, fluffy buttercream and topped with a chocolate nest for this festive Easter dessert. The nest is made from fried rice vermicelli, lightly salted and coated in chocolate for a crispy treat.

Get the Recipe: Chocolate Pastel Easter Cake with a Chocolate Vermicelli Nest

Giada's Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Roast

Giada treats this pork loin to a garlic-rosemary-thyme paste before locking the flavors in a pancetta wrapping.

Get the Recipe: Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Roast

Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Rainbow carrots need only olive oil, salt and chopped chives to become a colorful side dish.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Bunny Butt Doughnut

Here's an easy and adorable way to dress up plain cake doughnuts for Easter that requires no special tools or techniques. It's best to start with non-sugared plain doughnuts so all of the bunny parts stick.

Get the Recipe: Bunny Butt Doughnut

Sandra's Easter Bunny Centerpiece

Here's an easy way to add whimsy to your Easter spread: Sandra shapes cherry-flavored cookie dough into bunny shapes and places them in their own little habitat for guests to appreciate before enjoying them as dessert.

Get the Recipe: Easter Bunny Centerpiece

Banana Crunch Muffins

The key to making an easy brunch: make-ahead breakfast ideas. Ina makes muffin mix the day before her party then scoops the batter and bakes them the next morning.

Get the Recipe: Banana Crunch Muffins

Melissa's Easter Ham

Dress up a spiral-sliced ham with Melissa's simple cherry and spice glaze. Plus, get her tips for keeping your ham extra juicy.

Get the Recipe: Baked Ham with Spiced Cherry Glaze

Lemon Curd

To achieve the perfect level of pucker, Ina uses the zest of three lemons, plus lemon juice, to balance sweet and sour in her classic lemon curd. Once it's cooled and ready in the fridge, go ahead and use it in a variety of desserts.

Get the Recipe: Lemon Curd

Chocolate Malt Nest Cake

This decadent cake is an edible display for your Easter candy too. Candy eggs fill the "nest" made of entirely of chocolate-flavored cake, frosting and cereal coating. Your guests will be dying to dig in.

Get the Recipe: Chocolate Malt Nest Cake

Tyler's Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham

Tyler studs the glaze with thin slices of fresh tangerine, creating crispy caramelized fruit and a beautiful presentation.

Get the Recipe: Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham With Baby Carrots

Simple Scalloped Potatoes

This basic version of scalloped potatoes has a chicken broth-milk sauce and a Gruyere topping. Use a mandoline for quick, even potato slices.

Get the Recipe: Simple Scalloped Potatoes

Roasted Asparagus

No Easter menu would be complete without the all-star spring vegetable, asparagus. Roast it with oil, salt and pepper to bring out its natural flavors.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Asparagus

Alton's Carrot Cake

Top this dense carrot cake with homemade cream cheese frosting — a classic crowd pleaser!

Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake

Michael Symon's Lamb Chops With Eggplant Caponata

Caponata, an Italian relish, is ideal for the holidays: You can make it ahead and keep it in the fridge for about a week.

Get the Recipe: Lamb Chops with Eggplant Caponata

Marmalade-Glazed Carrots

This sweet side dish is glazed with an orange juice-marmalade glaze and topped with candied pecans. For a showstopping presentation, look for these multicolored carrots at your farmers' market or natural foods store.

Get the Recipe: Marmalade-Glazed Carrots With Candied Pecans

Michael Symon's Baklava

Michael has been watching his mom make baklava since he was 4. We can't imagine that you'll have leftovers of this delightfully sticky treat, but if you do, you can freeze it (once the syrup is absorbed) for up to a month, then just thaw it at room temperature.

Get the Recipe: Baklava

Bunny Butt Sundae Cone

These fun and easy treats will have everybody smiling. The cones can be assembled earlier in the day and frozen until party time.

Get the Recipe: Bunny Butt Sundae Cone

Herbed Leg of Lamb

Flavor the lamb with a paste made from scallions, parsley, dill, celery and garlic, then roast alongside turnips and scallions.

Get the Recipe: Herbed Leg of Lamb With Roasted Turnips

Peas and Pancetta

What could possibly make shelled fresh peas more delicious? Diced pancetta.

Get the Recipe: Peas and Pancetta

Whipped Parsnips

Sour cream and butter turn parsnips and potatoes into a creamy side dish.

Get the Recipe: Whipped Parsnips

Easter Egg Cake

All it takes is two layers of chocolate cake, buttercream frosting and a couple handfuls of pretty colored candies for this festive Easter dessert.

Get the Recipe: Easter Egg Cake

Ginger-Peach Glazed Ham

Glaze your holiday ham with a flavor-packed glaze made from peach preserves, mustard, ginger and raspberry vinegar.

Get the Recipe: Ginger-Peach Glazed Ham

Hot Cross Buns

Make these sweetly spiced little yeast buns for an Easter gathering and watch as they disappear.

Get the Recipe: Hot Cross Buns

Citrus Macarons

French macarons take some TLC, but these pastel cookies are worth the effort.

Get the Recipe: Citrus Macarons

Southern Banana Pudding

Not-too-sweet vanilla custard gets a blanket of soft toasted meringue in this Southern-style banana pudding. We let the pudding base sit overnight so the cookies soften and the banana flavor infuses the custard, but if you like your cookies crisp, top the pudding with meringue and bake without resting.

Get the Recipe: Southern Banana Pudding

Fresh Ham with Tuscan Bread Stuffing

This centerpiece dish will be well worth the time and care. Following Tyler's recipe, you'll make ham broth from scratch, a rich stuffing with pine nuts and olives and treat your ham to a rubdown of a flavor-packed herb paste before those flavors meld together as they roast for hours.

Get the Recipe: Fresh Ham with Tuscan Bread Stuffing

Chunky Egg Salad

Enjoy a variety of textures and classic flavors from celery, whole-grain mustard and chopped boiled eggs in this fuss-free egg salad.

Get the Recipe: Chunky Egg Salad

Popovers

As a light and airy option for your bread basket, popovers taste great fresh from the oven and topped with butter or jam.

Get the Recipe: Popovers

Stewed Turnip Greens

This hands-off side dish is simple to prep while you're working on the rest of the meal. Simmer the greens with some garlic and a little olive oil until tender.

Get the Recipe: Stewed Turnip Greens

Raspberry-Lemon Easter Cake

This adorable cake is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Kids will love the festive bunny-shaped sugar-cookie decorations, and adults will appreciate the moist lemon cake and not-too-sweet raspberry filling.

Get the Recipe: Raspberry-Lemon Easter Cake

Peach Ginger Glazed Ham

Reduce jarred peach preserves with lemon and ginger before brushing over a bone-in ham.

Get the Recipe: Peach Ginger Glazed Ham

Golden Pickled Eggs with Carrots

You can thank a healthy dose of turmeric for these beautiful sunny-yellow eggs. Whole coriander seeds and mustard seeds impart great flavor depth, too.

Get the Recipe: Golden Pickled Eggs with Carrots

Bunny Butt Carrot Cake Pancakes

These pancakes incorporate all of the familiar flavors of carrot cake, including cream cheese frosting, into one adorable breakfast. We like them best with honey, but you may also serve them with maple syrup.

Get the Recipe: Bunny Butt Carrot Cake Pancakes

Cherry Limeade

This refreshing sweet-tart drink goes great with brunch or any festive springtime meal.

Get the Recipe: Cherry Limeade

Double Mustard and Herb Crusted Ham

Dijon mustard and whole grain mustard are brushed over the ham before being patted with panko breadcrumbs.

Get the Recipe: Double Mustard and Herb Crusted Ham

Sandra's Blueberry Lattice Cake

Just use white chocolate pudding mix and canned blueberries to flavor Sandra Lee’s easy cake. The real hard work will show once you’ve dressed it up.

Get the Recipe: Blueberry Lattice Cake

Creamed Vidalia Onions

Stir vidalia onion wedges with a white wine and cream sauce before topping with a panko crumb mixture and baking until golden brown.

Get the Recipe: Creamed Vidalia Onions

Baked Ham With Spiced Cherry Glaze

Melissa's baked ham is glazed with cherry preserves, horseradish sauce, brown sugar, cinnamon, cumin and more.

Get the Recipe: Baked Ham With Spiced Cherry Glaze

Fresh Broccoli Salad

Alton's salad gets extra crunch from toasted pecans or hazelnuts.

Get the Recipe: Fresh Broccoli Salad

Sage Potatoes Au Gratin

Manchego cheese and heavy cream coat sliced russet potatoes for Sunny's decadent side dish.

Get the Recipe: Sage Potatoes Au Gratin

Little Lemon Meringue Pies

Make these adorable individually sized pies in muffin tins for easy portioning. Fill each one with tart lemon custard and a dollop of meringue.

Get the Recipe: Little Lemon Meringue Pies

Ham Salad

Don't know what to do with all that leftover ham from Easter? Try this fast and easy ham salad with tangy mustard and crunchy celery. Enjoy it in a sandwich or just on its own.

Get the Recipe: Ham Salad

Marshmallow Chicks and Bunnies

Marshmallow is a springy, sticky treat worthy of being eaten all year. But when that marshmallow is molded in the cheery shapes of pink bunnies and yellow chicks, it screams springtime and Easter baskets. These are softer marshmallow creatures than classic Peeps, but that's their charm: They give and squish, and their colored-sugar coating is crunchy in all the best ways.

Get the Recipe: Marshmallow Chicks and Bunnies

On Tonight

79 Easter Recipes Perfect for Any Celebration

Related To:

Company-Worthy Dishes

Easter Dinner on Two Sheet Pans

Bunny Oreo Balls

Mini Egg Cupcakes

Creamy Herbed Easter Ham and Pea Pasta Salad

Beety Pickled Eggs

Asparagus and Cheese Tart

Italian Easter Cookies

Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze

Hot Cross Buns

Coconut Bunny Butt Cake

Ricotta, Ham and Scallion Tart

Four-Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

Bunny Buns

Giada's Easter Pie

Easter Egg Sugar Cookies

Classic Glazed Ham

Steamed Asparagus

Risotto with Yogurt and Peas

The Cutest Easter Cupcakes

Alton's Ambrosia Salad

Honey-Glazed Carrots

Alton's Crown Roast of Lamb

Greek Easter Bread

Bunny Butt Marshmallow Pops

Quick Herb and Cheese Monkey Bread

Classic Deviled Eggs

Ina's Orange Baked Ham

Pavlova Eggs with Lemon Curd

Baked Mac and Cheese

Creamy Spring Peas

Stuffed Hasselback Ham

Easter Bread

Natural Dyes for Easter Eggs

Leftover Easter Candy Crispy Treats

Chocolate Pastel Easter Cake with a Chocolate Vermicelli Nest

Giada's Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Roast

Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Bunny Butt Doughnut

Sandra's Easter Bunny Centerpiece

Banana Crunch Muffins

Melissa's Easter Ham

Lemon Curd

Chocolate Malt Nest Cake

Tyler's Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham

Simple Scalloped Potatoes

Roasted Asparagus

Alton's Carrot Cake

Michael Symon's Lamb Chops With Eggplant Caponata

Marmalade-Glazed Carrots

Michael Symon's Baklava

Bunny Butt Sundae Cone

Herbed Leg of Lamb

Peas and Pancetta

Whipped Parsnips

Easter Egg Cake

Ginger-Peach Glazed Ham

Hot Cross Buns

Citrus Macarons

Southern Banana Pudding

Fresh Ham with Tuscan Bread Stuffing

Chunky Egg Salad

Popovers

Stewed Turnip Greens

Raspberry-Lemon Easter Cake

Peach Ginger Glazed Ham

Golden Pickled Eggs with Carrots

Bunny Butt Carrot Cake Pancakes

Cherry Limeade

Double Mustard and Herb Crusted Ham

Sandra's Blueberry Lattice Cake

Creamed Vidalia Onions

Baked Ham With Spiced Cherry Glaze

Fresh Broccoli Salad

Sage Potatoes Au Gratin

Little Lemon Meringue Pies

Ham Salad