The Perfect Easter Menu & Recipe Ideas

Ah, Easter – a time when the air is filled with the scent of blooming flowers and toasted hot cross buns. For some, it’s simply a time to observe the wonders of spring and enjoy sweet treats. Others will be looking forward to marking the end of Lent and gathering with family for a traditional meal. Either way, we can all agree that food is a big part of the Easter weekend!

Whether you’re hosting friends or getting the wider family together, we’ve got you covered. Our selection of the best Easter recipe ideas hits all right notes: flavour, tradition and easy preparation. Start planning your perfect Easter menu today.

The Best Recipes for Your Easter Weekend 2024

Easter marks the close of winter and the arrival of spring, and your menu should reflect this season of new life. Take advantage of the abundance of fresh produce and seasonal ingredients that spring has to offer. Every meal can incorporate some seasonal delight or other. Think refreshing salad side dishes, sweet rhubarb desserts and the mighty centrepiece, roast lamb.

Of course, eggs are another symbol of new life. Eggs, as an ingredient or just a classic Easter motif, could be the theme for any number of delicious meals. From delicious Easter recipes for brunch, with asparagus and poached eggs, to sweet Easter cakes covered in chocolate eggs.

The best Easter lunches will centre around these seasonal delights, and the best Easter decorations too! Our summer meadow table décor is bursting with bright florals that’ll set the tone for your celebrations. With some table flowers and party-appropriate glassware, your table will look the part. Of course, there’s always room for a touch of fun – our DIY Easter crackers are playful and very on theme! Something to keep the kids busy while you’re preparing your delicious Easter menu.

What to Have for Your Easter Breakfast

While Easter dinner often steals the spotlight, let’s not forget about the most important meal of the day – breakfast! Start your Easter with a delicious spread of sweet and savoury dishes and set the tone for a day filled with joy and celebration.

For a savoury option, top your toast with fluffy scrambled eggs or mashed avocado and poach eggs. Add fresh herbs or crisp asparagus spears and make it a brunch-worthy feast. Your weekend will be off to an eggs-tremely satisfying start!

If you have a sweet tooth, indulge in a stack of homemade pancakes drizzled with sticky maple syrup. Or try something new and make your own batch of hot cross buns or Easter Bunny bread rolls. There’s nothing like smothering butter on a freshly toasted bun, but we understand the urge to break with tradition. When you try making our hot cross bread and butter pudding, you might even decide to make it a new Easter Sunday staple!

What’s A Traditional Easter Dinner Menu?

Tradition plays a significant role in Easter celebrations, and no Easter dinner would be complete without a few classic recipes to honour the occasion. A good Easter Sunday lunch or celebratory dinner pairs the light with the hearty and the savoury with the sweet. Our Easter recipe ideas will help you get the balance just right.

Starters and sides

Start your meal with a vibrant spring salad of crisp greens, fresh herbs, and seasonal vegetables drizzled with a light dressing. You could even add some edible flowers to embrace the delights of spring florals!

For a more hearty accompaniment to your main, roast up some carrots, parsnips or squash. Glaze them with brown sugar and butter; air fry with orange juice and honey; or bake with garlic and rosemary for a mouthwatering side dish.

No roast dinner is complete without a handful of crispy golden spuds just waiting to be devoured. We’ve perfected the traditional technique of oven roasting potatoes, and have even moved on to master the air fryer roasties too – so take your pick!

Or try something a little different with Hasselback potatoes. These thinly sliced potatoes are roasted in the air fryer or oven until crispy. They’re a flavourful and eye-catching twist on a classic favourite.

Quick recipe: Hasselback potatoes

Preheat oven to 220°C

Slice your medium-size potatoes thinly, stopping just before you cut all the way through. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil or melted butter, ensuring it gets into the grooves. Season with salt and pepper or add parmesan or rosemary for extra flavour. Then bake or 40-50 minutes until crispy outside and soft inside.

For the main course

For many, the centrepiece of the classic Easter table is a succulent roast lamb. The rich and savoury flavours of British lamb transition us away from heavy winter meals and into lighter spring dining. We have loads of lamb roasting essentials and suggestions for cooking your Easter menu showstopper, all of them delicious and simple!

Quick recipe: Roast lamb breast

Preheat your oven to 160°C

Pat your lamb breast dry with paper towels and score the skin in a crisscross pattern. This is going to ensure a beautiful crispy finish when roasting. Season the meat with lots of salt, pepper, minced garlic and thyme. Drizzle olive oil over the lamb breast and rub it into the skin and meat, ensuring that it’s evenly coated.

Roast for approximately 2 hours, or until the skin is golden brown and the meat is tender. Let it rest in its juices for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

7-hour Leg of Lamb with Garlic & Anchovies – Preparation for this dish is short, and the cook time is delectably long and slow. Once you’ve infused the meat with garlic and chopped the fennel, all you need to do is wait. When it’s time for dinner, a succulent joint of lamb will be ready to wow your guests.

One-pot Braised Lamb Carrot & Barley Casserole – Other cuts of lamb are just as tasty and fitting for a perfect Easter lunch. With this easy lamb stew, you’ll have a tender and fragrant dish to serve to your expectant friends and family.

Vegan and vegetarian options – Everyone should be able to take part in the celebrations, so make sure to explore savoury Easter recipes for vegetarians and vegans too. We love roasted cauliflower with spices and pine nuts, and lentils stewed in wine, stock and bay leaves. You can add feta cheese or vegan sausages for extra oomph, and everyone will set their knives and forks down feeling full and happy!

Traditional Easter Desserts and Fun New Recipes

If you have a sweet tooth, then Easter is your holiday! No matter how much simnel cake or chocolate you’ve tucked into already, there’s always room for dessert.

There are loads of sweet recipe suggestions for you to choose from. The first is one the Easter bunnies will enjoy – the classic carrot cake. These moist treats are filled with warm spices and sweet, shredded carrots. By serving miniature cakes, you’ll have an elegant dessert that’ll end your meal on a high.

Of course, if you want your Easter theme to come through loud a proud, then a one of our Mini Striped Easter Cheesecakes will also make a cracking impression on your guests.

Quick Recipe: Easter Egg Chocolate Brownie

Deliciously rich and gooey and chocolatey and so easy to make, this is one of our go-to family-pleasing bakes. Dressed up with little eggs, it makes the perfect pass-round Easter treat.

Both our roast leg of lamb and our Easter egg chocolate brownie can be made in the Lakeland Adjustable Air Fryer. For a simple Easter dessert, @lauracleanaholic demonsrates how to make these sensational mini egg brownies.

Vegan and vegetarian alternatives for Easter eggs

Be adventurous and make your own Easter eggs this year! Once you’ve got our Easter Egg Moulds, you can experiment with all sorts of ingredients, decorations, shapes and sizes. You can box them up and gift them to friends or serve up with the post-dinner coffees and Easter biscuits.

So, whether you’re drawn to traditional favourites or are eager to explore new and creative recipes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this spring. We hope our Easter recipe ideas inspire you and make your well-deserved long weekend a real treat. Happy Easter from Lakeland!