30 Vegetarian Recipes for a Celebratory Easter Dinner

Spring is the season for plants to shine at your holiday celebration, in stunning sides and satisfying mains.

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Timpano
Credit:

Carson Downing / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco

Whether you're planning an all-out vegetarian Easter feast or simply sprinkling some meat-free options into your spread, we have many delicious dishes that'd be terrific additions to your holiday table. For an impressive main, our stately timpano will make your guests swoon as you break through its crisp crust to reveal layers of tender pasta and cheesy roasted vegetables. The stunning Savory Carrot Mochi with Pistachio Dukkah shows off spring carrots prepared three ways. When it comes to sides, go for a seasonal salad like classic scalloped potatoes or tender baby artichokes roasted with herbs. Read on for these and more vegetarian Easter dinner ideas to make your meal a memorable ibe.

Note

Some of these recipes include cheeses often made with animal rennet. If you prefer not to use that type of cheese, you can omit it or swap in a vegetarian-friendly substitute.

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01 of 30

Spring Gem Salad with Soft Herbs and Labneh Toasts

Spring Gem Salad With Soft Herbs and Labneh Toasts

Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn

1990 F&W Best New Chef Nancy Silverton serves a spring medley of asparagus, English peas, radishes, and sugar snap peas with a lemon vinaigrette alongside labneh toast for an Easter-worthy appetizer or side.

02 of 30

Savory Carrot Mochi with Pistachio Dukkah

Savory Carrot Mochi

Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

2021 F&W Best New Chef Gaby Maeda has three ways to celebrate spring carrots in one dish: They're pickled, roasted, and pureed to make bouncy fried balls of carrot mochi. A topping of crunchy pistachio dukkah completes the plate.

03 of 30

Timpano

Timpano

Carson Downing / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco

Make a grand vegetarian Easter centerpiece by layering crispy dough over roasted or grilled vegetables, ziti pasta, hard-boiled eggs, and plenty of Pecorino Romano cheese.

04 of 30

Mafaldine with Pea Shoot–Meyer Lemon Pesto

Mafaldine with Pea Shoot Meyer Lemon Pesto

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Ruffled mafaldine pasta is the perfect partner for this bright spring sauce to cling to. This verdant pesto combines dill, fresh pea shoots, and parsley, balanced by salty ricotta salata and nutty roasted sunflower seeds.

05 of 30

Spring Vegetable Paella

Spring Vegetable Paella

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Welcome spring with a plant-forward paella celebrating cremini mushrooms, asparagus, sweet peas, spinach, radicchio, and parsley — swap out the sausage for an extra helping of mushrooms and omit the anchovies to keep it vegetarian-friendly.

06 of 30

Mascarpone Polenta with Brown Butter Mushrooms

Mascarpone Polenta with Brown Butter Mushrooms and Fried Egg

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

This simple yet special dish makes a terrific addition to your Easter table. A generous dollop of mascarpone makes the polenta extra-rich and beautifully velvety; it's crowned with oven-roasted mixed mushrooms and a fried egg, then drizzled in brown butter for an indulgent finish.

07 of 30

Asparagus Salad with Smoky-Sweet Gremolata

Asparagus Salad with Smoky- Sweet Gremolata

Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

Tart sumac, piquant black pepper, and buttery extra-virgin olive oil bring out the best of this dish of verdant just-blanched asparagus spears. A crunchy, tart gremolata of dried cherries, almonds, parsley, mint, and lemon zest is sprinkled over the top for added texture and flavor.

08 of 30

Spring Vegetable Potpies

Spring Vegetable Potpies

Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali

Packed with a hearty mix of springtime delights — morel mushrooms, peas, asparagus, baby potatoes and carrots, and herbs — these individual vegetarian potpies employ store-bought all-butter puff pastry to minimize prep.

09 of 30

Strawberry Burrata Salad

Strawberry Burrata Salad

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee

Strawberries marinated in a honey-sweetened balsamic vinaigrette surround a luscious ball of creamy, mild burrata. Arugula and basil leaves give this pretty spring salad a peppery, herbal bite.

10 of 30

Feta Gnocchi with Lemony Yogurt and Spring Peas

Feta Cheese Gnocchi with Lemony Yogurt, Spring Peas & Dill

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Risha Carnes

Chef Cassie Piuma swaps out the classic potato for fluffy feta cheese in these gnocchi to make a savory, seasonal pasta dish with all kinds of texture from bright sugar snap peas and lemony, garlic-scented strained yogurt.

11 of 30

Mushroom and Cabbage Wellington

Mushroom and Cabbage Wellington

Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling

Go all out this Easter with a gorgeous meat-free Wellington. Golden, flaky pastry is stuffed with an umami-rich mixed-mushroom duxelle and buttery caramelized cabbage for a sliceable centerpiece that serves eight.

12 of 30

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes

Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Gabe Greco

Scalloped potatoes are a classic Easter side. These are made with plenty of cheddar cheese and fresh herbs for a rich, creamy dish that bakes up beautifully golden.

13 of 30

Hot Honey–Carrot Flatbreads with Basil Chermoula

Hot Honey-Carrot Flatbreads with Basil Chermoula

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Sweet-spicy honey-glazed roasted carrots are served atop ricotta-smeared naan and drizzled with bright basil chermoula for chef Suzanne Cupps' fresh, zingy flatbreads. The chermoula can be prepared in advance, but is just as easily made while the carrots are roasting.

14 of 30

Spanakopita Pie

Spanakopita pie

Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Purcell

Whether it's folded into triangles, rolled into logs, or layered in a pan, spanakopita is irresistible. This crunchy, cheesy pie envelops earthy greens and tangy feta in golden sheets of phyllo dough.

15 of 30

King Trumpet Schnitzel with Mixed Herb Pesto

Fried king trumpet mushrooms

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kathleen Varner

Thick, meaty king trumpet mushrooms are double-breaded in spiced panko breadcrumbs to guarantee an exceptionally crunchy bite balanced out by a bright pesto made from spring herbs.

16 of 30

Asparagus and Spring Onion Salad with Seven-Minute Eggs

Asparagus and Spring Onion Salad with Seven Minute Eggs
Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Kathleen Cook Varner

F&W's Justin Chapple brings out the best of sweet spring onions, first-of-the-season asparagus, and tender lettuces with a tangy dressing of soy, ginger, and sherry vinegar, plus jammy egg yolks.

17 of 30

Ratatouille Shepherd's Pie

Ratatouille Shepherd’s Pie

Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

France's signature vegetable stew meets Britain's mashed potato–topped pie in this tasty hybrid from chef Gabriel Rucker. Add beans or lentils to the mix to make it even more substantial.

18 of 30

Crispy Salt and Pepper Air Fryer Tofu with Asparagus

Crispy Salt and Pepper Air Fryer Tofu with Asparagus

Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn

This low-lift dish features tofu that's crispy around the edges and tender on the inside, coated in a sweet and salty marinade made with soy sauce, light brown sugar, and ground Szechuan peppercorns. It's accompanied by garlic-sesame asparagus — plus whatever other sides are on your Easter menu.

19 of 30

Vareniki (Ukrainian Pierogi Dumplings)

Varenyky

Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

A bit smaller than Polish pierogi, these Ukrainian dumplings are stuffed with a blend of caramelized onions, mashed potatoes, and salty cheese. Boil them until tender and serve with sour cream.

20 of 30

Spring Minestrone with Grated Egg Pasta

Spring Minestrone with Grated Egg Pasta

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

A simple handmade grated pasta floats in a savory broth flavored with Parmigiano-Reggiano rind amid white beans and a garden's worth of greenery: fresh asparagus, sweet peas, sugar snaps, leafy spinach, and fresh dill.

21 of 30

Pea Shoot and Chive Salad

Pea Shoot and Chive Salad

Dylan + Jeni

This salad of fresh pea leaves, shoots, and sprouts from 2018 F&W Best New Chef Katianna Hong and John Hong of Yangban in Los Angeles is served up with a spicy ponzu dressing that gets its gentle heat from gochugaru, a Korean chile powder.

22 of 30

Vegetarian Cassoulet

white bean and mushroom cassoulet

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

A mix of dried and fresh mushrooms and canned white beans simmers to perfect tenderness in this hearty vegetarian main. A generous topping of panko and cheese adds a rich, crunchy finish.

23 of 30

Roasted Baby Artichokes with Parsley and Mint

Roasted Baby Artichokes with Parsley and Mint Recipe
Eva Kolenko

With their mildly sweet, lightly astringent cores, baby artichokes are perfect for a quick roast. Toss them with parsley and mint for added brightness.

24 of 30

Tegliata di Biete (Swiss Chard Torte with Raisins and Pine Nuts)

Swiss Chard Torte with Raisins and Pine Nuts (Tegliata di Biete)

Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek

Marcella Hazan packs flavor into this torte with mildly sweet Swiss chard and fruity golden raisins. 

25 of 30

White Asparagus Soup with Pickled Ramps and Hazelnuts

White Asparagus Soup with Pickled Ramps and Hazelnuts

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Winemaker and restaurateur André Mack balances his creamy white asparagus soup with tangy pickled ramps, crunchy roasted hazelnuts, and a drizzle of hazelnut oil.

26 of 30

Saucy White Beans and Greens on Toast

Saucy White Beans and Greens on Toast

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

F&W's Justin Chapple combines canned cannellini beans and Roman beans (also known as cranberry beans) with spinach, jalapeño, cumin, and citrus to spoon over slices of toasted bread.

27 of 30

Farro Salad with Radishes, Snap Peas, Olives, and Pecorino

Farro Salad with Radishes, Snap Peas, Olives, and Pecorino Recipe
Eva Kolenko

Chewy, sweet, and earthy, farro makes the perfect base for a springtime salad — cook it in advance, then assemble the salad just before serving.

28 of 30

Kale-Artichoke Stuffed Shells

Kale and Artichoke Stuffed Shells

Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Keep Easter dinner simple with this hearty stuffed shells recipe that uses lots of shortcuts: jarred marinated artichoke hearts, jarred Calabrian chiles, canned cannellini beans, and jarred marinara sauce. The dish can be prepped ahead, too.

29 of 30

Risotto with Parsley Puree and Caramelized Garlic

Creamy Supergreen Risotto with Caramelized Garlic

Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Chef Alice Delcourt's vivid risotto layers in parsley puree for fresh, green flavor. Plush with goat and Parmesan cheeses, the dish gets extra depth from a sweet boost of caramelized garlic.

30 of 30

Leek and Mushroom Croquettes

Leek-and-Mushroom Croquettes

Joseph de Leo

Chef Jerry Traunfeld serves these creamy-centered croquettes in walnut-size balls, but they can also be made larger for a vegetarian main course.

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