50 Best Easter Side Dishes
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These Easter side dishes include our best recipes for potatoes, spring salads, seasonal veggies, and more. Choose some to complete your holiday meal!
Easter is right around the corner, and I’m busy picking out which side dishes to make for our holiday feast. No offense to ham or lamb, but the side dishes are always my favorite part of Easter dinner. If you ask me, they’re what make the meal memorable. Seasonal vegetables like carrots and asparagus add a pop of color to the table. Hearty potato recipes keep guests coming back for more, and spring salads like my strawberry salad or carrot salad offer bright, fresh flavor.
I’ve rounded up my 50 best Easter side dishes below. If you’re still figuring out your holiday menu, check them out! Ranging from rich casseroles to vibrant spring veggies, they include all the side dishes you need for a delicious Easter meal. Enjoy!
Traditional Easter Side Dishes
Prepare these five Easter side dishes for a classic holiday feast.
Roasted Carrots
Ready in under 30 minutes, roasted carrots are one of the easiest Easter side dishes! Honey brings out their natural sweetness.
Deviled Eggs
Garnish them with fresh dill, chives, and/or smoked paprika for a party-perfect look.
Best Mashed Potatoes
They’re ultra-rich and creamy, thanks to two types of potatoes, butter, and sour cream.
Homemade Dinner Rolls
These homemade dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, and—yep!—even easy to make. They’re guaranteed to impress!
Creamed Spinach
Fresh spinach is one of my favorite early spring vegetables. At Easter, I love to show it off in this simple recipe. The silky greens melt into a light, flavorful cream sauce. We never have leftovers!
Make-Ahead Easter Side Dishes
Do your future self a favor when you plan your Easter menu, and choose a few side dishes that you can make ahead. With some of the prep done in advance, it’ll be simpler for you to get the holiday meal on the table when it’s time to eat.
Sweet Potato Casserole
No marshmallows here! Instead, I make a savory pecan topping for this comforting casserole. You can prepare it and the sweet potatoes ahead. Just assemble and bake when you’re ready to eat!
Green Bean Casserole
This from-scratch version of the classic casserole features a creamy homemade mushroom sauce, fresh green beans, and crispy baked onions. You can prep all the components a day ahead!
Homemade Mac and Cheese
This creamy, cheesy baked mac is always a crowd pleaser at my family’s holiday dinners. To make it ahead, combine the cheese sauce and pasta in a baking dish up to a day in advance, and cover and refrigerate. Top with breadcrumbs and bake just before serving.
Creamy Asparagus Soup
Basil and lemon zest add bright, fresh flavor to this simple spring soup. It keeps well for up to 3 days in the fridge, so it’s a perfect side dish to make ahead!
Carrot Ginger Soup
With over 400 5-star reviews, this 7-ingredient soup is a Love & Lemons fan favorite! Make it up to 3 days ahead for a refreshing Easter side dish.
Garlic Knots
Did you know that many baked goods freeze perfectly? These soft, fluffy garlic knots are no exception. You can make and freeze them several weeks (or even months!) before Easter for a quick and easy side dish.
Jalapeño Cornbread
This spicy jalapeño and cheddar cheese cornbread is another Easter side dish that freezes well. Feel free to make it far in advance. Just remember to mix up some honey butter to serve with it a day or two before the big meal!
Easter Vegetable Side Dishes
No Easter table is complete without fresh vegetables! Make one or more of these seasonal recipes for your holiday feast:
Sautéed Green Beans
You can make these simple green beans in under 10 minutes, so they’re a great side dish to whip up at the last minute. A lemon thyme dressing infuses them with bold flavor.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts belong at any holiday feast! This easy recipe is my favorite way to prepare them. They come out crisp and golden brown every time.
Roasted Asparagus
This roasted asparagus recipe is a delicious (and easy!) way to cook spring’s #1 veggie. Season the crisp-tender spears with salt and pepper, or dress them up more with creamy dill sauce and fresh herbs.
Cabbage Steaks
These “steaks” are meltingly tender in the middle, with a ruffly ring of crisp, browned leaves around the edges. They’ll wow your Easter guests. Who knew cabbage could taste so good?
Green Beans Almondine
Toasted almonds elevate this easy-as-can-be vegetable side dish.
Roasted Broccoli
I often make roasted broccoli on weeknights because it’s so darn simple, but it’s a hit at holidays too. Dress it up with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Sautéed Spinach
This seasonal side dish is silky, garlicky, and bright with lemon. It’s ready in 5 minutes too.
Sautéed Asparagus
If your oven is at max capacity on Easter, cook your asparagus on the stovetop instead! This sautéed asparagus is just as good as roasted. Plus, it’s even quicker.
Sautéed Broccolini
Broccolini might not be the first veggie you think of when it comes to vegetable side dishes for Easter. But if you try it, it won’t disappoint! It looks gorgeous on a holiday table, and it tastes fantastic seasoned with garlic, lemon, and red pepper flakes.
Roasted Radishes
With their pretty pink color, these roasted radishes are such a festive Easter side dish! They’re also delicious. The hot oven mellows their peppery flavor and gives them a perfect crisp-tender bite.
Air Fryer Asparagus
If you have an air fryer, you HAVE to try this recipe! The asparagus cooks in minutes, and it comes out with the crispiest tips. It would be a hit at an Easter dinner or brunch.
Roasted Cauliflower
I made this roasted cauliflower for Easter last year, and it was my family’s favorite side dish! To take it over the top, I drizzled it with tahini sauce and sprinkled it with an aromatic dukkah.
Potato Side Dishes for Easter Dinner
Easter and Thanksgiving side dishes have some overlap. But there’s an important difference between the two: at Easter, your potatoes don’t have to be mashed. Try one of these preparations instead:
Oven Roasted Potatoes
This recipe is a great way to prepare small red potatoes or new potatoes. They cook up with crisp edges and creamy centers, and a lemon rosemary dressing infuses them with flavor.
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Don’t feel like fussing over your Easter potatoes? Then don’t! These baked sweet potatoes are supremely simple and SO delicious, especially with a pat of butter on top.
Hasselback Potatoes
If potato chips became an elegant Easter side dish, they’d be hasselback potatoes. These fan-like spuds are amazingly crisp around the edges. You’ll love them!
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Make sure you get a big first helping of these potatoes—there won’t be any left when you go back for seconds! They’re crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and full of savory garlic flavor.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Going the mashed potatoes route? Try making them in the Instant Pot instead of on the stove! You can use the “Keep Warm” setting to hold them at the right temp until you eat.
Easy Egg Side Dish Ideas
Eggs are everywhere at Easter—your holiday table included. Serve these festive recipes at an Easter dinner or brunch:
Egg Salad
If you have leftover hard-boiled eggs from an Easter egg hunt, this creamy, tangy salad is the perfect way to use them up! Serve it with crackers, crostini, or in finger sandwiches for a festive appetizer or side dish.
Pickled Eggs
How cute are these beet pickled eggs?! They’re such a fun addition to an Easter feast.
Niçoise Salad
Creamy white beans step in for the tuna in this vegetarian twist on the classic French salad. The hard-boiled eggs make it a perfect Easter side dish!
Frittata
Serve this veggie frittata alongside cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, or French toast casserole at an Easter brunch.
Best Easter Salad Recipes
My favorite category of Easter side dishes! A fresh salad is the perfect way to showcase spring veggies like spinach, asparagus, and carrots on your Easter table.
Spinach Salad
Go to Easter dinner at my mom’s house, and she’ll probably serve this salad. You won’t be disappointed! Apples, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and candied pecans pack it with flavor.
Strawberry Salad
This salad is my fruity spin on a classic Caprese, featuring strawberries and avocado in addition to tomatoes. It’s a refreshing alternative to a traditional fruit salad at a holiday meal.
Carrot Salad
This isn’t your average carrot and raisin salad! I skip the raisins in favor of dates, add pistachios for crunch, and douse it in an aromatic cumin-spiced dressing. Bonus: You can make it ahead.
Bright Spring Salad
This pretty pink and green salad is spring on a plate! A lemon-basil dressing coats crisp radishes, tender asparagus, soft lettuces, and peas. Creamy avocado and tangy feta accent the delicate veggies.
Broccoli Salad
I’m not kidding when I say that this is the best broccoli salad. It’s a plant-based riff on the Midwest classic. Smoky roasted nuts step in for the traditional bacon, and trust me—you won’t miss it one bit.
Asparagus Salad
This spring-y salad has all the seasonal essentials: asparagus, peas, radishes, and herbs! To tie it together, I drizzle it with a creamy avocado dressing. Think ranch, but better.
Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic
This beautiful beet salad was made for a holiday table! Get ahead by cooking the roasted beets and making the balsamic vinaigrette up to 2 days in advance.
Arugula Salad
Roasted grapes, tamari almonds, and shaved Parmesan cheese elevate this side salad.
Three Bean Salad
Looking for more make-ahead Easter side dishes? You’ll love this classic salad. The flavor improves the longer it sits in the fridge!
Pesto Pasta Salad
Add blanched asparagus and peas to this salad for a fresh, springy side dish.
Simple Green Salad
Who says side salads have to be boring?! Here, shaved Parm, toasted almonds, avocado, and cucumbers jazz up tender mixed greens.
Creamy Coleslaw
This crisp, refreshing slaw is a great complement to rich, comforting fare on your holiday table.
Best Potato Salad
You can make this potato salad two ways: with hard-boiled eggs or without. I love the egg-y version for Easter. It’s a great use for eggs leftover from Easter egg hunts!
Watercress Salad
Peppery watercress is in peak season in spring, so it’s a wonderful addition to Easter side dishes like this salad. I balance its bite with rich mozzarella and avocado, sweet snap peas and citrus, and a bright champagne vinaigrette.
Kale Caesar Salad
If you want every last one of your Easter side dishes—salad included!—to be a crowd pleaser, add this recipe to your holiday menu. Garlicky croutons, Parmesan cheese, and a practically drinkable dressing make it impossible to resist.
Chickpea Salad
Lots of soft, leafy herbs make this salad ideal for celebrating spring. Don’t skip the pickled red onions—they really take it over the top!
More Easter Recipes
Round out the meal with Easter desserts like carrot cake, carrot cake cupcakes, or lemon blueberry bread!
Easter Side Dishes: Roasted Carrots
Serves 4
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Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the olive oil, honey, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
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Transfer the carrots to the baking sheet and spread in a single layer. Roast for 15 to 25 minutes, or until fork-tender and lightly browned but not mushy. The timing will depend on the size of your carrots.
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Remove from the oven and season to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve.
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