Easter is the perfect time to fill your home with family and friends. Make it easy on yourself with these simple crowd-pleasing recipes that’ll keep everyone happy.
To start
An asparagus and ricotta tart is light, uses seasonal ingredients and will serve a crowd. We love this version by Womans Day which uses frozen puff pastry as its base.
For maximum visual impact, you could also lay out a meze or antipasti platter. We love setting out a wooden board – the larger or longer the better – and filling it with all kinds of goodies, like:
- pitted olives
- dips like hummus and tzatziki
- flavored crackers or water biscuits
- a selection of hard and soft cheese, usually Brie and a strong, mature cheddar
- fruity options like grapes
- a bit of greenery, such as peppery rocket or basil leaves
- little bowls of salted nuts
- charcuterie like Parma, salami, shaved ham and bresaola
- cherry tomatoes and radishes, and cucumber and carrot sticks
The main event
In the US, the Easter centerpiece is usually a glazed ham; in other countries, like Australia and the UK, it’s roast lamb.
Personally, our family leans towards lamb; slow-roasted Greek-style so that it’s fall-apart tender.
This version from Recipe Tin Eats slow-roasts a bone-in shoulder of lamb that’s studded with garlic, and rubbed with a mix of paprika and garlic powder.
But I’m crazy enough about my slow-roast to invest 10 hours in this beauty from Super Golden Bakes. Yes, 10 hours. Can you imagine what your house would smell like with this delicious lamb cooking away for that long?
If you prefer a glazed ham though, this classic honey-glazed version from The Kitchn can easily be made in a slow cooker (score!).
The sides
Whether you roast ‘em or mash ‘em (or roast then mash then roast again), potatoes are always a sublime side and everyone loves them. This Easter, we’re serving these scalloped potatoes, which are a little more effort, but – combined with the roast lamb – will feel like one huge creamy, cheesy, garlicky hug.
Add in some sweet carrots, flavored with cinnamon, brown sugar, orange juice and molasses, and this Easter lunch has come together beautifully.
To finish it all off…
We’re suckers for a naked cake, and this version from A Latte Food calls for strawberry and raspberry puree, and a zesty lemon whipped cream. It’s Spring on a cake plate, and we couldn’t be happier.
Or you could finish off your ultimate Easter lunch with a wow-factor cake. This three-layer vanilla cake from I Heart Naptime brings the pastel, along with light buttercream, toasted coconut and mini eggs. We love that it’s a themed cake and will wrap up your holiday lunch in spectacular fashion.
Visit our Pinterest board, OGG: Easter, for more recipes just perfect for that Easter brunch, lunch or dinner celebration.
(Image credits: Women’s Day, Apartment 34, Recipe Tin Eats, Williams Sonoma, Family Feed Bag, Damn Delicious, I Heart Naptime, and A Latte Food)
