30 Easy Easter Lunch Ideas For A Special Spring Meal
Our favorite Easter lunch recipes make the most of seasonal spring produce.
Johnny Autry; Food and Prop Styling: Charlotte L. Autry
We put together an Easter lunch menu that makes the most of spring's fresh seasonal produce, like radishes, asparagus, strawberries, and carrots. From savory appetizers to delectable desserts, we have plenty of ideas that your family will love for this year's Easter lunch or brunch.
Spinach-Artichoke Dip
This Spinach-Artichoke Dip is quick to throw together and always popular with a crowd. Frozen artichokes and spinach melt into a rich mixture of three cheeses topped with golden panko breadcrumbs. Serve with fresh spring vegetables and pita chips.
Angel Biscuits
Bread lovers, rejoice! This Angel Biscuit recipe is buttery, warm, and oh-so delicious. If you've never made them before, Angel Biscuits are a heavenly combination of flaky buttermilk biscuits and light, yeasty dinner rolls.
Quick Pickled Slaw
In this light and tangy slaw, cabbage, crisp carrots, and crunchy radishes work together for a satisfying mix of textures and flavors. Without mayonnaise, the bright colors can really shine at a springtime meal.
Homemade Baked Beans
Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
There isn't a Southern occasion where baked beans don't belong—especially Easter lunch. This recipe includes instructions for using canned beans for a real time saver. You'll never know the difference when you bite into each caramelized, bacony bite.
Spring Salad With Berries And Bacon
Nothing says "spring" like baby greens and bright red berries. This salad features strawberries on every level, even in the dressing. Thinly sliced shallots and crunchy bacon balance the sweetness.
Classic Baked Macaroni And Cheese
Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Sally McKay; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
The holiday table isn't complete until you've set a gooey dish of mac and cheese in front of your guests. Our classic version is so delicious and so simple, and sometimes simple is best.
Crispy Potatoes
Crispy, herb-covered potatoes complement popular Easter mains like lamb chops, pork roast, and honey-baked ham. They go great with a brunch menu, too.
Shout Hallelujah Potato Salad
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
What better time to shout hallelujah than Easter Sunday? This pickle, onion, and pepper-loaded potato salad from The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook will make you do just that.
Broccoli, Grape, And Pasta Salad
Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
Pasta salad is a great choice if you're looking for a hearty starter with fresh ingredients. In this recipe, grapes add a touch of sweetness to the tangy, creamy mix.
Southern-Style Collard Greens
Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Props Stylist: Christina Brockman
Collard greens are always welcome at a Southern-style meal. Depending on how tender you like your greens, these could take two hours to cook but only need an occasional stir. You can also make collards a day or two in advance.
Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots
The Easter Bunny would approve of these Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots. Buy young, slender carrots in a variety of colors for the prettiest results.
Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Crispy, salty, and garlicky, these Brussels sprouts make a great side with any Easter menu. Steaming them in the microwave first makes the Brussels sprouts easy to smash and then bake with a generous coating of Parmesan.
Pimiento Cheese Sausage Balls
Jennifer Causey
Sausage balls easily segue from breakfast to dinner, making them the ideal appetizer for any Easter event. Pimiento cheese takes this four-ingredient recipe to another level.
Slow-Cooker Ham
Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Kelsey Moylan; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke
Put your holiday ham in the slow cooker Easter morning and forget about it until it's time to eat. Then spoon a delicious glaze over top—this recipe uses brown sugar, preserves, and whole-grain mustard.
Ham-And-Swiss Sliders
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Classic ham-and-cheese sliders are just what you need for a casual Easter lunch. This recipe warms ham and Swiss on sweet Hawaiian buns topped with poppy seeds and a buttery mustard sauce.
Carrot Raisin Salad
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
For a holiday-worthy version of Carrot Raisin Salad, peel your carrots into wide-cut ribbons. Then break out a few special ingredients like Champagne vinegar and toasted walnuts.
Carrot Cake Quick Bread
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
Treat your family to all the wonderful sweetness and texture of carrot cake in a loaf. Suitable for snacking or dessert, this quick bread can be baked in the morning or the night before.
Carrot Cake With Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl Jones
Rows of orange candies and green sprinkles transform carrot cake into an adorable vegetable patch for Easter. When it comes to decorating this crowd-friendly sheet cake, your creativity is the only limit.
Asparagus-And-Goat-Cheese Quiche
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
With a fluted tart pan, you can make a store-bought crust look extra special. If you don't have a lot of time Easter morning, make it the day before and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Beet-Pickled Deviled Eggs
Our Classic Deviled Eggs recipe is always appropriate for Easter, but nothing beats Beet-Pickled Deviled Eggs for brightening the holiday table. Marinate the eggs for 12-24 hours, which will lend a bright pink color without changing the flavor, then fill them with a lightly spiced egg yolk mixture.
Asparagus Gratin
Spring's favorite veggie just got a decadent makeover. This gorgeous side dish is very simple and extremely quick and easy to make.
Ham And Noodle Casserole
This comforting casserole will be the star of the Easter potluck. Loaded with egg noodles and spring vegetables, the dish makes good use of extra ham, or you can buy a ham steak and chop it up.
Mama's Fried Chicken
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
This much-loved classic involves four ingredients and a deep skillet or Dutch oven. Soak the chicken pieces in buttermilk for at least two hours before frying, and you'll end up with chicken that is tender and delicious.
Tarragon Chicken Salad
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Use leftover chopped chicken or a rotisserie chicken to make this bright and herbal chicken salad. Chopped pecans and Granny Smith apples add crunch and tartness.
Ham-And-Cheese Puff Pastries
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis
These puff pastries look like they came from a European bakery but are deceptively easy to make. Layer thawed pastry dough with ham, Gruyère slices, and a mustard sauce, seal, and bake for about 20 minutes. An egg wash turns the pastry a lovely golden brown.
Cheesecake Fruit Salad
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
On such a joyous occasion, you can afford to go over the top. Fresh fruit is tossed with a decadent mixture of cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and whipped topping that is ready in just 10 minutes.
Birds Nest Cookies
Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
This four-ingredient, no-bake dessert is so simple, the kids can throw together a batch on their own. They'll be delighted to show off their artistic creations.
Chocolate Bundt Cake
A cake mix and brownie mix make this decadent recipe easy to prepare. Chocolate Bundt Cake needs time to bake and cool, but after that, a simple drizzle of melted chocolate completes the dessert. And if you add edible flowers, they make this cake look like a masterpiece.
Easter Brunch Punch
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
You can freeze a few ice rings in mini bundt pans the night before your Easter luncheon, or throw this punch together the day of your gathering and use standard ice cubes. This alcohol-free punch gets a unique touch from rhubarb syrup, which takes about 10 minutes to prepare.
Picnic Egg Salad
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele
Use a half dozen of your Easter eggs for this recipe or boil extra eggs and stick them in the fridge. Serve egg salad with toasts or soft white bread.
Read the original article on Southern Living
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