Simple and Festive Easter Dinner ideas: Following church on Sunday morning, there isn’t a better or more festive way to celebrate Easter than with a feast.
The gathering of friends and family around a spring table, heavy with delicious, seasonal offerings will linger in memories for years.
We’ve gathered beautiful dishes to give you some Simple and Festive Easter Dinner Ideas.
Easter Dinner Menu
- Smoked Salmon Crostini with Fennel
- Caesar Salad Wonton Cups
- Asparagus Gruyere Tart
- A Spring Pea Salad with Radishes and Goat Cheese
- Spring Pea Salad
- Hot Cross Buns
- Ham with Lemon Honey Glaze
- Honey Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots
- Fruited Rice Pilaf
- Scalloped Potatoes with Leeks
- Spring Pound Cake Cupcakes
- Lemon Pudding Cakes
Recipes for these Easter Dinner ideas are linked at the bottom of this post.
But before we get to the recipes, be sure and read easy pro tips for a great Easter dinner as well as how much ham to plan per person for Easter.
Tips for Easter Dinner
Easter signals spring. And we’ve all been anticipating this warmer, longer, most wonderful season all winter.
Easter dinner is a perfect way to celebrate that transition.
Yet hosting any dinner can bring a little stress. Here are some pro tips that help.
Here are 4 Pro Tips for Hosting Easter Dinner
Address the Stress:
Any entertaining can be stressful. Holiday entertaining is more so. Think back to previous dinners and make note of what went right and what went awry. I mean, literally, makes notes for this year, and years to come. Rethink any pitfalls so you can address them prior to Easter. For instance, did you run out of side dishes, did children attend that you weren’t planning on, did you have a gluten-free guest?
Potlucks are Perfect:
Guests are usually happy and excited to bring dishes to Easter Dinner. Write your menu ahead of time, and be specific when guests offer to bring dishes. That way you won’t end up with 3 green beans casseroles.
Set the Table Ahead:
A beautiful tablecloth goes a long way toward a stunning Easter dinner table. Then begin to layer dishes for individual settings. And don’t forget the serving pieces. Professional caterers will often use sticky notes on serving pieces to assign specific dishes to specific serving pieces. That’s a brilliant tip. Leave as little to the last minute as possible.
Plan for the Kids:
Children make Easter so much fun. Plan extra kid-friendly goodies and snacks. And if possible, set up their own table with whimsical and fun Easter elements like Easter eggs, chicks, etc.
How Much Ham Per Person for Easter Dinner
I like to plan about 1/2 pound per person for a bone-in ham. For a boneless ham, which weighs less, I plan on 1/3 pound per person.
It’s hard to estimate how much ham guests will eat, but having leftover ham is always a good thing! So many delicious leftover ideas that range from ham sandwiches to quiches, pasta, soup and more.
Erring on the ample side of ham always serves me well!
Simple and Festive Easter Dinner Recipes and Ideas
Simple and Festive Easter Dinner ideas: Following church on Sunday morning, there isn't a better or more festive way to celebrate Easter than with a feast.
SMOKED SALMON CROSTINI WITH FENNEL
“Simple yet sophisticated, crostini are a perfect appetizer to pass around before sitting down to dinner. Reserve a few fronds from the fennel bulbs to use as a garnish on top of the smoked salmon.”
Caesar Salad Wonton Cups
“Everything tastes better in miniature form! These are made using wonton wrappers as the cups. They bake crispy and golden with just a light spray of oil. A great shortcut for appetizers!”
Asparagus with Cheese Sauce and Herb Breadcrumbs
"Spring’s bright, fresh vegetables don’t need heavy sauces to dress them up—they are best served with a light adornment so that their natural tastes can shine through."
Asparagus Gruyere Tart - Featured on The TODAY Show
“Gorgeous and impressive, this Asparagus Gruyere Tart makes for a delicious appetizer or main dish. It’s also super EASY to make! You’ve got to try this!”
SPRING PEA SALAD WITH RADISHES AND GOAT CHEESE
“When winter is finally over and the farmers’ markets are bursting with spring produce, celebrate by making this seasonal salad, which features two different types of peas as well as pea shoots, the delicate leaves and tendril that grow from the vines of a pea plant. Tender pea shoots won’t last long in the fridge, so serve them within a few days of purchase.”
Ribbon Vegetable Salad
"Fresh veggies and a zesty buttermilk mayonnaise dressing create a delicious Ribbon Vegetable Salad."
Spring Pea Salad
"The key to a really great salad is variety – a little bit of farmers market lettuce, some salty cheese, a few crunchy veggies and ALWAYS AVOCADO!"
Asparagus Tart: Easy Brunch Recipe
An Asparagus Tart so easy, it's hard to believe. Incredibly delicious for brunch season with tender asparagus, grated cheese on puff pastry.
Easter Hot Cross Buns
"While exact origins of hot cross buns are unclear, it is generally agreed they go back to a 12th-century Anglican monk. Who baked sweet buns for the poor on Good Friday, and etched a cross in each bun to celebrate the Easter holiday."
HAM WITH LEMON-HONEY GLAZE
“Studded with cloves, this whole ham makes a beautiful centerpiece for a large Easter gathering. Since ham is quite rich, an accompanying glaze that offers bracing acidity—such as this one containing lemon juice, honey and shallots—makes a great counterpoint.”
Roasted Leg of Lamb with Lemon-Herb Salt Recipe
"A meat thermometer will ensure that the center of the lamb is just the right shade of pink. We recommend serving with Roasted Beets, Carrots, and Sweet Onions."
Spinach- and Mushroom-Stuffed Pork Loin
"This Spinach-and Mushroom-Stuffed Pork Loin with Lemon Herb Sauce will dazzle your family" at Easter.
Honey Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots
“Tender honey brown sugar roasted carrots seasoned and baked to perfection make the perfect Easter holiday or everyday easy side dish.”
Phyllo Quiche with Leeks and Parmesan
Filled with caramelized leeks and onion and lots of Parmesan, this savory quiche makes an impressive centerpiece for Easter dinner.
Braised Spring Peas with Lettuce and Mint: A Beautiful Side
This Braised Spring Peas with Lettuce and Mint is the essence of the season. Its fresh flavors complement just about any other dish you serve with it. Beautiful and vibrant.
A Favorite Tradition: Instant Pot Fruited Rice Pilaf
I don't remember the last Easter when this rice wasn't on the table -- in this bowl. It's just that good! And tastes like Easter in every bite.
SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH LEEKS
“Thinly sliced potatoes and leeks soak up a mixture of milk, cream and broth in this recipe, an easy-to-assemble but luxurious accompaniment to a ham or other roast meats. If you have a mandoline, it’s useful for quickly slicing the potatoes into uniform slices.”
12 BEST Mashed Potatoes Recipes
A hallmark side dish for any holiday table is a creamy delicious mash. The question then is how to make the “best” mashed potatoes recipe ever.
15 Colorful Easter Salads for Your Spring Table
Easter Salad recipes add a colorful, festive array to your spring table. They’re light, bright, and beautiful. We’ve gathered some gorgeous salad recipes for your Easter table.
Easy Easter Cake Recipes
It’s not Easter without an Easter cake. Celebrate the holiday with one of these easy Easter cakes we know will dazzle your family and friends.
Pound Cake Cupcakes
“A Thumbelina version of the tube-pan classic, these Pound Cake Cupcakes are pretty enough for a fairy-tale princess—and only a muffin tin away.”
Mini Lemon Pudding Cakes
Mini Lemon Pudding Cakes are a refreshing, melt-in-your-mouth, lemony dream. Simple and quick to make, this dessert magically forms two layers when baked. A light and airy cake on top with a lemon pudding custard on the bottom.
Easy Carrot Cake Loaf
This Carrot Cake Loaf is packed with flavor and grated carrots. Warm spices make it incredibly delicious, topped generously with cream cheese frosting!
Egg Nest Easter Cupcakes
For a quick and easy Easter treat that's fun and whimsical and spring-like, try these Easter Egg Nest Cupcakes with our Simple Vanilla Cupcakes recipe posted here.
18 Easy Easter Desserts to Make this Year
Perfectly complement Easter dinner with these easy Easter desserts.
A Classic Strawberry Shortcake Made Easy
An easy but incredibly delicious Strawberry Shortcake always makes a beautiful dessert.
More Easter Recipes and Ideas
- Easy Easter Breakfast Recipes
- Brunch Recipes for Easter
- Easter Bread Recipes from Around the World
- Easy Easter Cake Recipes
See all of our Easter recipes and ideas here >>
Why no recipes for rabbit? Perfect for Easter Bunny Day.
Where is that gorgeous bunny & hummingbird plate set from?? I LOVE!! =)
Aren’t they gorgeous!! They’re made by Williams Sonoma, but unfortunately, they don’t seem to carry them anymore. Occasionally I’ve found them on eBay. The closest pattern they have this year is Floral Meadow but they’re a bit more muted.