17 Vegetarian Easter Dinner Ideas

A collection of ideas for a vegetarian Easter dinner starting with a cocktail, appetizer, and starter and continuing all the way to dinner and dessert.

And check my article on a vegetarian Easter brunch, which includes tips for organizing and hosting a brunch.

The traditional Easter dinner I grew up on featured a ham, basted with some kind of maple-mustard sauce my mom concocted. Maybe you did too. It was fine, but what if you really want a vegetarian Easter this year? And not just the side dishes.

I've got you covered.

I've pulled together some ideas ranging from bread to sides and main dishes. All are vegetarian, some are vegan. And it starts with a perfect cocktail for spring.

C O C K T A I L

If you're sharing your Easter dinner with family or friends, start with a little cocktail. If you prefer, you can serve it as a dessert at the end of the meal since it has lemon sorbet in it.

Sgroppino

Sgroppino is a 3-ingredient Italian cocktail recipe that's both a dessert and cocktail. Think of it as a Prosecco slushie with lemon sorbet and a little vodka. Serve it in champagne flutes or other pretty glassware with a mint leaf.

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A P P E T I Z E R

People arrive hungry, so it's nice to have a spread of crackers and cheese, some pickled veggies, and this tart.

Asparagus Tart

This asparagus tart uses store-bought puff pastry to make it super easy. It's rolled out, spread with Boursin cheese, lined with asparagus soldiers, and topped with a flurry of grated Parmesan cheese.

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S T A R T E R

Depending on the size of your crowd and the dinner, you may want to kick off your vegetarian Easter dinner with tiny bowls of puréed soup.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

This simple cream of asparagus soup recipe requires only 15 minutes of prep time. It can be served hot or cold. The garnishes of fresh dill and chives elevate this soup to something truly special, so don't leave them out.

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B R E A D

Any dinner rolls are fine, but I love to have these Hot Cross Buns with Easter dinner.

Hot Cross Buns

This is technically a traditional bread for Good Friday. It's a yeasted bread, so time needs to be budgeted to allow the dough to rise. But these sweet buns are so worth it. They're flavored with dried fruits and spices and then finished with a piped cross on top before serving.

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S I D E S

Similar to other holiday feasts, I can make a meal out of the side dishes. Also, if you're either not hosting or otherwise unable to create your own vegetarian Easter dinner, these sides may save the day.

Potatoes Au Gratin

This is more of a poblano potatoes au gratin recipe, which switches up the classic potato gratin by adding roasted poblano peppers. Thinly sliced potatoes are layered with cheese and peppers making this a really special casserole. The post includes tips for choosing the best kind of potato and cheese and how to make your au gratin creamy.

Roasted Asparagus Gribiche

Roast, grill, or air fry asparagus, and make this asparagus gribiche for a fabulous, crowd-pleaser side dish for dinner or brunch. Gribiche is kind of like egg salad made into a sauce, French style, with hard-boiled eggs, capers, parsley, and thyme.

Herby Peas and Crispy Green Rice

This crispy, herby rice salad is tossed with sugar snap peas, raisins, and fresh herbs, making it green. It uses parsley, cilantro, dill, and mint, but feel free to use herbs you have on hand. Just make sure you use a lot of herbs - this rice salad is as much about the crispy rice as it is about the herbs.

Cauliflower Scampi in a Lemon, Shallot, White Wine Sauce (with Pasta option)

This veggie scampi features steamed cauliflower tossed in a sauce made with ingredients you likely have on hand. You can serve it with pasta or without, depending on your preferences.

Potato Asparagus Salad with Lentils and Lemon Vinaigrette

A spring vegan potato asparagus salad, hearty enough for a meal, loaded with asparagus, potatoes, lentils, radishes, sugar snap peas, and mint - all dressed with a bright lemon vinaigrette. Serve as a warm main dish or at room temp.

Broccoli Casserole with Cheese and Quinoa

This broccoli cheese casserole is a cheesy, delicious side dish or vegetarian main entree. There's no need to make a roux sauce with this recipe, so it's super easy to make. If you prefer, swap in cooked rice for the quinoa.

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M A I N S

The main event can be anything you want, but it should be filling, delicious, and satisfying for everyone at the table. And I like the main dish to feature a seasonal vegetable for Spring.

Baked Artichoke Risotto

I created this creamy artichoke risotto casserole for the Food Network blog a few years ago when asked to create some comfort food recipes for them. It's loaded with artichokes and radicchio, and topped with lemon-caper breadcrumbs.

Best of all, it's baked in the oven, which reduces that all-hands-on-deck thing when making risotto.

Slow Cooker Risotto with Asparagus

This slow cooker risotto recipe is a perfect way to make a super-creamy risotto while you go about your own life. And it's ideal for spring since it adds asparagus.

Asparagus Carbonara with Horseradish Breadcrumbs

This asparagus carbonara shows how easy it is to make a classic carbonara without bacon. Instructions for horseradish breadcrumbs are included!

Cheese Tortellini with Fava Beans and Herbed Ricotta Cheese

This warm dish starts with cheese tortellini tossed with herbed ricotta, and tops it with sautéed tomatoes, scallions, and fava beans. If you can't find fava beans in your market yet, the post includes substitution ideas, such as using green beans, sliced into bite-size pieces.

Barley Pilaf with Artichokes Peas and Mint Pesto

This vegan barley pilaf tossed with artichoke hearts is tossed with tomatoes, green peas and a mint pesto. It's filling, absolutely delicious, and ready in about 30 minutes.

Cauliflower Tetrazzini with Poblano Peppers

This vegetarian tetrazzini is loaded with cauliflower and poblano peppers in place of the traditional chicken or turkey. It also replaces commonly used sour cream and heavy cream with yogurt.

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D E S S E R T

Dessert can be as simple as fresh strawberries, but I also like to serve this cake with some sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

Farmhouse Strawberry Yogurt Cake

This is a simple lemony, strawberry yogurt cake that I bake every spring. Enjoy it plain, with vanilla ice cream, or topped with more strawberries and whipped cream.

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I wish you and your family a very happy Easter. I hope you find something in this collection of vegetarian recipes for your Easter table this year.