Traditional Easter Dinner: 5 Menus and the Real Stories

If you have searched for traditional Easter dinner, you have found one of two articles. The first is a 43-recipe roundup that lists ham and lamb side by side and never tells you why. The second is one fancy menu with no explanation of the tradition it claims to honor. This is different.

Below are five complete traditional Easter dinner menus, each rooted in an actual tradition we can source. We tell you why ham is the American default and lamb is the European default. We tell you what to make Friday and what to make Sunday. We give you the cost per person. None of these menus require you to be a trained cook. They are the dinners that people actually host for Easter.

Who this is for

You are hosting Easter dinner this year, possibly for the first time. You want the meal to feel meaningful, not performative. You want to know which tradition you are actually drawing from before you commit. You have somewhere between 4 and 12 guests and somewhere between zero and one full day of prep time available. You want the food to be good but you also want to sit down with the people you love instead of running back to the kitchen every five minutes.

If this is your first time hosting any large dinner, read our full guide on how to host a dinner party alongside this one. That guide covers the timeline of the whole evening (drink math, table-setting, the 30-minute sit-down before guests arrive). This guide gives you the menus that drop into that framework.

TL;DR: 5 traditional Easter dinner menus at a glance

For the planning side of any of these, the free Dinner Party Checklist is the one-page 5-day timeline these menus drop into.

First, why ham or lamb?

Every other Easter article asks you to pick between ham and lamb without saying why both exist. The two traditions are real and they come from different places. Worth knowing before you commit.

The paschal lamb tradition

The lamb-on-Easter tradition is older and more widespread globally. The Wikipedia entry for Paschal Lamb treats the term as a disambiguation: it can refer to the Passover sacrifice (Korban Pesach) in Jewish tradition, or to the Christian Lamb of God symbolism. Both reference a lamb tied to deliverance and the lifting of sacrifice, which is how lamb ended up at the center of Easter Sunday tables in most Catholic and Orthodox households across Europe and the Mediterranean.

That is the heart of why a European Easter dinner is almost always lamb. The dish carries the meaning of the day.

Why ham took over in America

Ham as the American Easter centerpiece is more practical and more recent. Per the Wikipedia entry on Easter food, Easter ham reflects two converging facts. First, hams cured over the winter months were ready to eat by spring, so a ham was the natural fresh-meat option for the end-of-Lent Sunday in pre-refrigeration America. Second, Polish-American Catholic immigrants brought a strong ham-on-Easter tradition with them, which became one of the more visible Easter food customs in the US.

That is how the same religious holiday ended up with two different mains depending on where you grew up. Neither is more correct than the other. Both are real traditions with sources.

Regional Easter traditions

The Wikipedia article on Easter food also names several specific regional Easter mains and breads worth knowing:

• Italian: Abbacchio (a Roman lamb preparation) and Colomba di Pasqua (a dove-shaped Easter bread). Italian Easter pies (torta pasqualina) are also widespread.
• Greek: Whole roasted lamb is the centerpiece. Tsoureki, a sweet braided bread, often appears alongside red-dyed eggs.
• Polish: Ham, white sausage (kielbasa biala), and babka. The ham tradition that traveled to America.
• English: Hot cross buns on Good Friday (the spiced bun with a cross marked on top), historically tied to the end of Lent.

The five menus that follow each draw from one of these traditions. Pick the one closest to how your family already celebrates, or the one you find most interesting.

Menu 1: The Classic American Easter Dinner

The ham-based version most American families know. If you grew up with Easter in the US, this is probably the menu in your head.

Why this menu

The American ham tradition (per the Easter food Wikipedia entry) reflects both the post-Lent cured-meat readiness in spring and Polish-American Catholic immigrant influence. The spiral-cut, sweet-glazed ham is the modern shorthand for both.

What you serve

• Starter: Deviled eggs (the Easter egg tradition is on the same Wikipedia page, eggs as fasting-ended symbol)
• Main: Spiral-cut bone-in ham with mustard-honey glaze
• Cold side: Shaved fennel salad with lemon vinaigrette and Marcona almonds
• Warm side: Scalloped potatoes with thyme
• Dessert: Bakery carrot cake or coconut layer cake

Friday prep (45 minutes)

• Hard-boil 12 eggs (24 halves), let them cool, peel them, refrigerate in a damp paper towel
• Make the glaze: 1 cup brown sugar + 1/2 cup Dijon mustard + 1/4 cup honey + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, whisk smooth
• Slice fennel and dress with lemon juice (the dressing tenderizes overnight)
• Slice potatoes for the gratin (don’t assemble yet, the cut surfaces brown)

Day-of cooking (about 2 hours, mostly hands-off)

• 4:00 pm: Oven to 325°F. Pull the ham out of the fridge to warm up.
• 4:30 pm: Assemble the scalloped potatoes (potatoes, cream, garlic, thyme, parmesan in layers). Cover with foil and into the oven for 45 minutes.
• 5:15 pm: Take the foil off the potatoes; another 20 minutes to brown the top.
• 5:35 pm: Score the ham, paint with the glaze, into the oven. A pre-cooked spiral ham just needs warming to about 140°F internal, roughly 10 minutes per pound at 325°F. For a 7-pound ham, that’s about 70 minutes total. Re-glaze every 20 minutes.
• 5:45 pm: Make the deviled egg filling. Pipe or spoon into the whites. Refrigerate covered.
• 6:30 pm: Dress the fennel salad with the lemon dressing right at the table.
• 7:00 pm: Doors open. Ham rests 15 minutes after coming out. Dinner served around 7:30.

Shopping list (serves 6 to 8)

• 1 spiral-cut bone-in ham, 7 to 9 lbs (HoneyBaked or any quality brand)
• 12 large eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, paprika, chives
• 3 lbs Yukon Gold or russet potatoes
• 2 cups heavy cream, 1 wedge Parmigiano-Reggiano, fresh thyme
• 2 large fennel bulbs, 1 lemon, 1 bag Marcona almonds, olive oil
• 1 bakery carrot cake or coconut layer cake
• Pantry: brown sugar, honey, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt
• Wine: 4 bottles (a dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer pairs well with the glaze)
• 1 bottle sparkling water with citrus

Cost per person

Roughly $15-20 for food + $5-8 for wine = $20-28 per person.

Menu 2: The Classic European Easter Dinner

The lamb-based version that’s traditional across most of Catholic and Orthodox Europe.

Why this menu

The lamb tradition traces back to the paschal lamb, which Wikipedia treats as a disambiguation between the Jewish Passover sacrifice and the Christian Lamb of God symbolism. Both reference an unblemished lamb tied to deliverance, which is how lamb became the Easter Sunday main across Europe.

What you serve

• Starter: Spring greens with a shaved radish, a soft-boiled egg, and a sharp vinaigrette
• Main: Garlic-and-rosemary leg of lamb
• Cold side: Watercress and shaved fennel with shallot vinaigrette
• Warm side: Roasted spring potatoes with mint
• Dessert: Hot cross buns from a real bakery, or a simple lemon tart

Friday prep (30 minutes)

• Pat the leg of lamb dry. Make small slits all over and stud with garlic slivers and rosemary sprigs. Salt generously on all sides. Refrigerate uncovered overnight (the dry brine improves the crust)
• Make the shallot vinaigrette: 3 parts olive oil + 1 part red wine vinegar + 1 minced shallot + 1 teaspoon Dijon + salt
• Wash and dry the watercress and salad greens, store wrapped in a tea towel inside a sealed bag

Day-of cooking (about 2 hours)

• 4:00 pm: Oven to 325°F. Pull the lamb out of the fridge to warm up.
• 4:30 pm: Cut potatoes into 1.5-inch chunks. Toss with olive oil, salt, and rosemary. Spread on a sheet pan.
• 5:00 pm: Lamb goes in on a rack. A bone-in leg roasts at 325°F for about 20 minutes per pound for medium-rare (130°F internal at the thickest part, not touching bone). For a 5-pound leg, that’s roughly 1 hour 40 minutes. Use a thermometer, don’t guess.
• 5:30 pm: Potatoes into the oven on the rack below the lamb. They’ll take about 45 minutes.
• 6:00 pm: Soft-boil the eggs (7 minutes from boiling water, then straight into ice water). Peel.
• 6:40 pm: Lamb out, internal temperature 130°F. Rest 20 minutes (it will rise to 135°F).
• 7:00 pm: Dress salad. Carve the lamb against the grain. Sprinkle chopped mint over the potatoes.

Shopping list (serves 6 to 8)

• 1 bone-in leg of lamb, 5 to 6 lbs
• 4 large heads garlic, fresh rosemary, fresh mint
• 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 large bunches watercress, 1 fennel bulb, 1 large shallot, lemon
• 6 large eggs (for the soft-boiled starters)
• 1 bag bakery hot cross buns or 1 lemon tart from a real bakery
• Pantry: olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper
• Wine: 4 bottles (a structured red works well with lamb, Côtes du Rhône, Rioja, or a Cabernet)
• 1 bottle sparkling water

Cost per person

Roughly $22-30 for food + $8-12 for wine = $30-40 per person. The lamb is the line item that moves the cost.

Menu 3: The Italian Easter

If your family roots are Italian, or if you just want the most flavorful Easter on this list, this is the menu. Specifically rooted in the Wikipedia-cited Roman tradition of abbacchio (Roman-style lamb).

Why this menu

The Easter food Wikipedia entry explicitly cites Abbacchio (a Roman lamb preparation, often shown as the Italian Easter centerpiece) and the Colomba di Pasqua (a dove-shaped Easter bread). Italian Easter is a complete cuisine with named, sourced dishes.

What you serve

• Starter: Antipasto board with charcuterie, cheese, marinated artichokes, olives, and crusty bread
• Main: Roast lamb with anchovy, garlic, and white wine (abbacchio-style)
• Cold side: Arugula with shaved pecorino and lemon
• Warm side: Carciofi (braised baby artichokes with olive oil and parsley)
• Dessert: Tiramisu from a real Italian bakery, or a sliced Colomba di Pasqua with espresso

Friday prep (90 minutes)

• Marinate the lamb: 6 anchovy fillets mashed to paste + 6 garlic cloves minced + 1 cup dry white wine + 2 tablespoons olive oil + fresh rosemary. Coat the lamb. Refrigerate overnight.
• Braise the baby artichokes: trim to the tender hearts, halve, simmer 25 minutes in olive oil, water, lemon, garlic, parsley, salt. Cool and refrigerate.
• Build the antipasto plan: choose 2 cured meats, 2 cheeses, marinated vegetables. Don’t plate yet, just stage in the fridge.

Day-of cooking (about 90 minutes)

• 4:30 pm: Lamb out of the fridge. Oven to 325°F.
• 5:00 pm: Lamb into the oven, marinade scraped off and poured into the roasting pan. 20 minutes per pound for medium-rare.
• 5:30 pm: Reheat the artichokes on low.
• 6:00 pm: Assemble the antipasto board: meats fanned, cheeses sliced, artichokes drained, olives in a small bowl, baguette sliced.
• 6:40 pm: Lamb at 130°F internal, out and resting 20 minutes.
• 7:00 pm: Dress the arugula at the last second. Carve lamb. Plate artichokes warm. Antipasto board on the table when guests sit.

Shopping list (serves 6 to 8)

• 1 bone-in leg of lamb, 5 to 6 lbs
• 6 anchovy fillets, 1 bottle dry white wine (Vermentino or Pinot Grigio), garlic, fresh rosemary
• 6 to 8 baby artichokes (or 2 cups jarred artichoke hearts as a shortcut)
• 2 large bunches arugula, 1 wedge pecorino, 1 lemon
• Antipasto: 2 cured meats (prosciutto + soppressata), 2 cheeses (one hard, one soft), olives, baguette
• 1 tiramisu or 1 Colomba di Pasqua from an Italian bakery
• Pantry: olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, parsley
• Wine: 4 bottles (Chianti Classico or Barbera with lamb; one Vermentino as the white)
• 1 bottle sparkling water + 1 bottle San Pellegrino

Cost per person

Roughly $25-32 for food + $8-13 for wine = $32-45 per person. The most expensive menu on this list, and the one that tastes the most like an event.

Menu 4: The Make-Ahead Easter

Easter falls on a Sunday and most people have Saturday for prep. This menu puts almost all the work on Saturday, leaving Sunday for hosting.

What you serve

• Starter: Deviled eggs (made Saturday morning)
• Main: Slow-cooked pork shoulder (started Saturday afternoon, cooked overnight) OR a pre-cooked spiral ham (just needs reheating)
• Cold side: Three-bean salad with sherry vinaigrette (made Saturday)
• Warm side: Pre-assembled scalloped potatoes (assembled Saturday morning, baked Sunday)
• Dessert: Bakery carrot cake or store-bought coconut layer cake

Friday or Saturday prep (90 minutes active)

• Friday: Salt the pork shoulder on all sides. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
• Saturday late afternoon: Place the pork shoulder on a bed of sliced onions in a heavy oven-safe pot. Pour 1.5 cups dry white wine over. Cover. Into a 250°F oven Saturday evening (around 8 to 9 pm). Cook 8 to 10 hours.
• Saturday morning: Make the deviled egg filling. Pipe into whites. Refrigerate covered.
• Saturday afternoon: Cook and dress the three-bean salad. Sherry vinaigrette gets better overnight.
• Saturday afternoon: Assemble the scalloped potatoes (don’t bake yet). Cover and refrigerate.

Day-of cooking (Sunday, about 30 minutes active)

• Sunday morning: Pull the pork out of the oven, cover, rest on the counter (still warm) for serving. Skim the fat. Slice or shred against the grain.
• 5:00 pm: Scalloped potatoes out of the fridge to warm up.
• 5:30 pm: Oven to 375°F. Potatoes in, 45 minutes covered, 15 minutes uncovered.
• 6:30 pm: Reheat pork slowly on the stove or in a low oven.
• 6:50 pm: Plate everything together. The three-bean salad goes straight from the fridge.

Shopping list (serves 6 to 8)

• 1 bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt), 5 to 6 lbs, OR 1 pre-cooked spiral ham
• 3 large yellow onions, 1 bottle dry white wine (a $10 Sauvignon Blanc is fine for cooking)
• 12 large eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, paprika, chives
• Three-bean salad: 1 can each kidney beans, garbanzo beans, green beans; red onion; sherry vinegar; olive oil
• 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 cups heavy cream, parmesan, fresh thyme
• 1 bakery carrot cake or coconut layer cake
• Pantry: olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper
• Wine: 4 bottles (a lighter red like Pinot Noir works for both pork and ham, plus one white)
• 1 bottle sparkling water

Cost per person

Roughly $16-22 for food + $6-10 for wine = $22-32 per person.

Menu 5: The Vegetarian Easter

For mixed-diet families or all-vegetarian gatherings. The trick is to give the vegetarians a main that actually feels like an Easter dinner, not a “we forgot about you” side plate.

What you serve

• Starter: Spring vegetable crudités (radishes, snap peas, asparagus, carrots) with a green-goddess dip
• Main: Spinach, feta, and herb phyllo torta
• Cold side: Shaved fennel and orange salad with olive oil and flaky salt
• Warm side: Roasted asparagus with lemon and parmesan
• Dessert: Lemon ricotta cake from a bakery

Friday prep (60 minutes)

• Make the spinach-feta filling: 2 lbs fresh spinach wilted and squeezed dry, 12 oz crumbled feta, 4 beaten eggs, dill, mint, parsley, lemon zest, salt, black pepper. Cool completely.
• Layer the phyllo torta: 6 sheets phyllo brushed with olive oil, filling, 6 more sheets phyllo. Refrigerate uncovered, ready to bake Sunday.
• Make the green goddess dip: 1 cup Greek yogurt + 1/4 cup olive oil + a handful each of basil, parsley, chives, dill + 1 garlic clove + lemon juice + salt + 2 anchovy fillets (or skip if strict vegetarian).
• Slice radishes and snap peas; refrigerate damp.

Day-of cooking (about 45 minutes)

• 5:30 pm: Oven to 375°F. Phyllo torta in for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is deep golden.
• 5:45 pm: Trim asparagus. Toss with olive oil, salt, lemon zest. Reserve.
• 6:00 pm: Slice fennel and orange. Arrange on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle flaky salt.
• 6:15 pm: Asparagus on a sheet pan into the oven for the last 12 minutes the torta is in.
• 6:30 pm: Pull everything. Let the torta rest 10 minutes before slicing.
• 6:45 pm: Plate the crudités board. Set out the dip.

Shopping list (serves 6 to 8)

• 1 box phyllo dough (16 oz, thawed in the fridge overnight)
• 2 lbs fresh spinach, 12 oz block feta cheese
• Fresh dill, mint, parsley, basil, chives
• 6 large eggs, 2 lemons
• Crudités: 1 bunch radishes, 1 bag snap peas, 2 carrots, asparagus
• Green goddess: 1 cup Greek yogurt, garlic, 2 anchovy fillets (optional)
• Sides: 2 fennel bulbs, 2 oranges, 1 bunch asparagus, 1 wedge Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 lemon ricotta cake from a bakery
• Pantry: olive oil, flaky sea salt, black pepper
• Wine: 4 bottles (a crisp white like Vermentino or Albariño works well; one rosé from Provence as the second option)
• 1 bottle sparkling water with citrus

Cost per person

Roughly $14-19 for food + $5-7 for wine = $18-26 per person. The cheapest menu on this list, partly because there’s no expensive protein.

How to pick the right menu

Quick decision tree, in priority order:

• Your family has always done ham? Menu 1. Don’t fight tradition for tradition’s sake.
• Your family has always done lamb, or you want the European tradition? Menu 2.
• Italian roots, or you want the most flavorful menu? Menu 3.
• No time on Sunday? Menu 4. Almost all the work is Saturday.
• Mixed-diet group with vegetarians? Menu 5. Don’t make a separate “veg plate,” make a meal vegetarians actually want.

The shopping and timing rules

A few things apply to every Easter menu. Worth memorizing.

Wine math: 1 bottle per 2 guests + 1 extra. For 6 guests, that’s 4 bottles. For 8, that’s 5. Easter dinner often runs longer than a Tuesday dinner, so err on the side of one extra.

Always include a non-alcoholic option. Easter is a multigenerational holiday with kids, drivers, pregnant guests, and people in recovery. Sparkling water with citrus is the floor. A real mocktail is the move. Per recent Gallup polling, US drinking rates are at a historic low, with about 4 in 10 American adults describing themselves as total abstainers.

Take the meat out 30 to 45 minutes before cooking. Cold meat into a hot oven cooks unevenly. Room-temperature meat hits its target temperature in roughly the time the cookbook says it will.

Use a thermometer, not the clock. A 5-pound leg of lamb might take 90 minutes or it might take 110, depending on your oven and the cut. Internal temperature is the only reliable signal. Pull lamb at 130°F for medium-rare. Pull ham at 140°F. Pull pork shoulder when a fork slides in with zero resistance.

Set the table the day before if you can. Easter morning often involves church, brunch, or a hunt for the kids. A pre-set table is the gift you give yourself Sunday afternoon. The full breakdown for the silverware and place setting is on the site.

Glassware: one wine glass plus a water glass per person. A coupe works for both cocktails and wine if you only have one set. If you’re doing an aperitif sparkling toast (a strong Easter brunch carryover into dinner), add a champagne flute per person.

What to skip

Most “traditional Easter dinner” articles in the SERP make a few unforced errors. Skip all of these.

• A second main “in case people don’t want the first.” You are not a buffet. Pick ham or lamb. Make it well. The vegetarian menu is a separate menu, not an add-on plate.
• A homemade dessert your first time hosting Easter. The bakery is right there. The bakery is right there. The bakery is right there.
• Reheating a spiral ham at 350°F or higher. It dries the ham out. 325°F is the right number. 10 minutes per pound. Glaze near the end, not at the start (the sugar burns).
• Making the deviled egg filling Sunday morning. The whole point of Friday or Saturday morning prep is that Sunday is calm. Pipe them Saturday, refrigerate covered.
• A “vegetarian option” that’s just a plate of sides. If you have vegetarian guests, give them a main. Menu 5 has one.
• A second-course soup or salad before the main when you already have a starter. Easter dinner is not a 7-course tasting menu. A starter and a main and a side and a dessert is a complete meal.
• Cooking the ham and the potatoes at different temperatures. Both at 325°F. Done. The oven only has one temperature, plan your menu around that fact.
• Making your own carrot cake. Same reason as the homemade dessert rule. The cake is the dessert, but it’s not the part you should be proving anything with. The ham (or the lamb) is where your effort goes.
• An elaborate Easter brunch AND a full Easter dinner the same day. Pick one. If brunch is the main event (often the case for younger families with kids on egg hunts), keep dinner simple. Our Mother’s Day brunch guide covers the daytime version; if Easter brunch is your move, take a similar approach.

A short FAQ

What is a traditional Easter dinner menu? In the US, the most common is glazed ham + scalloped potatoes + deviled eggs + a spring side + carrot or coconut cake (Menu 1 here). In most of Catholic and Orthodox Europe, the centerpiece is roast lamb with spring vegetables and a traditional Easter bread (Menu 2). Both are real traditions. Pick the one your family carries.

What do Americans have for Easter dinner? Ham is the dominant American Easter centerpiece. Per the Wikipedia entry on Easter food, this reflects post-Lent cured-meat readiness in spring plus Polish-American Catholic immigrant influence.

What is the traditional meal on Easter Sunday? Lamb is the traditional Easter Sunday meal across most of the Catholic and Orthodox world, rooted in the paschal lamb tradition. Ham is the American substitute that emerged for the practical and immigrant-tradition reasons above. Both are correct.

What are traditional Easter side dishes? Spring vegetables (asparagus, peas, carrots, radishes), scalloped or au gratin potatoes, deviled eggs (tying directly to the Easter egg tradition), a bright cold salad, and a fresh bread or roll.

What do most Americans eat for Easter dinner? By most reasonable measures: ham, followed by lamb, then roast chicken or turkey. The side dishes lean spring (asparagus, peas, deviled eggs, carrots) and the dessert often involves carrot cake, coconut cake, or a lemon-forward bakery item.

What are traditional Easter dinner sides? American spread: scalloped potatoes, deviled eggs, glazed carrots or roasted asparagus, fresh rolls. European spread: roasted spring potatoes, a green vegetable, a sharp salad, an Easter bread (Italian Colomba, Greek tsoureki, English hot cross buns).

What’s next: the dinner-party patterns Easter teaches you

The reason Easter dinner is a useful first hosting event is that it teaches you the same patterns every other dinner party uses. One main that mostly cooks itself. Two sides that can be partly done ahead. A bought dessert. A starter that doubles as the cocktail-hour spread. A drink for the non-drinkers. A table set before guests arrive. A 30-minute sit-down for the host before everyone walks in.

Once you have hosted Easter, you have basically hosted every dinner party. The cornerstone of how that works is in our how to host a dinner party guide. The menu side of the same framework, scaled down for non-holiday dinners, is in our dinner party menu ideas guide. And the pre-dinner drinks-and-grazing pattern (which works just as well for Easter as for any other dinner) is in our French apéro guide.

Pick your menu. Print the Dinner Party Checklist (it’s the one-page version of the 5-day timeline). Stick it on the fridge. Work backward from Sunday.

The rest is just steps.