Easy Easter Recipe Ideas for A Low-Stress, If Coronavirus Altered, Sunday Dinner

If your family is not one to break with tradition, though, all of the accompanying sides, desserts, and drinks will work just as well with ham or lamb—or roast chicken, for that matter. We propose trying something new, though! (Especially since most of us are likely to have much smaller guest lists this year.)

A Non-Traditional Easter Centerpiece

Easter may be synonymous with ham (or lamb, though usually not rabbit, at least when it comes to the dinner table), but you don't have to cook low and slow to produce a hearty, meaty main for Easter dinner. You can turn up the heat for a faster (and healthier) springtime meal that still satisfies and feels special, featuring salmon. This also happens to be a great strategy for a strange year, when many of us won't be able to celebrate directly with family and thus will have fewer mouths to feed. But however and with whomever you're marking the holiday, these ideas will help you eat well.

Cedar-Planked Salmon with Herbed Yogurt Sauce

When it comes to salmon, planking is the way to go. It's easy: Soak a piece of cedar—you can get one at any gourmet grocer or fish market (easier said than done in the time of coronavirus, however)—plonk the fish on top, and broil or grill the whole thing. The plank contributes a smoky flavor to the fish and provides a perfect, flat cooking surface. Fresh dill and honey glazes are the most common toppings for salmon, but we go renegade with a tangy yogurt spread flavored with spring herbs. You can also go renegade with the wood: Try oak, cherry, or maple. Just make sure the plank is large enough and that it's clean, untreated, and about an inch thick. Get our Cedar-Planked Salmon with Herbed Yogurt Sauce recipe.

If planking isn't an option, try poaching salmon in a Crock Pot, or simply roasting it in the oven.

In any case, it goes with a variety of spring dishes, like the ones below. Rustle up a small meal or a big banquet by mixing and matching your main with any of these recipes:

Drinks

Whether you're doing Easter brunch in the a.m./afternoon or easing into an early Easter dinner, any of these libations would be welcome (but if you love a good theme, consider trying a drink with eggs too).

Mint "Limonata"

Limoncello mingles with vodka, soda water, and mint, cooled with crushed ice in order to herald spring and all things bright and cheery, including Easter—even if you're Skyping your sister or grandparents this year instead of joining them at the table. Get our Mint "Limonata" recipe.

Related Reading: How to Host a Virtual Dinner Party When You Can't Actually Get Together

Virgin Bellini

This is a simple mixed drink that will feel fancy, especially if you serve it in Champagne glasses or other nice stemware (the kids will be delighted to sip it too). All you need is peach nectar and lemon-lime soda, but try it with other juice depending on what you can find or already have on hand. Get our Virgin Bellini recipe.

Yellow Bicycle

Opposites attract, apparently. Deep into a gritty neighborhood in San Francisco lies a bar named Rye, where they serve this light, bubbly cocktail made with elderflower liqueur, yellow Chartreuse, and Prosecco. If you have a well-stocked home bar (or the option to order alcohol online), get our Yellow Bicycle recipe.

Mint and Lime Iced Tea

When the weather warms up, this is a cool, refreshing, perky beverage you want in your hand. It's nice for special occasions too, and delicious as-is, or spiked with bourbon. Get our Mint and Lime Iced Tea recipe.

Lo Scintillante

Two boozy Italian beverages join forces in our Lo Scintillante recipe for a slightly sweet, dry, bubbly drink with hints of clove and other spices. But if you don't have Cocchi Aperitivo Americano in stock (no kidding), use another amaro like Aperol or Campari along with the Prosecco—because this is basically just a twist on a classic spritz.

Related Reading: 11 Cocktail Ingredients You Already Have in Your Kitchen

Starters

Nibbles and bites before the main event are nice to have—you've gotta cushion those cocktails, after all, and you can only eat so much Easter candy.

Goat Cheese Toasts with Asparagus and Mushroom Ragu

Try these creamy bites of spring with shiitake mushrooms and one of the season's favorite vegetables, the elegant asparagus. Get our Goat Cheese Toasts with Asparagus and Mushroom Ragu recipe.

Black Pepper-Manchego Cheese Puffs

French cheese puffs with parmesan and Manchego are heavenly balls of peppery, cheesy air. And there's no yeast involved, either. Get our Black Pepper-Manchego Cheese Puffs recipe.

Chopped Fava Bean Crostini with Pecorino

Simplicity tastes good. Fava beans are brightened with lemon and fresh mint and upped with the umami of Pecorino Romano. Get our Chopped Fava Bean Crostini with Pecorino recipe.

Sainte-Maure, Basil, and Fresh Herb Terrine

It may be a terrine, but this is not complicated. The instructions have one step, which doesn't include any cooking whatsoever. Just slicing, spreading, and arranging. And you can use any goat cheese you can find. Get our Sainte-Maure, Basil, and Fresh Herb Terrine recipe.

Deviled Eggs with Tarragon

Mustard, mayonnaise, tarragon, and capers make a great classic deviled egg—and yes, you have to have them. Get our Deviled Eggs with Tarragon recipe.

Related Reading: 8 Ways to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Salads

Get some spring produce into your system, and lighten everything up that much more.

Shaved Asparagus Salad

Shaved raw asparagus makes for an uncommonly delicious salad, simply bolstered with a lemony vinaigrette, salty cheese, and nuts. Try mixing in white asparagus if you can find it. Get our Shaved Asparagus Salad recipe.

Related Reading: Try This Chef's Neat Trick for Storing Asparagus

Green Salad with Creamy Horseradish Vinaigrette

Crunchy, green, spicy: This is a great simple salad for Easter, especially when you need to focus on many other dishes for a big holiday dinner. Get our Green Salad with Creamy Horseradish Vinaigrette recipe.

Crunchy Celery and Romaine Heart Salad

Crunchy celery and cucumber (English or Persian, it doesn't matter) tumble together with romaine lettuce in a thyme vinaigrette. The surprise ingredient? Luscious hearts of palm. Get our Crunchy Celery and Romaine Heart Salad recipe.

Fennel, Parsley, and Celery Salad

Sometimes a salad is just chopping and mixing with lemon juice. Like this one. Add olives for a salty pop against all that clean, crisp, fresh fennel and parsley. Get our Fennel, Parsley, and Celery Salad recipe.

Caesar Salad

Add romaine, Pecorino Romano, and garlicky croutons to this classic Caesar dressing with anchovies and egg yolks. Get our Caesar Salad recipe.

Sides

Glazed carrots are great, and simply steamed or roasted asparagus is ace, but consider a couple more unusual partners for your main dish (fish or not).

Smoked Cheddar Soufflé

Crusty on the outside, soft and airy in the middle, this slightly smoky soufflé works as a side dish at Easter brunch or a main course for Easter dinner. Get our Smoked Cheddar Soufflé recipe.

Roasted Baby Carrots with Marmalade

Spring carrots pair beautifully with orange marmalade, which caramelizes in the oven to lend a pleasant punch of both sweet and bitter. Get our Roasted Baby Carrots with Marmalade recipe.

Bacon-Thyme Corn Muffin Tops

These savory breakfast/brunch/anytime treats are crunchy yet soft, and the best part of the muffin. They're also the ideal item to dunk in creamy, smooth soup. Get our Bacon-Thyme Corn Muffin Tops recipe.

Farro Risotto with Asparagus and Fava Beans

This risotto is so packed full of fresh spring veggies, it's all you'll need to accompany your salmon (or a Roasted Rack of Lamb) for a light spring dinner or Easter meal. The farro makes it hearty enough to double as a delicious vegetarian main dish as well. Get our Farro Risotto with Asparagus and Fava Beans recipe.

Parker House Rolls

These folded-over rolls were made famous about 100 years ago at the Parker House hotel in Boston. Although they take some time to make, they are beautifully soft with a chewy crust and will make a lovely addition to your holiday table. (And while they may not be easy, if you pick some of these simple salads and a quick-cooking main, you'll have time to spare.) Get our Parker House Rolls recipe.

Related Reading: A Beginner's Guide to Baking with Yeast

Desserts

Transcend the chocolate bunny (but have one of those too).

Mixed Berry Shortcakes with Whipped Cream

Celebrate the spring holiday by baking up a few shortcakes, stuffing them with fruit goodness, and topping it all with freshly whipped cream. Get our Mixed Berry Shortcakes with Whipped Cream recipe.

Rhubarb-Almond Bars

These bars have all the sweet-tart flavors of rhubarb pie with a simple buttery crust, but without the fussiness of rolling out pie dough. And you can still serve them topped with ice cream. Get our Rhubarb-Almond Bars recipe.

Almost Summer Pudding

The brioche in this pudding doesn't come out as dark red as the bread in other summer puddings, but rest assured that it is soaked thoroughly and the end result would do any Brit proud. Be sure to start this recipe a day in advance, as the pudding needs to rest 24 hours before serving. And though it looks very impressive, it's not difficult, because you're starting with already-baked brioche (preferably from your favorite bakery). Get our Almost Summer Pudding recipe.

Pistachio-Strawberry Ice Cream Cake

What's better than a few scoops of ice cream? Layers of ice cream stacked up in a cake. Here we pile up three flavors—fresh strawberry, vanilla bean, and roasted pistachio—and finish everything with a crunchy layer of crushed vanilla cookies, for a dessert that's quintessential summer (but still springy enough to eat right now). And if you're not feeling up to homemade ice cream, just sub in good-quality store-bought versions of each flavor. Get our Pistachio-Strawberry Ice Cream Cake recipe.

Easy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

OK, this isn't a fruity dessert, but it is a veggie one—and you'll love every bite. Especially since there's a generous layer of tangy cream cheese frosting slathered on top. Get our Easy Carrot Cake recipe.