Italian Easter Dinner
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Let us help you plan an Italian Easter Dinner from start to finish! Homemade breads. Savory mains starring vegetables, ham, and pasta. Crowd-pleasing sides that double as starters. Desserts that wow or keep it light with a coffee at the end of the night. Find all our favorites and more, so you can mix-and-match to your heart’s content… and your guests can leave satisfied!
Traditional Italian Easter Dinner
When it comes to holidays, Easter is right up there with Christmas in Italian households. And our favorite way to celebrate? FOOD!!
The more the merrier… dishes and people alike.
We’ve rounded up our favorite Italian Easter dinner recipes so you can join in on the festivities.
And if you’re looking for a more traditional American menu, we’ve got our top 100 Easter recipes all in one place!
Planning an Italian Easter Dinner Menu
Most menus start with an antipasto (like an appetizer), then move to a main or some kind of pasta dish (which might double as the main)… and finish with dessert, of course!
And because there are usually quite a few people around the table, I always include a variety of side dishes so no one leaves hungry.
Keep the number of guests in mind and whether they’ll be showing up hungry or can wait for the main event.
If the meal is simple, finish with a stunning dessert. But if waistbands are bound to feel tight, something simpler is the best way to go.
SWEET AND SAVORY BREADS AND ROLLS
Traditional braided wreaths make the most adorable (and delicious) placeholders, but you can’t go wrong with a bottomless basket on the table either.
And if the Easter bunny will be stopping by before breakfast, don’t forget a batch of cinnamon rolls or donuts!
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 hide a festive present for each of your guests!
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!
An Italian classic, these fried donuts are filled with a rich, homemade pastry cream that bursts out of every bite. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and just the right amount of sweet.
Olive Garden Breadsticks Recipe
Every Italian Easter dinner table needs a basket or two of buttery garlic breadsticks! These are better than takeout (or frozen) and so easy to make from scratch.
ITALIAN EASTER LUNCH OR DINNER SIDES
These are the dishes that bring all the freshness to the table. Veggie-packed soups, crisp salads, all the antipasto flavor you love… and plenty of cheese.
Mix and match, or make them all!
Our version of the famous Tuscan chopped salad includes fresh strawberries and cheese, bringing sweet and creamy to match the tomatoes, cucumber, and toasted bread cubes. One of our favorite Italian Easter dinner ideas!
Put a twist on the classic Italian first course by tossing it all with cheese-stuffed pasta. Perfect for a brunch or light lunch, a crowd-pleasing starter, or a casual meal on its own.
What’s better than cheesy risotto? When it’s breaded and fried!! Arancini is always a winner for Italian holidays, but I make them year-round because they’re Just. That. Good.
Colorful veggies, tender pasta, and hearty beans simmered together in a tomato broth. A delicious side for any Italian Easter dinner, especially if the sun won’t come out to play.
ITALIAN EASTER DINNER MAIN DISHES
For an authentic Italian meal that won’t blow your grocery budget, turn to pasta and potato-based dinners.
And we’d be doing you and the holiday an injustice if we didn’t share recipes for the most popular classic dishes too!
Just like my mom used to make! Crispy rounds of fried eggplant, smothered in cheese and tomato sauce, then baked until golden and bubbly.
Quick and Easy Italian Lasagna
This one always makes it onto an Italian Easter dinner menu, but I’ve got a shortcut that will have your lasagna on the table in just 40 minutes!
Homemade Italian Potato Gnocchi
Pillowy soft potato pasta coated with an herb butter sauce. Need I say more? This is one of the best Italian Easter dinner recipes for a crowd. Freezer-friendly too!
This one may be a lot of work, but that old-school comfort flavor is absolutely worth the effort. Steak stuffed with salami, herbs, and a hard-boiled egg, then simmered in tomato sauce until tender.
A handful of ingredients and essentially hands-off, this glazed ham recipe is one of the easiest Italian Easter dinner ideas. The crockpot does all the hard work!
EASTER DESSERTS
The key to a good Italian dessert is just enough sweetness to satisfy… without making you regret your choices.
From classics like tiramisu and stuffoli to impressive layer cakes and colorful cookies, there’s something here for everyone!
Soft, tender butter cookies are made better with colorful icing and festive sprinkles. Like an extra-fluffy sugar cookie that looks like a mini donut!
These always disappear faster than I can make them… and not just because I sneak them as I go! Sweet, fried citrus dough, covered in a sticky honey glaze and colorful sprinkles. A must for any dessert table.
These pine nut cookies have the most incredible texture, like a chewy French macaron with tiny bits of crunch. Perfect for those who like their desserts a little less sweet.
This triple-layer cake is loaded with coconut, toasted pecans, and cream cheese frosting. A stunning display for any occasion, and not as hard to make as you might think!
Layers of sweet mascarpone cheese and ladyfingers soaked in rum and espresso, topped with cookie crumbs, cocoa, and chocolate curls. If you’re making a traditional Italian Easter dinner, this is the best way to end the night!
The perfect finish to a hearty Italian Easter dinner… when you just can’t fit another bite. Smooth espresso meets creamy gelato, plus endless topping options!
Chocolate Lovers Brownie Biscotti
The ultimate twist on the classic Italian cookie! Rich chocolate flavor and the crispy texture are the perfect pair for dunking in a cup of Italian coffee after the meal.
Delicate and crisp Italian waffle cookies, lightly flavored with vanilla and anise. The intricate design only adds to the texture, and the dough can be made ahead.
Featuring 3 luscious layers of espresso-soaked sponge and a creamy mascarpone frosting, this transforms the classic dessert into a stunning holiday centerpiece.
We did our best to combine some well-known Italian Easter dinner recipes with personal family favorites, plus a few that would work on any table… Italian or not.
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 March 2026
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
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!