Easter Food Ideas From Around the Globe

Roasted Leg of Lamb

A nod to the bible story that explains the story leading up to—and reason for—Easter, leg of lamb is a staple centerpiece on Easter menus around the world. This particular entrée comes served with some French flair thanks to a creamy Dijon mustard sauce and a bounty of fresh herbs. Shower the meat in lemon juice and braise it low and slow, and you’ll be left with a showy, serves-12 roast that one BHG fan declares is “so tender.”

Related: A Look Back: 100 Years of Easter at Better Homes and Gardens

Berry Crisp Spiral Ham

The other, equally-popular main dish Easter food idea in America and beyond? Spiral ham. We’re hooked on the sweet heat that this ham recipe provides. A combo of fresh raspberries and berry jam bring the natural sweetness to the party. Then thin slices of jalapeño perk things up, practically transporting your taste buds to Mexico. Glaze the meat with a sauce featuring those key ingredients, OJ, and honey, then roast spiral side-up (instead of the bone on top) to create a delectable crust on the pork.

Cranberry-Hibiscus Babka

Babka is a boundary-bridging recipe with origins in both Eastern European Jewish and Polish Christian cultures. While the Polish version is often baked in a bundt pan and soaked with rum, when we’re feeling like a modern, springy twist on the tradition, we turn to this pretty braided yeast bread. A ripple of stovetop cranberry-hibiscus jam introduces both sweet, floral flavor and a perky dose of rose-colored optimism, just in time for spring.

Zucchini-Carrot Cake

No need to choose between carrot cake or zucchini bread for your Easter brunch menu this year. This family-friendly dessert combines both of these seasonal favorites in one, warmly-spiced package (thanks, nutmeg and cinnamon). If you’re in a hurry, garnish the cake with the honey cream cheese frosting. No one will notice anything is missing! But if you have a bit more time and are feeling festive, we’ll talk you through how to craft the cutest little marzipan and mint carrots to “plant” in the top.

Mascarpone-Topped Hot Cross Buns

Now that you know why we eat hot cross buns at Easter , we’ll explain how to make your best batch yet. (In case you missed it, it’s due to the sweet bread’s believed magical healing or luck-promoting powers.) Studded with balsamic-soaked raisins or currants, this Easter food idea features rich Italian mascarpone cheese in the bread dough and frosting topping.

Walnut and Sage Potatoes au Gratin

No holiday menu feels quite complete without at least one potato side dish, if you ask us. Scalloped potatoes, a less-cheesy cousin of potatoes are gratin, are often a staple on both winter and spring holiday menus. But after trying this luxurious French variation on the theme in our Test Kitchen, we can’t think of any Easter food ideas that would be better spud sides! Easy-melting Gruyere cheese, fresh sage, and buttery walnuts amp up the luxury level. Who needs chocolate eggs when you can have cheesy, creamy potatoes?

Italian Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua)

Colorful dyed eggs top this Italian Easter bread recipe. With a soft texture similar to challah and a zesty orange flavor, this sweet bread is perfect for your Easter brunch, dinner, or even dessert. We'll walk you through exactly how to braid the bread and form the ring to create your own Pane di Pasqua.

Green Beans with Toasted Panko

Green beans are another quintessential holiday side dish. Rather than recreating the same creamy casserole from Thanksgiving, we’re fond of this lighter Easter food idea to brighten up the spring holiday menu. Instead of canned, we call for fresh green beans. Lemon, garlic, tarragon, and crunchy panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) create a vibrant side that often draws as much attention as the main.

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

We’re giving a classic Southern food dessert—pineapple, banana, cinnamon, and nut hummingbird cake—a makeover just in time for spring. So you don’t have to fuss over slicing equal portions, we’ve modified the cake concept into one of the best cupcakes for your Easter spread. Bake the batter in a muffin tin, allow to cool, then decorate ham and lamb faces using our easy how-to guide and white chocolate-cream cheese frosting. 

Strawberry Shortcake Scones

For everything from high tea to a holiday brunch, we love turning to a low-maintenance, high-reward scone recipe like this. The fresh strawberries feel particularly fitting for Easter, as a sneak peek of spring flavors to come. The concept of scones, by the way, is said to have roots in Scotland, Britain, and/or Ireland. But here, Italian ricotta cheese (as well as our technique tip to prevent overmixing) yields a lovely tender and moist crumb. 

Asparagus and Prosciutto Frittata

Easter brunch and Sunday brunches in general are particularly popular across America and Western Europe. Instead of playing short-order cook and whipping up omelet after omelet or sweating over several skillets of scrambles, this easy egg frittata is one of our go-to recipes when hosting brunch for a crowd. It’s ready in just 25 minutes, asks for just six ingredients, and includes springy asparagus and Italian prosciutto.

Greek Easter Bread (Tsoureki)

Our Greek Easter bread recipe is flavored with mahlab spice. Mahlab is made from ground wild cherry pits and tastes like a mix of cherries and almonds with a floral finish. You can find it in specialty food markets or online. Try making this braided loaf for your Easter brunch this year.

Mexican Bread Pudding

A favorite at many Mexican tables during Lent and Easter, this bread pudding gets its regional flavor from piloncillo (similar to brown sugar) and Mexican cinnamon. It’s ideal for brunch or dessert—or both! To make it, dunk bread in a custard mixture and fry it in a skillet similar to French toast, then layer in a casserole dish with a cinnamon-pecan syrup with raisins.

Glazed Carrots with Olives

Not all celebrity chef-designed, gourmet restaurant-worthy recipes are fussy. This creation from French culinary icon Jacques Pépin is table-ready in 20 and is among the best carrot recipes to crank up the flavor on the common Easter food idea of glazed carrots. Briny, high-impact olives and capers and a handful of fresh chives add depth of flavor that plays nicely with the sweet, earthy carrots.

Italian Easter Pie (Pizza Rustica)

This deep dish Italian Easter pie recipe is filled with ricotta, mozzarella, and a variety of cured meats. Our Pizza Rustica recipe calls for ham, prosciutto, salami, and pepperoni. It's traditional made on Good Friday to celebrate the end of Lent.