Create the ultimate Easter menu with my favourite Easter dinner ideas. From snacks and nibbles through to desserts. No matter if you are preparing a baked ham or casual seafood brunch I have you covered.
Easter is always a lot more relaxed than Christmas in our household. It may be more relaxed but it's no less delicious and filled with lots of Easter Treats.
The holiday always starts with breakfast on Good Friday with hot cross buns.
Then comes Easter Sunday, again breakfast is an important family ritual with eggs of all sorts. Later in the day is the family gathering where we all enjoy Easter dinner or lunch together. A casual affair, but a tasty one.
Below are a few Easter dinner ideas, along with breakfast inspiration and brunch thoughts.
Sara xxx
What's in this post
Breakfast Ideas
Breakfast is truly celebrated over Easter. It may be a hearty affair after egg hunting. Or something light before heading to church or other celebrations.
Alternatively, you may be making the most of an extended long weekend with a leisurely and relaxing breakfast.
See All Breakfast Recipes >>
My Favourite Hero Dishes
There is always one hero dish at Easter dinner or lunch. That stand out star attraction. It could be a glistening glazed baked ham with a selection of sides or even an impressive bacon and egg pie for brunch.
If you haven't attempted to bake a whole ham before please look at our step-by-step guide on how to cook a ham.
Sweet Easter Treats
One of my favourite sweet Easter recipes is hot cross bun ice cream. A recipe I created using a trick I learned from Wylie Dufresne when I was in New York.
See All Easter Recipes >>
Easter Dinner Ideas and Menus
A few Easter dinner ideas, lunch and breakfast menu suggestions. Feel free to swap and mix dishes between them. My perfect Easter menu appears in the printable recipe card at the end of this article.
- Sara's Perfect Easter Menu
- Post Egg Hunt Breakfast
- Seafood Lunch
- Easy Easter Dinner
Menu 1 - Sara's Perfect Easter Menu
My perfect Easter menu reflects all the foods I love about Easter. Enough food to generously feed the extended family. Of course, you would need to start with piragi and a must have Easter cocktail.
To Start
~ Easy Pork Veal Terrine with crusty bread
~ Also to go with the crusty bread Burrata Salsa Tartufata
~ Oysters served simply with Champagne Mignonette
Mains
~ Pork Loin with perfect crackling via the air fryer
~ Oven baked Maple Garlic Chicken Thigh Cutlets
~ Garlic Butterfly Prawns (shrimp) and more bread!
Sides
~ Roasted Dutch Carrots with a Buttery Honey Almonds
~ Super crunchy Parmentier Potatoes
~ Sinfully good Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
Desserts
~ Caramel Chocolate Crackle Tart
~ Pashka, a traditional Latvian Easter dessert via Russia
~ Nama Chocolate and a cup of Coffee
Menu 2 - Post Egg Hunt Breakfast
After an early start with the kids hunting for eggs, everyone will need a hearty and satisfying Easter breakfast. Be sure to start with hot chocolates for the kids and strong coffees for the adults.
A Selection to Share
~ An impressive Bacon and Egg Pie
~ 30 minute Quick Hot Cross Buns
~ Gozleme with various fillings
~ Blueberry White Chocolate Waffles
~ Crispy Bacon and Hard Boiled Eggs (coloured or not)
~ A selection of Toast, a variety of Bread, and Savoury Muffins
~ Cold Deli Meats and Cheeses
A Sweet Finish
~ Bunny Cupcakes for the kids (or those kids at heart)
~ Easter Rocky Road
~ Tim Tam Balls
~ Fresh Fruit
Menu 3 - Seafood Lunch
Seafood is traditional for Easter. Go for a mixture of hot and cold dishes. Some that you can prepare ahead of time and others easily at the last moment.
To Start
~ One bite creamy Crab Lettuce Cups
~ Easy Smoked Salmon Dip and dippers
~ Oysters freshly shucked with a variety of sauces
Mains
~ A piled high Seafood Platter
~ Classic Trout Almondine for some French flair
~ Pipis in creamy white wine and garlic sauce
Sides
~ Crunchy and nutty Broccolini Slaw
~ Zingy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
~ My favourite Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream
~ Fresh and simple garden salad
~ A variety of crunchy fresh bread, and soft bread rolls
~ 3-4 sauces for the fresh seafood like homemade mayonnaise, seafood cocktail sauce, honey mustard or chilli plum sauce.
Desserts
~ Hot Cross Bun Ice Cream served simply in waffle cones
~ Basque Burnt Cheesecake
~ Easter Chocolate Mud Cupcakes
Menu 4 - Easy Easter Dinner
An easy Easter dinner menu for friends and family. Filled with simple but delicious ideas to form a smorgasbord or a sit down family style dinner. All suggestions are for minimal effort on the day.
To Start
~ Pork, Duck, Fig Terrine (can be made a couple of days ahead)
~ Selection of cold meats and cheese
~ Crudite Platter
Mains
~ An Old Fashioned Glazed Ham
~ BBQ Rainbow Trout
~ Good quality BBQ/Rotisserie Chicken cut into portions
~ Zucchini Slice (made the day before)
Sides
~ Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Salad
~ Green Garden Salad
~ Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Desserts
~ Easter Chocolate Freckles (make days ahead)
~ Easter Egg Nests (make ahead)
~ Chocolate Cheesecake Crackle Pie (make ahead)
Printable Recipe
Perfect Easter Dinner Menu
Ingredients
Snacks and Starters
- Easy Pork Veal Terrine with crusty bread
- Burrata Salsa Tartufata
- Oysters with Champagne Mignonette
Mains
- Pork Loin with perfect crackling
- Oven baked Maple Garlic Chicken Thigh Cutlets
- Garlic Butterfly Prawns (shrimp) and more bread
Sides
- Roasted Dutch Carrots with a buttery honey almonds
- Super crunchy Parmentier Potatoes
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
Dessert
- Caramel Chocolate Crackle Tart
- Pashka
- Nama Chocolate
- Coffee and Tea
Instructions
Easy Pork and Veal Terrine
- This terrine is made 2 days in advance. You could also make it a month ahead and freeze it (simply defrost the terrine in the fridge the day before serving).
Burrata Salsa Tartufata
- Source the tartufata well in advance from a good deli, you may need to purchase it online.The asparagus and celery salad can be made the day before and stored in an air tight container in the fridge.Plate the finished dish just before serving.Serve this and the terrine with crusty baguette.
Oysters with Champagne Mignonette
- Serve oysters on a platter with a bowl of chilled Champagne mignonette on the side.Make the Champagne Mignonette at least an hour before serving, it can be made the day before.In a small bowl add ½ finely minced shallot, ½ cup champagne vinegar, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Whisk ingredients together and store in the fridge until needed.
Pork Loin with Crunchy Crackling
- As per the recipe start the preparation of the pork loin the day before.On the day take the pork loin out of the fridge 1 - 1 ½ hours before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.Air fry the port loin as per the recipe (around 50 minutes), then allow the pork to rest for another 20 minutes before serving.
Maple and Garlic Chicken Thigh Cutlets
- Prepare the thigh cutlets and place them in a zip lock bag along with the other ingredients. Coat the cutlets well and place them in the fridge until needed. This can be done the day before.When ready to cook remove the cutlets from the bag and place on a baking tray. Drizzle any juices in the bag over the top of the cutlets, then proceed as per the recipe. They take around 45 minutes to bake.
Garlic Butterfly Prawns (Shrimp)
- Clean and prepare the prawns the morning of the day you are serving them.Prepare all the other ingredients ahead of time as well.They only take 15 minutes to cook and this is best done just before serving.Serve with crusty bread to mop up all the delicious juices.
Roasted Dutch Carrots
- Trim and clean the Dutch carrots the day before, or the morning of.Roast them towards the end of the chicken thighs roasting time. Prepare the buttery almond honey sauce while cooking the prawns.
Parmentier Potatoes
- Prepare and par boil the potatoes the morning of the Easter dinner. Set them aside to cool and dry out before baking.They can be baked a couple of hours before guests arrive and then placed back in the oven before serving to bring them up to temperature and get even crunchier.
Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
- Can be made the day before and then reheated in the oven before serving.Alternatively, it can be made a month before and frozen. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the oven.
Caramel Chocolate Crackle Tart
- Make the tart the day before.
Pashka
- This recipe needs to be started at least 3 days before serving. It is a great make in advance recipe.
Nama Chocolate
- Make the Nama chocolate a day or two before needed.
Oven Temperatures
All oven temperatures are fan forced.
Measurement Notes
All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.
Recipe Notes
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.
Our Easter Dinner Ideas Menus were originally published on 13th April 2022 and is updated every year with new recipes and ideas.
Paige
I've made your garlic butterfly prawns many times before, it is a great recipe. I will be making them again at Easter along with a few of your other suggestions. Thank you Sara.
Sara McCleary
Hi Paige
It is great to hear that my butterfly prawn recipe is a fave of yours. Hope you enjoy the other Easter suggestions when you make them.
Cheers, Sara
KT
So many wonderful suggestions, thank you.
Sara McCleary
Hi KT
Happy to hear you like my Easter menu ideas.
Cheers, Sara