Easter is a time to celebrate the changing season, and one of our favorite holidays of the year! These Easter recipes are inspired classics that are sure to be the hit of any gathering.

It’s the season of new beginnings, fresh outlooks, and the very best fresh food.

Find the most incredible Easter recipes, including Easter appetizers, Easter sides, Easter desserts and more, all in one amazing round-up!

Explore 40 imaginative Easter recipes full of delectable flavors and delightful presentations.
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I truly love a good holiday meal. I love the careful planning that goes into the menu, setting a simple but beautiful table, and creating a memorable spread that our family will love.

Easter is no exception. In fact, it may be my favorite, because I adore all the beautiful colors and flavors of spring!

Easter 2024 is just around the corner (March 31) and I’m already planning our menus. Breakfast or brunch, or maybe a dinner menu this year – and of course, dessert!

Did you know that Better Homes and Gardens once dubbed this blog “Best Entertaining Website”? We’ve been doing this a long time, and these recipes are tried and true.

An appetizing ham on a white plate, perfect for Easter recipes.
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Tips

  • Plan ahead! If you’re hosting an Easter celebration, get organized a week or so in advance, if possible. This allows you to get your groceries ordered or take an efficient shopping trip!
  • Prep early. Try to all your chopping, mixing and creating in the 48 hours prior to your event. The more you accomplish ahead of time, the better you’ll feel on the day of your party!
  • Arrange serving platters and glassware ahead, too. I like to think ahead about which dishes, bowls and platters I’ll need for serving and get them lined up on our island or table. Of course, same goes for the bar area!
A person joyfully dips a chip into a bowl of dip, adding an extra touch of fun to their Easter celebration with delicious snacks.

Easy Easter Recipes

Spring is the perfect time to plan a get-together with loved ones. It’s the ultimate season of renewal, and no matter how you celebrate, these recipes are sure to please.

Regardless of when (or how) your family celebrates the Easter holiday, these incredible Easter side dishes, appetizers, desserts and more are going to become traditional favorites. They are reader-favorite spring recipes you’ll adore. 

Create your Easter Menu

Choose any of our reader favorite options for an Easter menu that is sure to be a success!

Easter Appetizers

Easter appetizers can run the gamut, with all things fresh and tasty that your family will adore. Think deviled eggs, your favorite dips, fresh fruit and veggies and more!

At the end of this post, you’ll find the printable recipe card for one of our favorite easy Easter appetizers – don’t miss it!

Easy Dill Dip Recipe

Classic and flavorful, this easy dill dip recipe is always a crowd-pleaser for holidays, game days and summer gatherings. The flavors really pop in this dill veggie dip with the help of dried herbs and spices (hello, Beau Monde dip!).

Easy Gnocco Fritto

Gnocco Fritto is an easy 10-minute appetizer when made with the ultimate shortcut: puff pastry! These light and fluffy puff pillows are topped with olive oil, prosciutto and sea salt for heavenly bites.

Spinach Dip With Cream Cheese

I absolutely crave a creamy spinach dip! There’s nothing better for a game day or holidays – but I don’t need an excuse. I make spinach dip with cream cheese and Monterey Jack cheese to achieve the creamiest, cheesiest spinach dip!

Easter Salads

Simple Spring Salad Mix

This spring salad mix is the perfect Easter salad to take with you to brunch or dinner. Full of vibrant fruits, pecans and cheese, you can prep the salad at home and whip up some vinaigrette and have a fresh, easy-to-transport salad.

An Easter-inspired bowl of spinach salad with strawberries and walnuts.

White Wine Vinaigrette

An easy, classic White Wine Vinaigrette recipe that requires just six staple ingredients and less than a minute to make from scratch! Make it ahead of the time for an easy way to elevate even the most basic of salads.

Strawberry Salad

Easy and refreshing strawberry salad with a vinaigrette poppy seed dressing. It’s a classic go-to summer salad perfect for any occasion! 

Insalata Mista

A light and refreshing classic Insalata Mista with shaved parmesan, grape tomatoes, and pine nuts tossed in a delcious balsamic vinaigrette. This mixed salad goes great with just about every entree!

Easter Side Dishes

As with all holiday celebrations, the sides will be a varied and colorful celebration of all the items your family loves! Generally, include one potato dish and 1-2 green vegetable sides (along with a salad) for a great selection.

Colorful, flavorful veggie side dishes help round out a meal, making it balanced, nutritious and colorful!

Brussel Sprouts

This Crispy Brussel Sprouts Recipe is bursting with flavor! Brussel Sprouts with pancetta and shallots are sauteed into a fragrant, textural side dish that will leave your family begging for more.

Crispy brussel sprouts on a white plate with a blue linen napkin and serving spoon to the side.

Potato Gratin Stacks

Potatoes Au Gratin in easy to serve stacks! This recipe is everything you love about potato gratin made with thinly sliced potatoes, cream and gruyere – plus it’s delicious little individual servings.

Homemade Creamy Potato Salad Recipe

This creamy potato salad recipe with egg is the best way to use up all those extra eggs from the Easter holiday. It is made with a few key ingredients including gherkins and mustard, and one little secret technique to make it better than the rest!

30 Minute Dinner Rolls

These homemade dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, buttery and quite simply irresistible. The best part? This homemade dinner roll recipe is truly ready in around 30 minutes, start to finish.

Firehouse Green Beans With Bacon

Step aside green bean casserole, Green beans with Bacon are an easy, last-minute side dish for holidays with the best blend of garlic, parmesan and bacon that will have green bean haters begging for the recipe!

Braised Dill Carrots

These Roasted Baby Carrots are a simple, attractive side dish that even your kids will love! Braised Carrots with fresh dill are flavorful and crisp-tender.

Easter Main Dishes

Of course, items like lamb, prime rib and roasts are always great for Easter. Many parts of the country (and around the world) choose lamb as their main dish for Easter, and although that’s not as common in our area, it’s a beautiful option! 

Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders

How to make the best Ham and Cheese Sliders, the ultimate hot ham and cheese sandwich perfect for any party! You’ll love these mini hot ham and cheese sliders for holidays or even a weeknight dinner!

Hot ham and cheese sliders in a baking dish.

Lemon Pepper Salmon

This Lemon Pepper Salmon recipe is absolutely foolproof. In fact, it’s the most delicious way to add all the goodness that salmon offers. With the perfect blend of seasonings and the essence of fresh squeezed lemon, it’s light and easy but special enough for a holiday celebration.

Pork Medallions

These Pork Medallions are pan-seared and deglazed in a delectable sweet and savory glaze. Perfect for any season, this pork medallion recipe is packed with protein and ready in under 15 minutes!

Creamy Carbonara

This is the ultimate, classic Creamy Pasta Carbonara recipe. It is a simple, easy and fresh take on pasta that is easy to customize and the perfect pasta for dinner, lunch or even brunch! This spaghetti carbonara sauce is the best comfort food indulgence.

A white plate with a serving of spaghetti carbonara, gold fork to the side

Grilled Beef Tenderloin

Because it’s the ultimate special occasion meal! If you’re looking for an incredibly simple dinner that is special enough to serve to company at the holidays (or any time) grilled beef tenderloin is where it’s at! This tenderloin is rich, tender, juicy, and oh-so-flavorful.

Easter Desserts

Don’t skip dessert. In fact, you should probably make at least three of these incredible spring dessert recipes!

A beautiful and delicious Cadbury Eggs Cookie Cake recipe for an easy Easter dessert that looks as good as it tastes!

An easter cookie displayed on a white plate.

Soft And Fluffy Carrot Cake Cookies

These delicious carrot cake cookies are topped with a light and fluffy cream cheese frosting for the ultimate Easter treat. These super soft cookies are wonderfully sweet and easy to make with staple pantry ingredients.

Gooey Butter Cake With Brown Butter

Classic St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake with a twist – this easy Gooey Butter Cake with Brown Butter has a deeper, richer flavor that you’ll crave again and again! 

Bunny Funfetti Dessert Cheeseball

This Funfetti Cheeseball is an easy no-bake dessert dip that will thrill the kids at your next gathering. A handful of ingredients turned into a cute bunny will be the hit of the party!

Bunny Tail Easter Cupcakes

Bunny Tail Easter Cupcakes will be the hit of your Easter get together! Adorable bunny cupcakes look like a sweet bunny tail and are quick and easy to make!

Bunny Carrot Cake Cheese Ball

This adorable Bunny Carrot Cake Cheese Ball is the most memorable and delicious Easter dessert. Or, make and serve it as one of the cutest, most creative Easter appetizers you can imagine!

A plate with bunny ears on it.

More Easter Inspiration

easter

Last but certainly not least, here’s the printable recipe card for one of our favorite Easter recipes – this darling carrot shaped cheese ball! Sure to be a hit with your family, it’s delicious and adorable, too.

One of the best Easter recipes, a carrot shaped Easter cheese ball, surrounded by crackers on a white platter.
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Carrot Cheese Ball for Easter

This carrot cheese ball is the perfect appetizer that’s easy to make with just three ingredients (plus a stem for cuteness factor, of course). It’s perfect for kids and adults of all ages and it comes together in minutes – serve across the Easter holidays and all through spring.
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 8
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Ingredients  

  • 8 ounces cream cheese one block full fat
  • 4 tablespoons butter salted room temperature
  • 1 cup shredded cheese cheddar or any of your favorites
  • 1 carrot stem anything green will work – try herbs like parsley or cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons Fiesta Ranch Seasoning or one packet (optional)

Instructions 

  • Mix cream cheese, butter, cheddar cheese (and optional fiesta ranch) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    8 ounces cream cheese one block, 4 tablespoons butter salted, 2 tablespoons Fiesta Ranch Seasoning
  • Drop the mixture onto wax paper and roll into a cone.
  • Use your hands to mold it into a carrot shape, no need for perfection.
    1 cup shredded cheese cheddar
  • Place onto platter and sprinkle with shredded cheese, patting it around the cream cheese mixture to stick.
  • Insert stem (cilantro, carrot stem, parsley all work well) and refrigerate until serving.
    1 carrot stem

Julie’s Tips

  • Refrigerate your cheese mixture for at least 30 minutes before you shape it. It will be easier to handle when it is cold.
  • I prefer to use a full fat cream cheese for this recipe as it has a much richer flavor, but you can use a low fat cream cheese if you prefer.
  • It’s best to grate your own cheese for the topping, it’s so much creamier for a cheese ball.
  • It’s easy to add your own variations to this carrot cheeseball. Add in herbs, bacon, green onions or dried fruit to make it your own!

NOTE

This cheese ball is great without the added seasoning, but it can be fun to mix it up. Check out this homemade fiesta ranch blend to spice things up! 
Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 508mg | Potassium: 50mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 697IU | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

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3 Comments

  1. This is a very comprehensive list, your hard work is very evident, I am looking forward to incorporating some of these ideas to switch up our usual holiday menu!