Easter Meal Ideas: 18 Easy Easter Recipes for Brunch, Dinner & Dessert

Spring has arrived, which means it’s time to start embracing pastel décor and making plans for Easter. Whether you're orchestrating a picture-perfect Easter brunch, assembling a respectable Easter dinner, or just looking for an excuse to bake something that involves way too much powdered sugar, you’re in the right place.

This roundup of 18 essential Easter meal ideas includes everything from impressive main courses to side dishes that scream "I put in effort," plus a few indulgent Easter baking ideas—because no holiday is complete without a sugar coma.

So, whether you're sticking with time-honored favorites or feeling adventurous, these easy Easter recipes will round out your celebration. Let’s get cooking—or at least make it look like we did.

Traditional Easter Main Dishes

Roasted Lamb

The undisputed star of Easter dinner. Roasted lamb is tender, infused with garlic, rosemary, and a touch of German-inspired seasoning. Serve it with potato dumplings and red cabbage if you’re aiming for festive and impressive. Or just eat it straight off the bone—no judgment.

Baked Fish au Gratin

For those who want something elegant but refuse to spend all day in the kitchen. Flaky white fish, smothered in a creamy, cheesy sauce, topped with a golden crust. Baked Fish au Gratin looks fancy, requires minimal effort. A solid choice for easy Easter recipes that make you seem like you tried.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Crispy on the outside, cheesy on the inside—like the best possible outcome for an Easter dinner. Chicken Cordon Bleu is stuffed with ham and melty cheese, proving once again that stuffing things inside other things is always a good idea. Bonus: It pairs perfectly with Easter baking ideas like warm German breads.

Delightful Easter Side Dishes

Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelklöße)

Pillowy, buttery, and designed to soak up all the good stuff on your plate. Whether you drown them in gravy or opt for no-frills bliss, these potato dumplings do not disappoint. An essential component of any Easter dinner lineup.

Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

Because nothing says spring like dipping vegetables in a sauce made almost entirely of butter. Fresh, crisp asparagus paired with silky hollandaise—a side dish that makes you feel healthy while still indulging. Spring desserts can wait.

Warm German Potato Salad

Not the mayonnaise-laden version, but the superior, tangy, bacon-infused German potato salad classic. Served warm, so it feels like real food and not just something that got scooped onto your plate as an afterthought. A must-have for Easter lunch ideas.

Zwiebelkuchen (Onion Tart)

A rich, bacony onion tart with a perfectly flaky crust. Think of Zwiebelkuchen as quiche’s cooler, more flavorful cousin. Ideal for brunch, a starter, or as an excuse to hide the Easter eggs broken during painting.

Red Cabbage with Apples

The slow-cooked, slightly sweet, slightly tangy side dish that makes every roast better. The apples add just enough sweetness to make you think, maybe I do like red cabbage after all. Pairs exceptionally well with roasted meats and an easy Easter dinner.

Fresh & Festive Salads

Asparagus Salad

Spring on a plate. A crisp asparagus salad with a light vinaigrette and fresh herbs makes this the green thing you can point to when pretending your meal is balanced. Easter lunch ideas should always include something this fresh.

German Cucumber Salad

Cold, creamy, slightly tangy, and oddly refreshing. Whether you go the sour cream route or keep this cucumber salad sharp with vinegar, this is the perfect cool-down from all the rich, hearty dishes on your plate. Ideal for easy Easter recipes that don’t require an oven.

Egg Salad

The real reason you dyed all those Easter eggs. Creamy, tangy, and best served with fresh bread—or just eaten straight out of the bowl when no one is looking. Egg salad is a classic Easter lunch idea that proves simplicity wins every time.

German Easter Breads & Pastries

Paska (Sweet Easter Bread)

A fluffy, slightly sweet bread traditionally covered in icing or sprinkles, because why not? Paska is light enough for breakfast, indulgent enough for dessert. Easter baking at its finest.

Braided Bread (Hefezopf)

Soft, golden, and just sweet enough. This beautifully braided bread is perfect with butter, jam, or just torn apart and eaten while still warm. If you need an Easter baking idea that looks impressive but is surprisingly easy, this is it.

Stollen with Marzipan

The bread that eats like dessert. Packed with dried fruit, a rich marzipan center, and a generous dusting of powdered sugar, it's a true holiday classic that reaches beyond Christmas. If you haven’t had stollen for Easter, are you even celebrating properly?

Delicious Easter Desserts

Easter Lamb Cake

A chocolate cake shaped like a lamb because tradition says so. Dusted with powdered sugar for that rustic but totally intentional look. A classic, easy Easter dessert that doubles as table décor.

Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)

Bienenstich is a soft cake filled with vanilla custard and topped with caramelized honey almonds. It’s creamy, crunchy, and exactly what you need after pretending to eat a socially acceptable portion of Easter dinner.

Fruit Flan

Light sponge cake, fresh fruit, and a delicate glaze that makes it look far more complicated than it is. Refreshingly sweet and perfect for spring desserts when chocolate bunnies aren’t cutting it.

Strawberry Cream Torte

When does a cake become a torte? Once you include fresh strawberries and clouds of whipped cream on top of a sponge base—a perfect excuse to finish the main course as quickly as possible. Elegant, effortless, and basically what every easy Easter dessert dreams of being when it grows up.

Hungry Yet?

No matter how you celebrate, these easy Easter dinner ideas will add a little tradition (and possibly a nap) to your holiday. Maybe you’re slicing into a perfectly golden Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake), enjoying a refreshingly light asparagus salad, or placing a beautifully roasted lamb on the table like you do this every Sunday.

Whatever your approach, these Easter recipes make hosting just a little less stressful—so you can focus on what really matters: dodging family debates and sneaking extra dessert.

If you’re planning an Easter lunch idea or just need something quick before the inevitable Easter egg chocolate binge, we’ve got you covered. From sweet braided bread to fruit-laden tarts, these Easter baking ideas will satisfy even the most insistent sweet tooth. Because, let’s be honest, there’s no such thing as too many desserts.

So go ahead, save your favorites, share them with family, and enjoy every bite of your Easter feast. Happy Easter and happy cooking—assuming you actually plan to cook.

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