Easter is a moment of festivity, and I love to highlight the main dish with complementary side dishes that are nothing short of delightful. In this blog post, I will reveal my favoritest of favorite Easter side dish recipes.
They are: scalloped potatoes, honey-glazed carrots, and devilishly good eggs. Each has a touch of special that makes it memorable, like the above-noted cheesy broccoli casserole.
And you better believe if I served my buttermilk biscuits at an Easter meal, they would create quite the stir.
The 15 Best easter side dish recipes
1. Scalloped Potatoes
A classic comfort dish, scalloped potatoes consist of layers of potatoes and onions in a creamy sauce. The sauce is made from the usual suspects—Butter.
Flour. Milk.
Cheese. But for some reason, the sauce seems to taste mucho better when the dish is called “scalloped” instead of “au gratin.” And can we talk about how gorgeously golden brown the top gets?
Ingredients
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. The oven should be preheated to 350°F (175°C). Use a light hand when greasing a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted. Stir in the flour, and then gradually whisk in the milk. Cook the mixture until it is thickened and bubbling, stirring constantly.
3. Take it off the heat and blend in 1 ½ cups of all the lovely melted cheddar cheese until melted. Salt and pepper tastes.
4. Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in the prepared baking dish, followed by half of the sliced onion. Pour half of the chese sauce over the top. Repeat the layers, finishing with the remaining cheese sauce.
5. Enclose the dish with aluminum foil and place it in the oven for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, take off the foil, add the last portion of cheddar cheese (still ½ cup, just rearranged on top), and put it back in for another 25-30 minutes. You want the top to be golden brown, and for that to happen, you need to remove the dish a little early from the oven than you would if you just wanted everything to be uniformly cooked.
2. Honey-Glazed Carrots
Uncover the straightforward elegance of honey-glazed carrots, made from carrots, butter, and honey, with brown sugar and optional parsley, this dish adds a sweet, sophisticated note to any dinner.
Ingredients
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional for garnish)
Instructions
1. Put the sliced carrots into a large skillet and cover them with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Using the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir the honey and brown sugar into the butter, and cook until the sugar dissolves.
3. Return the drained carrots to the skillet, and toss them to coat evenly in the honey-butter mixture. Season with salt and pepper, adjusting it to your taste. Continue to cook over medium heat for 5 minutes more. Stir occasionally to ensure the carrots are well glazed.
4. Set the honey-glazed carrots in a serving dish and top with chopped parsley, if you like, before serving.
3. Deviled Eggs
Classic party appetizers, like devilish eggs, are made with ingredients found in almost every American kitchen. Hard-boiled eggs are found there, as are the egg yolks that are taken from them once they’ve been halved.
Mayonnaise is always at hand, along with mustard, vinegar, and seasonings like salt, pepper, and, for some reason, paprika. Chives are a whole other culinary world, slightly pungent and oniony, which takes them well beyond anything a raw green has to offer.
Ingredients
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika for garnish
Fresh chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Arrange the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, and add enough water to cover the eggs. Heat the pan over medium-high heat until the water reaches a rolling boil, then cover and remove from heat. Let the pan sit for 12 minutes.
2. After 12 minutes, move the eggs to an ice bath to chill. When they reach a safe temperature, and not before, peel the eggs and slice them in half lengthwise. Replace the now-cooked yolks in a bowl.
3. Using a fork, mix the yolks with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth.
4. Spoon or pipe the mixture of yolks back into the halved white part of the eggs. Dust the tops of the eggs liberally with paprika, and add a sprinkling of minced chives if you want a slightly “gourmet” touch. You can serve the eggs directly after making them, or you can cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate them for a few hours until the moment when you want to serve them.
4. Roasted Asparagus
Asparagus, as it turns out, makes a beautiful and delicious side dish when roasted. You drizzle the spears with olive oil, add minced garlic, and then season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
When you’ve finished roasting the asparagus, you give it a final sprinkle of lemon zest before serving.
Ingredients
Asparagus spears (1 bunch, trimmed)
Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
Garlic cloves, minced (2)
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
Lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Translate the instructions for preparing asparagus into first-person language. Then change the style from command to first-person narrative:I prepare the asparagus by arranging the spears on a baking sheet. Then I drizzle olive oil and sprinkle minced garlic over the top. Finally, I season them with salt and black pepper to taste.
3. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 12-15 minutes. The result: roasted asparagus tender and just a bit browned.
4. Take out of the oven and dust with lemon zest; then serve.
5. Green Bean Casserole
Classic dish: Green Bean Casserole. Main ingredients: Tender green beans blended with a creamy mixture of condensed Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, milk, and black pepper.
Topping: Crispy fried onions. Crunch factor: Delightful.
Ingredients
- 1 can (
10.5 oz) of condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 3/4 cup of milk
- 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
- 4 cups of cooked green beans (or 2 cans, drained)
- 1 1/3 cups of French fried onions
Instructions
1. Your oven should be at 350°F (175°C) when you put in the lasagna.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk, and black pepper. Stir together well and then add the green beans and 2/3 cup of French fried onions. Mix well.
3. Pour the blend into a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish and place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the dish for 25 minutes, or until the contents are thoroughly heated and bubbling, offering an enticing aroma.
4. Mix the casserole, then crown it with the leftover French-fried onions. Slip it back into the oven for 5 more minutes until the onions are brown. Serve it warm.
6. Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
Broccoli Casserole combines tender broccoli florets with shredded cheddar cheese; condensed cream of mushroom soup; and sour cream. It’s topped with buttery breadcrumbs, creating a comforting, savory dish that is perfect for any meal—breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Ingredients
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (
10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
Instructions
1. Your oven should be set to 350°F (175°C) before you start.
2. In a big pot of water that is boiling, cook the broccoli florets for around 3 minutes, until they are just tender. Drain and put aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the following:Cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, half of the shredded cheddar cheese, and cooked broccoli. Mix until well combined.
4. Pour the mixture into a baking dish, then add the remaining cheddar cheese to the top. Breadcrumbs make for a fine casserole topping. But when they’re combined with melted butter and sprinkled on top, they transform from dinner party acceptable to dinner party impressive. If you sneak in (also a very impressive move), you can thoroughly enjoy the warm, crunchy, cheesy goodness that is this casserole straight from the pan.
7. Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, combined with the heavenly essence of garlic, make for a truly divine side dish. “Not just mashed, these potatoes are seductive in their richness and flavor, thanks to three key ingredients: garlic, cream, and unsalted butter,” says Ivy Manning in “The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book” (2016).
“If you’ve never made mashed potatoes before, consider this your initiation.”
Ingredients
2 pounds of potatoes (such as Russet or Yukon Gold)
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of unsalted butter
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Optional: chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
1. Remove the potatoes’ skin and slice the potatoes into chunks. Place the potatoes in a large pot, and add cold water to cover the potatoes. Then add a generous amount of salt. Bring the water to a boil, and allow the potatoes to cook until they are tender. The cooking time is around 15-20 minutes.
2. As the potatoes cook, in a small saucepan, over medium heat, heat the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Then, add the heavy cream and heat until warm.
3. Return the potatoes from the pot to the immersion blender. Blend until smooth. Pour in the warmed garlic cream mixture. Stir in the evening’s first garnish of salt and an amply rounded, crunchy evening’s worth of black pepper.
4. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired, and serve at once.
8. Spinach and Artichoke Dip
An appetizer that has a lot of fans and is frequently served at restaurants is Spinach and Artichoke Dip. It is a smooth mixture of well-chopped spinach and artichoke hearts that may be either puréed or not too chunky.
The creamy base combines softened cream cheese, sour cream, or mayonnaise, and a generous amount of two cheeses: Parmesan and mozzarella. Garlic and other seasonings like hot sauce add flavor.
Ingredients
1 cup chopped spinach (fresh or frozen, thawed and drained)
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Instructions
1. The oven should be preset to a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
2. In a substantial mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic. Mix until smooth.
3. Add the chopped spinach and artichoke hearts, and mix well.
4. Pour the blend into a baking dish and place in an oven preheated to 350°F. Bake for roughly 25-30 minutes, or until the dip has reached the temperature of 100°F, and the top has started to brown and bubble. Serve immediately.
9. Buttermilk Biscuits
Buttermilk Biscuits are a classic American treat, made with ingredients like all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cold buttermilk. The layers are flaky, and the biscuits have a buttery flavor.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
3/4 cup buttermilk, cold
Instructions
1. Your oven should be preheated to 450°F (230°C), and you need to have a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper.
2. In a big bowl, combine together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. The cold, cubed butter should be cut into the mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingers until it looks like coarse crumbs.
4. Create a depression in the center and pour the buttermilk, which should be cold, into it. Mix until the dough comes together without being overly mixed.
5. Pour the dough onto a floured surface and gently fold it over 3 to 4 times to make layers. Pat the dough to about 1-inch thickness and cut out biscuits with a cutter.
6. Put the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
10. Spring Pea Salad
Salad of spring peas, a dish that includes either fresh or frozen peas, very finely sliced radishes, feta cheese, and mint, is a marvelous accompaniment to almost any meal at this time of year. If you find yourself with a bunch of peas—not worked into a pod!—from some local veg purveyor, this marvelous dish is a great way to showcase their freshness and sweetness.
Ingredients
Fresh or frozen peas (2 cups)
Radishes, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
Feta cheese, crumbled (1/3 cup)
Fresh mint leaves, chopped (2 tablespoons)
Red onion, thinly sliced (1/4 cup)
Lemon, juiced and zested (1)
Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
Instructions
1. To prepare the peas, boil them briefly in salted water. This should take 2-3 minutes and result in bright green, tender-crisp peas. Once they are done, rapidly cool them by plunging into an ice bath. A quick draining bath also helps to retain the bright color and fresh taste.
2. In a big bowl, mix together the peas, radishes, red onion, feta cheese, and mint.
3. In a tiny bowl, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, and olive oil. Whisk them together to make a dressing. Pour this dressing over the salad and use tongs to toss the salad and combine the dressing with the salad greens.
4. Add salt and pepper as desired and taste. Serve now or chill until you are ready to serve.
11. Cauliflower Gratin
Baked cauliflower gratin is a fantastic, comforting side dish made with the tender vegetable cloaked in a creamy sauce of melted butter, flour, and milk, then topped with Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses—melted until bubbly perfection—that’s seasoned simply with salt and pepper.
Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Lightly grease a baking dish and set the oven to 375°F (190°C) to preheat.
2. Cauliflower florets should be cooked in either a steam or blanch method until they reach a tenderness just shy of complete, approximately 5 minutes. When this is accomplished, drain the cauliflower and set it aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and, with a whisk, stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to form a roux. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth and thickened.
4. Take off heat and blend in half the Gruyère and half the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Put the cauliflower in the baking dish you’ve prepared. What you do next is crucial: You have to pour the cheese sauce over the top. Leave no part of the dish without the sauce. Then, take the rest of the cheese (what you have left after the pouring) and sprinkle it over the top of the baking dish. Baking it for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees will give you a dish that is bubbly and golden brown.
12. Herb-Roasted Baby Potatoes
Herb-Roasted Baby Potatoes
A side dish full of flavor, this baby potato medley is seasoned with olive oil, rosemary, thyme, and just the right amount of garlic, salt, and pepper. It’s an easy dish to throw together that works with just about any main course and any dining occasion, from casual weeknight dinners to fancy dinner parties.
Ingredients
-
1.5 pounds baby potatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
1. Set your oven to an initial temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit, or 200 degrees Celsius.
2. In a substantial mixing bowl, amalgamate the halved petite potatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and minced garlic. Ensure an even coating of oil and seasonings over the potatoes by tossing them well.
3. In a single layer, spread the potatoes on a baking sheet. Place in the oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the potatoes to roast for 25-30 minutes, or until they attain both a golden-brown color and a tender texture, stirring midway between the start and completion of cooking.
4. Take it out of the oven and serve it warm as a tasty side dish.
13. Lemon-Thyme Brussels Sprouts
Lemon-Thyme Brussels Sprouts
provides a side dish that is fresh and lively. Combining lemon juice, lemon zest, thyme, and olive oil, this dish has citrusy flavors that burst in your mouth, which makes the Brussels sprouts truly sing.
Yes, it is an odd expression to use with a side dish and a vegetable that some people dislike. After all, to “sing” is what Brussels sprouts are doing in my kitchen when the Licking the Spoon family converted this serving suggestion into a cooking method for Monday meals.
Ingredients
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a big bowl, mix together the Brussels sprouts, halved as necessary, with enough olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and thyme leaves plucked fresh from the stem to cover the sprouts completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Single layer Brussels sprouts on baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400°F. Roast in oven for 20-25 min. or until tender and golden brown, tossing once halfway through. Serve warm.
14. Pineapple Casserole
Pineapple Casserole is a blend of sweet crushed pineapple, sugar, flour, and sharp cheddar cheese, topped with buttery Ritz crackers, creating a delightful contrast of flavors and textures in what is arguably the perfect dish for breakfast, dinner, or even dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
1. Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a mixing bowl of medium size, combine the pineapple that has been drained, sugar, flour, and cheddar cheese. Combine thoroughly and pour into a baking dish that has been greased, 9×13 inches in size.
3. In a different bowl, combine the butter that has been melted with the crushed Ritz crackers until the crackers are thoroughly coated. Evenly distribute this mixture over the pineapple mixture in the baking dish.
4. Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and the edges bubble. Allow to cool a bit before cutting and serving.
15. Rice Pilaf
Unveil the secrets of the lovely Rice Pilaf dish. It has basmati rice, which is better than any other rice, and is first sautéed (good word, sautéed) in onion, then simmered in broth (you can use chicken or vegetable broth).
Olive oil—my oil of choice—adds to its aroma. And just to make it a bit snazzier, I sometimes stir in slivered almonds.
But you can go without them (the almonds). You can also skip the herbs (fresh herbs).
Go and enjoy the dish.
Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup slivered almonds or chopped fresh herbs (optional)
Instructions
1. Wash the basmati rice in cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well.
2. In a saucepan of medium thickness, heat the oil of olive over medium heat. Add the onion, which you have already chopped, and sauté that until it is translucent, which should take about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes, making sure every single grain is coated with oil.
4. Include the broth, salt, and pepper. Put it on to boil, then lower the heat, cover it, and let it simmer for 15-18 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Leave it covered for another 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork. Stir in some almonds or fresh herbs if you like.
