With Easter just days away, you might be putting the finishing touches on your Easter dinner menu. Or maybe you’ve just finished planning an epic Easter egg hunt and still need to come up with what you’re cooking! Whether you’re having extended family and guests over or just serving your household, we’ve got some recipes that might help you round out the meal. Not sure how much ham you need to serve everyone? No worries! We even have this handy guide for how much ham to cook per person.
We’re of the opinion that dinner gatherings and holiday celebrations deserve a fun beverage, so we’ve included a delightful and refreshing spring punch. But feel free to serve something alcohol-free instead! From a unique seasonal appetizer to tasty and fresh side dish options, this menu makes the most of vibrant spring produce. Easter dinners need a delicious ham, and the recipe included here is our all-time favorite. (Thanks to the glaze!) For the finale of the meal, we absolutely had to go with a classic carrot cake.
Dogwood Punch
If you’d like to add a fun cocktail to your Easter dinner, this Dogwood Punch is a great choice because you can make one big batch and it’ll serve a crowd. Plus, it’s easy to pour everything into a large punch bowl, give it a stir, and top with fresh strawberries and lemon slices. And there you have a delicious and tasty punch in just a matter of minutes.
Get the recipe for Dogwood Punch.
Smoky Carrot Hummus
Every dinner gathering needs a little snack while everything in the kitchen is coming together, and we love the idea of serving this fun twist on hummus at Easter! We added sweet roasted carrots to a classic hummus recipe for a dip that’s deliciously smoky and just a little unexpected. Smoked paprika deepens the flavor and toasted almonds add richness and body. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and parsley, and serve with your favorite pita chips.
Get the recipe for Smoky Carrot Hummus.
Brown Sugar-Bourbon-Pineapple-Glazed Ham
This is, hands down, our favorite way to make a ham. The ham may be at the center of the table, but this simple, sweet glaze is the star of the show! It creates an almost candied, crunchy exterior that leads to a burst of flavor in every bite. If you love a sweet and salty combo, you’ll love this ham. It also goes perfectly with your favorite side dishes.
Get the recipe for Brown Sugar-Bourbon-Pineapple-Glazed Ham.
Creamy Carrot, Pea, and Tarragon Pasta
This is our new favorite pasta side for spring and carrot season! And it’s a fun addition to your Easter dinner menu. Sweet carrots, bright peas, and fresh tarragon add flavor to this easy and creamy pasta. Crispy bacon gives it savory depth and a little salty-sweet juxtaposition, while lemon zest brightens it all up.
Get the recipe for Creamy Carrot, Pea, and Tarragon Pasta.
Steamed Asparagus with Salt-Cured Egg Yolks
Asparagus is also in season and couldn’t be any easier to cook, so it’s a great option for a quick and simple side dish. If you ever find yourself with leftover egg yolks after a baking project, curing is a great way to save them later. They last 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge, and you can grate them over anything where you might use Parmesan cheese. We love them over asparagus for extra flavor!
Get the recipe for Steamed Asparagus with Salt-Cured Egg Yolks.
Spring Salad with Pickled Vegetables
A little spring salad is always an easy side dish, and this one is made extra delicious thanks to quick-pickled veggies. The veggies plus pine nuts and goat cheese really take this from a regular salad to extra special and fun for a holiday gathering. The pickled veggies need to be made in advance so they can sit in the fridge while the pickling happens, so it’s a little bit of a make-ahead recipe. When you’re ready to serve, just toss everything together!
Get the recipe for Spring Salad with Pickled Vegetables.
Skillet Angel Biscuits
Every dinner or holiday menu needs a biscuit or a roll, and we love these little Skillet Angel Biscuits for Easter. They’re fluffy and light as a cloud, so we don’t expect there will be many leftovers of these. They’re yeasted biscuits, but they’re not that different from making regular biscuits. After the dough is made, it rises for two hours, or you can keep it in the fridge for up to three days. So these can be made in advance too! Just roll out the dough, cut out the rounds, and bake the day of or day before.
Get the recipe for Skillet Angel Biscuits.
Carrot Sheet Cake
If you’re serving a crowd this Easter, we took a classic carrot cake and turned it into a sheet cake just for you! Sheet cakes are a great option when you need to serve a large group, so everyone can get a piece. This cake has all the classic flavors of carrot cake, warm spices, savory carrots, and cream cheese frosting, but baked in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Piping the little carrot decorations is actually quite easy, too. It’s just a little squiggle with orange frosting! Or you can simply sprinkle toasted pecans over the entire cake.
