Traditional Easter Food Ideas + Unique Easter Recipes

If you’re feeding a crowd this Easter, you’ll need plenty of Easter food ideas to keep all your guests well-fed and happy. The focus of Easter tends to be chocolate—not that that’s a bad thing! However, you’ll need some delicious Easter dinner and dessert ideas in addition to the copious amounts of chocolate Easter eggs. Get some inspiration with our selection of delicious traditional Easter food ideas.

What is traditional Easter food?

Traditionally, the food served at Easter is lamb, spring vegetables, lemon cake, and hot cross buns. The significance of serving lamb at Easter dates back to pagan times when the spring season was symbolized by newborn lambs. Ham became popular in the U.S. as the Easter meal choice due to its ease of availability over lamb.

Hot cross buns are the most popular Easter food, and these lightly spiced bread buns are usually packed full of currants, lemon zest or candied peel, cinnamon, nutmeg and drizzled with icing. The buns and icing are usually marked in the shape of a signature cross with these buns holding religious significance for Christians.

History shows ancient Greeks used to eat small cakes at the start of the spring festival, and sharing one with a friend was a way to solidify the friendship. 

Grab it now on Instacart:

Stew Leonard's Hot Cross Buns (each)

Stew Leonard's Hot Cross Buns (each)

Stew Leonard's Hot Cross Buns (each)

Stew Leonard's Hot Cross Buns (each)

Stew Leonard's Hot Cross Buns (each)

Yukon Gold Potatoes (1 ct)

Yukon Gold Potatoes (1 ct)

Yukon Gold Potatoes (1 ct)

Gillians Quiche & Pie Crusts, Gluten-free (16 oz)

Gillians Quiche & Pie Crusts, Gluten-free (16 oz)

Pepperidge Farm Frozen Sheets Pastry Dough (17.3 oz)

CADBURY Mini Eggs, Milk Chocolate (10 oz)

CADBURY Mini Eggs, Milk Chocolate (10 oz)

Stonewall Kitchen Vanilla Cupcake Mix, Vanilla (22.5 oz)

Castello Crumbled Blue (4.4 oz)

Fresh Boneless Salmon Fillet (1.03 lb)

Président Traditional Brie Cheese Wheel (16 oz)

Daniele Prosciutto, President's (3 oz)

Mrs. Richardson's Dessert Sauce, Caramel (16.6 oz)

Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur (50 ml)

Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur (50 ml)

Betty Crocker Super Moist Lemon Cake Mix (15.25 oz)

Wilton Candy Bunny Ears, 0.98 oz. (0.09 lb)

Tom's Mom's Strawberry Butter (10 oz)

Traditional Easter food recipe ideas

From the traditional to the modern, Easter food can cover a whole range of dishes from succulent lamb roasts to chocolate, mini-egg adorned cupcakes.

1. Hot cross buns

To mark the end of Lent, hot cross buns were traditionally eaten on Good Friday. Hot cross buns are so versatile, they can be eaten any time of the year—or any time of the day. You can shop for hot cross buns at your local grocery store or bake your own.

2. Slow cooked leg of lamb

Another traditional Easter food idea, this dish will be the centerpiece of your dining table. Cook your leg of lamb in the slow cooker for tender meat that falls off the bone. Serve with steamed spring seasonal vegetables and roast potatoes.

3. Perfect roast potatoes

Roast potatoes are a close second to being the king of the dinner table. To get those crispy skins and fluffy insides that you desire, use Yukon Gold potatoes.

4. Cheese and herb quiche

Quick and easy to make and budget-friendly, this hearty quiche is a cheese and herb medley for the dinner table. Combine eggs, crème fraîche, milk, Cheddar cheese, chives, parsley, and onion and bake in a pie crust until set in the center. Serve it for lunch with a salad or as a side dish for Easter dinner. 

5. Ham with pineapple and mustard glaze

For baked ham with a twist, combine pineapple marmalade, sherry, mango fruit juice, and mustard. Boil and then simmer until thickened, and add butter in. Brush ham with the glaze and baste every 20 minutes until ham is golden.

6. Caramelized onion tart

This caramelized onion tart can be a tasty main that’s irresistible to anyone. Caramelize red onion, garlic, powdered sugar, and balsamic vinegar until the mixture thickens. Cover onion mixture with puff pastry sheets, bake in a pan until golden and invert tart onto platter.

7. Easter chocolate pots with toppings

Indulge your sweet tooth with these decadent, chocolatey custard Easter pots, topped with goodies. Serve topped with crushed chocolate mini eggs, hazelnuts, and sprinkles. 

8. Easter cupcakes

Gather your marshmallows and candy for this sweet treat. Make vanilla cupcake mix and vanilla buttercream. Spread each cupcake with buttercream, dip in shredded coconut, and cut up marshmallows into halves. Arrange marshmallows to create the bunny’s feet and ears and use heart-shaped sprinkles for paw pads and teeth, candy pieces for the nose, and black writing icing for the eyes and whiskers.

Unconventional Easter dinner ideas

From baked salmon to loaded salads, these Easter dinner ideas are filling, flavorful, and perfect for sharing.

9. Roast cauliflower and blue cheese salad

Drizzle cauliflower with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and bake until golden and simultaneously bake some pancetta until crisp. Then arrange baby rocket leaves and baked cauliflower on a platter, break up and sprinkle the pancetta, some crumbled blue cheese, capers, pepitas, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds.

10. Spiced salmon with yogurt and herb sauce

Fish has always been traditionally eaten on Good Friday, so try this herb-filled fish main. Coat salmon fillets with a spice mixture of olive oil sea salt, coriander, cumin, and black pepper. Roast salmon on a baking tray with baby broccoli. Serve with a sauce consisting of yogurt, lemon, and dill.

11. No peel braised carrots

This time-saving carrot dish is perfect for when you’re busy preparing a feast. No need to peel or chop. Simply braise baby carrots in butter and brown sugar, and add sage or fennel seeds for an aromatic side dish.

12. Mini Hasselback potatoes with chive butter

This is another great side to have for Easter lunch or dinner. After cooking them, mix butter and fresh chives and dollop them onto the potatoes to serve.

13. Fig and pistachio baked brie

This is perfect for the centerpiece of a cheeseboard. Take a brie cheese wheel, dribble with honey, top with pistachios, figs, and thyme, drizzle with olive oil, and bake until figs are golden and softened.

14. Prosciutto-wrapped roast pork with maple glaze

Wrap sliced prosciutto over 2 pieces of pork scotch (neck) and rub olive oil, thyme and garlic all over. Add sweet potato and other vegetables, and brush all with melted butter and maple syrup mixture to glaze.

Easter dessert ideas

Staying true to form with a focus on chocolate, these yummy Easter desserts are sure to please all of your guests.

15. Banoffee-filled hot cross buns

Hot cross buns are so versatile, you can turn them into the decadence of sweetness. Caramelize sliced bananas in butter and brown sugar and spoon onto halved, lightly toasted hot cross buns. Top with caramel dessert sauce and whipped cream.

16. Baileys chocolatini

Indulgent, decadent, and boozy—say no more. Equally, divide and layer the following liquors between serving glasses:

1. Frangelico hazelnut liquor
2. White crème de cacao liqueur 
3. Baileys Irish creme

 Then pipe over a dollop of whipped cream and top with crushed chocolate mini-eggs.

17. Easter chocolate bark

Melt a pack of chocolate melts over a pan of simmering water, stir and pour onto baking paper. Then, sprinkle with Easter eggs, marshmallows, sprinkles, chocolate bunnies—anything you can think of—and leave to set at room temperature.

18. Lemon drizzle sponge cake

Bake an easy lemon sponge cake mix, and when done, poke holes in it with a skewer and pour over a syrup made up of caster sugar and juice of 2 lemons. Make up the lemon icing, pour over the cake and allow to drizzle over the cake edges. Top with chocolate mini eggs.

19. No-bake bunny biscuits

These biscuits are a great time-saver with no baking required. Melt milk or white baking chocolate, place arrowroot biscuits on a baking tray, and spread on melted chocolate. Scatter with sprinkles and place on candy bunny ears.

20. Hot cross bun grazing board

A perfect Easter dessert idea, this grazing board is loaded with goodies. Arrange hot cross buns, mini Easter eggs, macarons, marshmallows, chocolate cups, pretzels, berries, mini apples, and whipped strawberry butter on a serving platter. 

Traditional Easter food for a feast

These Easter food ideas celebrate the most delicious foods of the spring season and will help you create a traditional Easter feast that the entire family will love. Get all your traditional Easter food and baking supplies by shopping your groceries through Instacart and get convenient same-day delivery.

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