Perfect 20 Italian Easter Dinner Menu Recipes

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Our Italian Easter recipes are favorites for mains, sides, and desserts that you can make for an authentic holiday meal. These ideas may be different from the traditional Easter ham or lamb you typically serve, but they are definitely scrumptious Italian favorites of ours, and we think you’ll love them too!!

titled collage for 20 italian easter recipes


 

Serving a glazed ham for Easter is a classic tradition for many people. 

But this year, the cost of a holiday ham is very expensive, so we thought you might want to consider options that are more budget-friendly.

You can whip these up on Easter Sunday or for any Easter celebration.

This collection of Italian Easter recipes is sure to make Easter time a time of family, famous Italian Easter foods, and a festive holiday full of flavors. 

Italian Easter Recipes

Thanks to my heritage, classic Italian meals are on my mind pretty often. And seriously, who wouldn’t love a hearty, flavorful traditional Italian Easter dinner? 

One thing is for sure, these Italian Easter dinner recipes are perfect for feeding a crowd!!

How to save and print these Italian Easter recipes

Accessing the recipes couldn’t be simpler! 

Just browse through the descriptions below and when you find something you want to make, click the title above the recipe’s description.

Easy, right? Have fun browsing… Chad, Munchkin, and I wish you a blessed Easter!

No matter if you’re looking to have an Italian Easter table full of food for the special occasion or just want a few traditional Italian Easter recipes for the day, you’re set! Many of the recipes below use simple ingredients that can easily be created to make the perfect Italian Easter meal. (and a lot of these traditional Easter dishes will have leftovers for the next day!) 

Italian Easter Menu

First up are our favorite recipes for sweet and savory Italian bread and rolls. 

They are perfect with everything and anything you end up serving at your Easter table, even if it isn’t a classic Italian dish!

Sweet and Savory Breads and Rolls

loaves of braided bread topped with colorful sprinkles and an Easter egg

Italian Easter Bread

Pane di Pasqua, which literally translates to “Easter bread,” has long been a staple on spring holiday tables across Italy. 

Deliciously tender and lightly sweet, these braided wreaths are like a festive present for each of your guests!

Smart Savers Tip!

Instead of purchasing bottles of food coloring to dye your eggs, consider using natural food colors! 

Beet juice gives Easter eggs a beautiful red color. Spinach or parsley turns them light green, and turmeric creates a golden glow!

pan of copycat cinnabon cinnamon rolls with frosting

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

This isn’t a traditional Italian Easter dinner recipe. But ooey-gooey, warm cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting are perfect with a cup of coffee on Easter morning.

italian donuts filled with pastry cream

Bomboloni Italian Donuts

Bomboloni fried Italian donuts are filled with a rich pastry cream that explodes out of every bite. They’re irresistibly scrumptious!

close up: buttery, seasoned breadsticks

Olive Garden Breadsticks Recipe

No Italian Easter menu is complete without bread, and these usually disappear from the basket first!

Italian Easter Dinner or Lunch Sides

From soups and salads to fresh veggies and pasta salads, these healthy Easter side dishes will fill you up, and they’re delicious!

panzanella salad close up

Strawberry Panzanella Salad

Our version of Tuscan chopped salad includes fresh strawberries and cheese, making it one of our favorite Italian Easter recipes!

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Antipasto is often found on an Italian Easter menu. This twist adds tortellini pasta and a tangy vinaigrette to the Italian meats and cheeses.

cheesy arancini close up

Italian Rice Balls (Arancini)

We absolutely LOVE arancini – it’s cheesy risotto that’s breaded and fried. YUM! Make a big batch, then freeze some, because rice balls are an anytime snack!

olive garden minestrone soup in ladle

Minestrone Soup

This is one of our favorite Olive Garden™ soups!! It can be a side dish to a meat-based traditional Italian Easter dinner, or could easily be a meatless meal.

Italian Easter Dinner Main Dish Ideas

For an authentic Italian meal that won’t blow your grocery budget, turn to pasta and potato-based dinners. 

We’d be doing you and the holiday an injustice if we didn’t share recipes for the most popular classic dishes too.

serving of italian eggplant parmesan, close up

Nana’s Eggplant Parm Recipe

I miss my mom every day, but more than ever on holidays. I always looked forward to her homemade eggplant Parmesan!

lasagna cut into a square on white dinner plate

Cheesy Meat Lasagna Recipe

A classic comfort food, made quickly!! This recipe is super simple to make, and if you use no-boil noodles, it only takes 40 minutes to bake! It’s freezer friendly too.

italian potato dumplings, close up

Best Ever Italian Gnocchi Recipe

Pillowy soft potato pasta coated with an herb butter sauce. Need I say more? This recipe is one of the best Italian Easter recipes that will serve a crowd. Freezer friendly too.

italian braciole cut in half

Papa’s Italian Braciole Recipe

Italian braciole is time intensive, but the first bite convinces you it is worth it! Plus, it’s the ultimate Italian comfort food.

orange honey ham closeup

Slow Cooker Orange Honey Ham

Slow Cooker Orange Glazed Ham is a delicious, easy, and completely crave-able recipe that is the hit at any holiday dinner! It is so easy it just about cooks itself.

Easter Desserts

Below are our Italian dessert recipes, but we have traditional Easter recipes too. Check out our favorite spring dessert recipes and collection of 100 Easter dinner ideas.

pastel colored italian knot cookies

Buttery Italian Easter Cookies

A perfectly tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious cookie! It’s a sugar cookie with a soft, fluffy texture that’s completely irresistible. 

This is one of my favorite Italian Easter dishes!

Italian struffoli.

Italian Struffoli

Fried dough with a covering of honey and sprinkles. This is a classic Italian holiday treat, especially for Christmas and Easter.

italian pignoli dusted with powdered sugar

Italian Pignoli Cookies

Cookies that are crispy on the outside and chewy in the center are a must. They are a sweet, chewy almond flavored cookie with a crunchy, savory pine nut topping.

italian cream cake, sliced to reveal center

Italian Cream Cake 

This classic cake is loaded with coconut, toasted pecans, and cream cheese frosting. Layered cakes make a stunning display for any occasion, and they’re not as hard to make as you might think!

pan of italian tiramisu with a piece missing

Easy Tiramisu

This classic dessert is made to impress. 

Layers of sweet mascarpone cheese and ladyfingers soaked in rum and espresso, topped with cookie crumbs, cocoa, and chocolate curls. 

It’s one of our favorite Italian Easter dishes!

2 ingredient affogato in a glass with chocolate cookies

2-Ingredient Affogato is an Italian dessert featuring hot espresso poured over creamy gelato. Make one for yourself or a whole tray to impress your guests.

chocolate walnut biscotti on platter

Chocolate Lovers Brownie Biscotti is the ultimate twist on the classic Italian cookie! This glorious crunchy cookie is perfect for dunking, and will make the perfect gift for the chocoholic in your life!

platter of italian waffle cookies

Pizzelle Cookies are delicate and crisp Italian waffle cookies, lightly flavored with vanilla and anise. Make them with a waffle iron for a fabulous Easter dessert!

removing a slice of layered tiramisu cake

Tiramisu Cake features 3 luscious layers of espresso-soaked sponge and a creamy mascarpone frosting. Make this Italian cake recipe for a stunning holiday dessert!

It’ll be hard to choose a popular dish for your Italian Easter feast and your sweet tooth.

I know that when it comes to traditional foods, I find myself wanting to make all of these simple recipes for the Easter holidays!

You’re sure to find the perfect dish so have a fun time trying them all out! 

Happy Easter, everyone!

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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Originally published April 2022, updated and republished February 2024

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One Comment

  1. I miss all these moments. I've been trying to force myself since my mom passed to carry on the tradition. I'm from Italy but my mom, dad & I used to do all these recipes for Pasqua. I became ill after Covid so it's been hard to just buck up & I lost my mom to Covid. I'm going to try to push my kids & husband to help me keep the tradition going. I know my parents would want it that way! Millegrazie!

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