17 Recipes for the Perfect Easter Lunch

By Food & Wine
Updated April 19, 2019
Credit: Eva Kolenko
Ham? Check. Spring peas? Check. Scalloped potatoes? Check, check, check. This Easter lunch spread includes all the holiday classics (some, with a twist), with seasonal spring produce thrown in too. You could easily adapt it into a dinner—but let’s be honest, eating a huge meal earlier in the day and then vegging out afterwards sounds pretty nice.
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Spring Peas with New Potatoes, Herbs and Watercress

Credit: © ALICE GAO
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This very green salad is an ideal spring lunch.

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Whole Roast Chicken with 40 Brussels Sprouts

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When F&W's Kay Chun roasts chicken, she adds brussels sprouts to the roasting pan so they absorb the fantastic flavor of the caraway-infused chicken juices.

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Barolo-Braised Veal

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The veal marinates overnight in Barolo, so plan accordingly. If you can't find an affordable Barolo, try a Nebbiolo d'Alba; it's made from the same grape.

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Sugar Snap Peas and Oyster Mushrooms in Sherried Cream

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"There's something about the sherry and the cream and the sauteed mushrooms that has the power to draw other ingredients in," says chef Ashley Christensen about this supereasy, two-step dish.

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Spaghetti Frittata

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Almost any leftover spaghetti will work for this fast recipe, lending its own character to the final dish. Some of our favorites to use here are pasta carbonara, pesto or a simple marinara.

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Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

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Preparing the salad dressing is a multistep process that includes letting chopped shallots soak up the flavors of mustard, thyme and vinegar before mixing them with olive oil.

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Pan-Roasted Veal Chops with Cabernet Sauce

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Chef Robert Wiedmaier gives butchering demos at the Butcher's Block in Alexandria, Virginia. At his restaurant next door, Brabo, he serves elegant dishes, like this veal chop. To make the wine sauce even more complex, use demiglace (concentrated veal stock) instead of beef stock and flour. Demiglace is available from dartagnan.com.

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Clove-and-Cider-Glazed Ham

Credit: © Con Poulos
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For entertaining, TV chef Carla Hall glazes a spiral-cut ham with apple cider, brown sugar, mustard, bourbon and sweet spices.

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Onion-Mustard Monkey Bread

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These buttery, onion-flecked, pull-apart rolls are an irresistible cross between Parker House classics and bialys.

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Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

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The combination of pecorino and Parmesan gives these potatoes a great cheesy depth.

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Campfire Bacon with Maple-Citrus Glaze

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Maple syrup, sherry vinegar and citrus combine to make a terrific glaze for thick slices of slab bacon in this simple, six-ingredient recipe.

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Sautéed Cauliflower Frittata with Thyme

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Nancy Silverton often prepares a tender frittata for her antipasti table at La Terza in Los Angeles. This version includes sauteed cauliflower topped with homemade bread crumbs for a lovely bit of crunch. Silverton's trick for making small amounts of bread crumbs is to toast a slice of sourdough bread, rub it with a garlic clove and grind it in a mortar.

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Roman-Style Romanesco

Credit: Eric Wolfinger
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Inspired by the leaves around a head of Romanesco, reminiscent of artichokes or cardoons, the heads are roasted whole then showered with lemon-garlic breadcrumbs and Parmesan.

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Fennel and Arugula Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Credit: Eric Wolfinger
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Meyer lemon has a tartness that’s more tamed than lemon, which is why we love it with peppery arugula and crisp shaved fennel in this simple salad. Soaking the shaved fennel in ice water helps the thin slices retain their crisp.

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Spiced Lamb Kebabs with Fresh Herbs

Credit: Eva Kolenko
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In this recipe, aromatic lamb and creamy chickpeas soften into a crispy, moist patty once cooked. Look for chana dal and asafoetida at local Indian grocers or online.

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Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms

Credit: Eva Kolenko
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Roasted asparagus and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms go with any Easter dish, from glazed ham to a spring quiche. The vegetables roast first in olive oil then finish in butter for an extra dimension of flavor and a nice sheen. A drizzle of syrupy aged balsamic balances the earthiness of the mushrooms and slight char on the asparagus.

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Grapefruit Spritz

Credit: Eva Kolenko
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We’re bidding farewell to winter and embracing spring in this rosy cocktail, combining the last of winter’s citrus with seasonal raspberries. Tart and bitter notes from the grapefruit juice and Campari are balanced by floral crème de framboise and raspberries. It’s a cocktail worthy of your Easter buffet, and a refreshing change from too-sweet lemonade or mimosas.

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