Easter Dinner Menu Ideas For A Stress Free Holiday
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Every year around Easter the same question comes up. What should I make for Easter dinner? Not just the ham, but the whole meal. The sides, the salad, the bread, the dessert. So I put together several Easter dinner menu ideas that you can mix, match, or follow exactly to make planning Easter a whole lot easier.
How To Plan Easter Dinner Without The Stress
The hardest part about Easter dinner is not cooking, it is deciding what to cook. What goes with ham, what sides work with prime rib, how many dishes you actually need, and what dessert to make. These Easter dinner menu ideas are designed to take the guesswork out of planning so you can focus on cooking and actually enjoying the day.
Classic Easter Ham Dinner Menu
A classic Easter dinner usually starts with a glazed ham and all the traditional sides everyone expects and loves. This menu is perfect if you want that traditional Easter table with comforting sides, something fresh, and a simple dessert to finish the meal. It is a great option if you are feeding family and want that classic Easter dinner everyone is looking forward to all year.
Main
Bourbon Glazed Baked Ham
This Baked Ham is glazed with a bourbon, orange juice and brown sugar glaze and studded with cloves. It's delicious and incredibly flavorful, the perfect sweet and savory holiday dinner!
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Potato
Mashed Potatoes
Learn how to make Mashed Potatoes that are incredibly delicious, creamy and buttery! These Classic Mashed Potatoes are made with a handful of ingredients, resulting in the most delicious, whipped and fluffy potatoes you'll ever try. You can't go wrong with my mom's version!
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Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
Loaded Scalloped Potatoes – With generous layers of tender potatoes, gooey cheddar cheese, and crunchy bacon, this recipe transforms a classic favorite into pure comfort food bliss.
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Vegetable
Honey Roasted Carrots
Sweet, garlicky, and perfectly caramelized, these Honey Roasted Carrots are an easy side dish that always steals the show. A simple mix of honey and olive oil turns plain carrots into glossy, golden perfection. Quick enough for a weeknight dinner and special enough for the holidays.
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Skillet Green Beans
This simple Skillet Green Beans recipe with lemon and garlic is ready in 30 minutes and goes great with any meal! It can't get more simple than a handful of ingredients in one pan – you're going to love them!
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Bread
Quick Yeast Dinner Rolls
These Quick Yeast Dinner Rolls make baking from scratch a breeze! Homemade rolls will be ready to accompany your dinner in less than an hour. They're soft, pillowy, and perfect still warm with a pat of butter. Your home will smell like a bakery and your tummies will be thanking you.
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Dessert
Carrot Cake
This Super Moist Carrot Cake With Pineapple And Cream Cheese Frosting is soft, perfectly spiced, and incredibly moist thanks to oil and crushed pineapple. Topped with a rich cream cheese frosting, this classic carrot cake works beautifully as a layer cake, sheet cake, or cupcakes and is perfect for Easter, birthdays, or any special occasion.
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Cheesecake Recipe
This Cheesecake Recipe is creamy, rich, and perfectly smooth every time. Made with a buttery graham cracker crust, a velvety cream cheese filling, and topped with sweet cherries.
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Prime Rib Easter Dinner Menu
If you want something a little different from the traditional ham, prime rib makes an incredible Easter dinner. It feels special and perfect for a holiday, but when you pair it with simple sides and a good dessert, the whole meal comes together beautifully without being overwhelming to cook.
Main
Prime Rib Roast
This Prime Rib Roast is the holiday showstopper you’ve been dreaming of, juicy, buttery, and cooked to a perfect medium-rare every time. Smothered in a herb-loaded compound butter and paired with rich red wine gravy, this is the kind of feast that gets applause.
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Potato
Potatoes Au Gratin
A classic dish of Potatoes Au Gratin, that will have you hooked at first bite. They're perfect for your Holiday table or even just a Sunday supper. Thinly sliced potatoes, smothered in a creamy sauce and topped with cheddar and Parmesan cheese. So good to the very last bite!
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Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Garlic Mashed Potatoes made with Yukon Gold potatoes, roasted garlic, butter, and cream for a smooth, creamy side dish with deep savory flavor. Roasting the garlic first gives the potatoes a mellow sweetness that takes classic mashed potatoes to another level.
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Vegetable
Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Asparagus elevated with garlic and fresh lemon! Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, in under 30 minutes.
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Brandy Glazed Carrots
Brandy glazed carrots – scrumptious baby carrots in a delicious light brandy sauce, perfect side dish to your holiday dinner. Incredibly easy to make and ready in only 20 minutes!
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Salad
Caesar Salad Recipe
This Caesar Salad Recipe is made with homemade croutons, crisp romaine, salty Parmesan, and that classic dressing we all know and love. It's the perfect simple salad! No need to load up on a huge list of ingredients. Less is more with this refreshing salad!
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Arugula Salad
This Arugula Salad is light, fresh, and full of flavor. Peppery arugula, zesty lemon dressing, and shaved Parmesan come together in minutes for the perfect side dish that goes with anything.
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Bread
Classic Dinner Rolls
These Classic Dinner Rolls are soft, buttery, and unbelievably easy to make. They’re the kind of rolls that turn a simple dinner into a special occasion and make your kitchen smell like a bakery. Perfect for holiday tables, Sunday dinners, or just because, they’re guaranteed to disappear fast.
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No Knead Bread
No Knead Bread – you guessed it, no kneading required! 4 simple ingredients all baked in a Dutch Oven resulting in a bread that is simply perfection, hands down the best bread you'll ever eat!
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Dessert
Lemon Cheesecake
This delicious refreshing Lemon Cheesecake is a tart, rich, velvety smooth, lemon lover’s dream! With an unbelievably good creamy fresh lemony citrus filling and a nutty pecan graham cracker crust, it’s perfectly balanced with just the right touch of sweetness that will have you craving more!
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Chocolate Cake
A delicious chocolate cake that I've been making for years, completely from scratch with just a few simple ingredients that make up the most decadent and indulging treat you could possibly wish for.
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Easy Easter Dinner Menu
If you want a nice Easter dinner without spending the entire day in the kitchen, this menu is a great option. The idea here is simple recipes, minimal stress, and dishes that can cook in the oven while you work on something else. You still get a full Easter dinner with a main dish, sides, bread, and dessert, but without feeling like you cooked for three days straight.
Main
Roast Chicken
This Roast Chicken is my go to method for juicy meat and crisp, perfectly seasoned skin every time. It is simple, reliable, and cooked right over a bed of potatoes so the whole meal comes together in one pan without any fuss.
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Potato
Parmesan Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Parmesan Garlic Roasted Potatoes are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and tossed with fresh parsley and melted Parmesan for a simple, flavorful side dish. Perfect with chicken, steak, fish, or enjoyed straight off the baking sheet.
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Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Everyone's favorite side dish, amplified with nutty brown butter. These Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes are super easy to make, with only 5 ingredients and 4 simple steps, they are guaranteed to become a dinner time staple!
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Vegetable
Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies
Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies – absolutely the easiest way to roast mushrooms, cauliflower, tomatoes and garlic Italian style. Simple and delicious.
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The Ultimate Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
The Ultimate Parmesan Roasted Broccoli is truly the best roasted broccoli you will ever have. It's nutty, cheesy, and so yummy, it's the perfect side!
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Bread
Soft Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
These Buttermilk Dinner Rolls are light and fluffy, super soft, a bit sweet, extra delicious and simple to make! This will be the only dinner roll recipe you'll ever need!
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Buttermilk Biscuits
These Buttermilk Biscuits bake up tall, flaky, and buttery with soft layers inside and golden tops. Easy to make from scratch and perfect for breakfast, dinner, or with sausage gravy.
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Dessert
Simple Classic Lemon Bars
These Simple Classic Lemon Bars are one of those desserts I never get tired of. Bright and creamy lemon filling on top of a buttery shortbread crust, what more do you need? They’re fuss-free, wildly nostalgic, and always the first thing to vanish at any party.
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Chocolate Bundt Cake
This Super Moist Chocolate Bundt Cake with Ganache is rich, deeply chocolatey, and unbelievably tender thanks to coffee and Greek yogurt in the batter. Finished with a smooth, glossy chocolate ganache, it’s an easy yet impressive dessert that stays moist for days and slices beautifully every time.
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Make Ahead Easter Dinner Menu
If you are hosting Easter dinner and do not want to spend the entire day cooking, a make ahead menu is the way to go. These dishes can be prepped or fully made ahead of time and then reheated or finished in the oven, which makes Easter day much more relaxed and enjoyable instead of stressful and rushed in the kitchen.
Main
Crockpot Brown Sugar Cola Glazed Ham
This Crockpot Brown Sugar Cola Glazed Ham recipe requires only 5 minutes of prep time to make this incredible brown sugar and cola glaze then pour it over the ham, set it and forget it for a few hours. You'll be rewarded with the most tender and delicious crockpot ham ever.
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Potato
You can make mashed potatoes 1 to 2 days ahead of time and store them in the fridge. The key is to add a little extra butter and cream so they stay creamy when reheated.
Reheating Methods
Oven method (best for holidays):
- Put mashed potatoes in a baking dish
- Add a few tablespoons of butter and a splash of cream or milk
- Cover with foil
- Heat at 325°F until hot, about 20 to 30 minutes
- Stir before serving
Stovetop method:
- Add potatoes to a pot
- Add a splash of milk or cream and a bit of butter
- Heat on low, stirring often
Slow cooker method (great for holidays):
- Put mashed potatoes in slow cooker
- Add butter and cream
- Keep on LOW for 2 to 3 hours
- Stir occasionally
Mashed Potatoes
Learn how to make Mashed Potatoes that are incredibly delicious, creamy and buttery! These Classic Mashed Potatoes are made with a handful of ingredients, resulting in the most delicious, whipped and fluffy potatoes you'll ever try. You can't go wrong with my mom's version!
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Gruyère & Leek Scalloped Potatoes
These Gruyère and Leek Scalloped Potatoes are rich, creamy, and layered with buttery leeks and nutty melted cheese. Yukon Gold potatoes stay tender without falling apart, and the cream sauce thickens perfectly as it bakes. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser for holidays or any meal that deserves something a little special.
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Vegetable
Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
This Green Bean Casserole From Scratch is totally made from scratch, super delicious side dish that's a must on your Thanksgiving table. No canned stuff here, only fresh ingredients.
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Maple Bacon Roasted Carrots
These Maple Bacon Roasted Carrots are sweet, smoky, sticky, and ridiculously easy. Each carrot gets wrapped in bacon, brushed with a maple glaze, and roasted until the edges caramelize and the bacon turns perfectly crisp.
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Salad
Broccoli Salad
This isn't your every day Broccoli Salad! Made with a garlicky vinaigrette boasting a touch of heat, broccoli is about to be your family's favorite vegetable. Bring it to a potluck, BBQ, or whip it together for a busy weeknight side dish!
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Bread
Crescent Rolls
These Crescent Rolls are really the perfect dinner rolls. Soft, buttery, amazing flavor yet incredibly simple to make. There's nothing better than fresh hot dinner rolls right out of your oven.
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Dessert
Coconut Cream Pie
Homemade Coconut Cream Pie filled with the most delicious coconut filling. Creamy coconut filling set beautifully in a flaky homemade pie crust, topped off with delicious whipped cream and sprinkled with toasted coconut, makes this recipe a definite family favorite!
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No Bake Cheesecake
No Bake Cheesecake is a rich and creamy dessert with a buttery graham cracker crust, a smooth cheesecake filling, and a sweet cherry topping. It’s easy to make, no oven required, and perfect for any occasion.
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Small Gathering Easter Dinner Menu
If you are hosting a smaller Easter dinner, you probably do not want to cook a huge ham or a giant meal with ten side dishes. This menu is perfect for a smaller gathering and still feels like a holiday meal without a ton of leftovers or a full day in the kitchen.
Main
Perfect Pork Tenderloin
This Juicy Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloin is golden on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside, and it’s ready in about 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights or when you need something impressive without the stress. Just season, sear, roast, rest, done.
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Potato
Roasted Baby Potatoes
These Roasted Baby Potatoes are crispy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside, and incredibly easy to make. Tossed with olive oil, garlic, and simple seasonings, then roasted at high heat until golden and delicious, this is one of those side dishes that goes with just about anything and never disappoints.
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Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
These Crockpot Mashed Potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and so easy to make. Perfect for holidays, feeding a crowd, or anytime you need mashed potatoes without using the stove.
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Vegetable
Roasted Green Beans
These Roasted Green Beans are crazy simple to make, ready in only 20 minutes and the perfect side to go with your dinner!
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Salad
Easy Tossed Salad
This simple, quick, healthy, super Easy Tossed Salad goes well with almost any dish or by itself. You can easily customize it to your liking by using your favorite veggies and dressing.
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Bread
Quick Yeast Dinner Rolls
These Quick Yeast Dinner Rolls make baking from scratch a breeze! Homemade rolls will be ready to accompany your dinner in less than an hour. They're soft, pillowy, and perfect still warm with a pat of butter. Your home will smell like a bakery and your tummies will be thanking you.
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Dessert
German Chocolate Cake
This German Chocolate Cake is the ultimate homemade classic, rich, ultra moist chocolate cake layered with the most incredible coconut pecan frosting. The secret? Hot coffee blooms the cocoa for deep, intense chocolate flavor, while buttermilk and oil keep the cake unbelievably soft. And that frosting? Thick, buttery, loaded with coconut and crunchy pecans, just like it should be!
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Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Luscious Lemon Cheesecake Bars made easy! Starting with a buttery shortbread crust, layered with creamy cheesecake and topped with bright lemon curd, this dessert will make you believe that dreams do come true.
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Easter Brunch Menu Ideas
If your family prefers brunch instead of a big Easter dinner, this menu is a great way to celebrate without cooking a huge meal. A good Easter brunch usually includes something egg based, something sweet, something savory, fruit, and maybe a baked dish that can feed a crowd.
Egg Dish
Quiche Lorraine
This Quiche Lorraine is such a classic French dish. It's light and fluffy, incredibly cheesy, loaded with bacon and a wonderful flaky crust! It's surprisingly easy to make and a must for your weekend brunch!
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Amish Breakfast Casserole
Amish Breakfast Casserole is a hearty dish packed with eggs, bacon, sausage, and cheese, perfect for breakfast or brunch. It’s easy to make, customizable, and great for feeding a crowd.
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Deviled Eggs
These Classic Deviled Eggs are devilishly delicious and perfect for an appetizer. Their simplicity makes them ideal for every occasion, yet elegant enough for the big holidays!
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Sweet
Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
A Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls copycat recipe, originally adapted from Todd Wilbur’s “More Top Secret Recipes.” This is my fully tested version that’s become a reader favorite.
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Strawberry Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
These Strawberry Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing are soft, fluffy, and packed with sweet strawberry jam and fresh berries in every swirl. Topped with rich, tangy cream cheese icing, they’re the kind of cozy breakfast treat that turns any weekend into something special. A Jo Cooks favorite since 2014!
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Savory
Quick and Easy Pork Sausage
Quick and Easy Pork Sausage – You only need a handful of simple staple ingredients to make sausages from scratch. This version features no casing! It doesn't get any easier than these. Simply mix, shape, and cook.
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Potatoes
Sausage Potato Hash
This Sausage Potato Hash recipe is perfect for breakfast or brunch! Served with fried eggs, it's a hearty, comforting, delicious meal and super simple to make.
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Hash Browns
Crisp, golden Hash Browns, completely homemade and fried to perfection. The perfect addition to your breakfast, ready in under 30 minutes.
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Fruit
Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing is a refreshing mix of strawberries, kiwis, grapes, blueberries, and mangos, all tossed in a smooth, tangy dressing. It's easy to make, bursting with fresh flavors, and perfect for any occasion. Enjoy it as a light side dish or a sweet treat!
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Bread
Easy Banana Bread
This Classic Banana Bread Recipe is a timeless favorite that's perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Made with ripe bananas, warm spices, and a hint of vanilla, this bread is moist, tender, and loaded with flavor.
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Dessert
Carrot Cake
This Super Moist Carrot Cake With Pineapple And Cream Cheese Frosting is soft, perfectly spiced, and incredibly moist thanks to oil and crushed pineapple. Topped with a rich cream cheese frosting, this classic carrot cake works beautifully as a layer cake, sheet cake, or cupcakes and is perfect for Easter, birthdays, or any special occasion.
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Strawberry Cake
This Strawberry Cake is soft, fluffy, and packed with real strawberry flavor in every bite. Made with fresh purée and topped with a creamy strawberry buttercream, it’s the kind of cake that feels like sunshine on a plate. Pretty, pink, and guaranteed to disappear fast.
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