Easter Dinner Ideas

Easter is a big celebration around the world and it’s a great time to get together with family over a special meal. So I’m sharing some of my go-to recipes for your dinner table.

It may be a lot for one person so be sure to spread the tasks among everyone, potluck style.

Just pick out your entrée, dessert, and sides from the list below. But if you’re gathering together early in the day, be sure to check out our Easter brunch ideas.

What to Serve for Easter Dinner

Here’s a good place to start if you’re serving 6 people. If you have more simply add another dish to each category, or host it potluck style and let guests contribute to the meal. And don’t forget to set a festive Easter table that’s inviting to guests!

• 1-2 appetizers
• 1 salad
• 3 side dishes
• 1 bread, rolls or other starch option
• Baked Ham or lamb and a vegetarian option if needed
• 1 signature cocktail or punch
• 2 desserts

Appetizers

Hold your guests over before dinner is ready by serving some Easter appetizers.

Set out a party cheese board for people to nosh on while they sip a cocktail.

Add Easter themed appetizer crackers with sweet creamy cheese spread that looks like little carrots.

You can’t have an Easter meal without the best deviled eggs with bacon!

Check out our wide assortment of easy party appetizers to include in the menu.

Main Dish

For an elegant dinner serve lamb chops and goat cheese polenta. This dish is chef quality and it’s one of my favorite meals!

Just as turkey is key for Thanksgiving, so is ham a must for Easter. The recipe for my spiral ham with peach glaze is simply out of this world and gets all the thumbs up from my guests.

How Much Ham to Serve?

We live by our spiral sliced bone-in ham for the holidays. A serving size is 3 to 4 ounces, and the recommended weight is about 10 pounds for 15 to 20 people. However, I like to have leftovers so I tend to go with the lower number of people for that size.

You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months, or use it within a few days in casseroles, or for making ham biscuits.

Sides & Starches

• The bunny rolls are a hit with kids and adults. Serve with softened or flavored butter.
• Classic Jiffy cornbread casserole is moist and sweet and full of corn flavor. It’s a must-have at most gatherings.
• This creamed corn casserole without Jiffy is a yummy alternative that’s sweet and cheesy!
• Don’t miss out on this broccoli casserole. It’s a heavenly alternative to the green bean version and has cheese throughout!
• Since it’s Easter, why not add simple roasted carrots with cumin? They’re an easy vegetable to make and if you use the colorful carrots they look so pretty on the table.
• Dress up brussels sprouts with bacon and a drizzle of honey. This is an awesome vegetable side dish.
• This creamy baked macaroni and cheese makes a large dish to serve a crowd. This decadent version has 3 kinds of cheese and cooks up to a custard-like consistency.
• If you’re serving a smaller crowd or just want to keep the recipe simple, make this mayonnaise macaroni and cheese. You won’t believe how 5 simple ingredients taste so good!
• Wild rice is a fantastic side dish for any occasion. Serve wild rice with bacon and diced veggies on the side, or make this version of wild rice with fruit and nuts.

Cold Side Dishes

• If it’s a potluck party then you’re sure to find this classic potato salad on the table. It’s creamy with bacon and hard boiled eggs throughout.
• As an alternative, add my cold creamy pasta salad with mayonnaise, hard boiled eggs, celery, peppers and sweet relish. There’s so much texture and flavor in this recipe!
• Add more freshness with marinated green bean salad that’s got peppers and onions too.
• Savory and sweet broccoli salad is another easy cold dish you can serve. It’s got tomatoes, raisins, and crispy noodles for tons of flavor and crunch.

Drinks

• Set up an iced tea bar with flavored juice add-ins for a festive party atmosphere.
• An easy peach party punch is a fantastic drink to welcome your adult guests.
• Make a family friendly pomegranate peach lemonade for the kids and non-drinkers.

Desserts

When it comes to dessert, people love options! Plan to have at least 2 choices for a party of 6, and make sure they each have a different flavor profile. For instance, serve something chocolate along with something fruit-forward.

• Easter garden dirt cake – Chocolate pudding, cream cheese and Oreo cookie crumbs make this easy dessert a decadent treat.
• Pineapple layer cake – Use a box cake mix to make this elevated pineapple sunshine cake with loads of Cool Whip frosting.
• Orange layer cake – This fruity layer cake has mandarin oranges and whipped topping for a lightly sweetened option.
• Pecan pie trifle – Turn the traditional Southern pie into an over-the-top treat with layers of creamy filling and chocolate chips added.

Put together a sweet Easter dessert board that’s cute and festive for the whole family. Add chocolate nests and fill in with themed candy and treats from the store.

I hope you and your family love these Easter dinner ideas as much as we do. These are some of our favorite recipes year after year.