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Easter

50 Easy, Make-Ahead Easter Recipes We Love

With this prep-in-advance spread—including entrées, side dishes, and desserts—you'll have plenty of time to hunt for Easter eggs.

By The Epicurious Editors

April 17, 2019

Two bowls of cream of asparagus soup.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
1/50
Naturally Dyed Pickled Easter Eggs
Put down the food coloring and make super-colorful eggs that you'll actually want to eat.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews
2/50
Italian Easter Bread
This sweet, yeasted bread can be made up to 2 days ahead or frozen for up to one week.
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Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
3/50
Cold Roast Salmon With Smashed Green Bean Salad
Served chilled, this entire dish can be made a full day ahead, and will keep you calm, cool, and collected at your Easter dinner.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews
4/50
Cream of Asparagus Soup (Crème d'asperges)
This classic French soup is simple and make-ahead friendly, and a perfect choice for entertaining when asparagus is in season.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
5/50
Grand Aioli
Make the various elements for this casual French dinner in the days leading up to Easter, then simply assemble everything on a platter to serve.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
6/50
Cowboy Breakfast Casserole With Sausage and Spinach
Assemble this easy sausage, egg, and cheese strata the night before you plan to bake it. Then toss it straight from the fridge into the oven—no need to preheat!—while you make coffee and slice some fruit to serve alongside for a casual, comfortable breakfast.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews
7/50
Chocolate Mousse
The great thing about mousse is that it has to be made ahead. That means dessert is ready whenever you are.
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Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell
8/50
Deviled Egg Salad Spread
Easier to assemble that a dozen deviled eggs, this spread makes great crostini for an Easter appetizer.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
9/50
Brown Sugar–Mustard Glazed Ham
A classic brown sugar–Dijon glaze gives this ham amazing flavor. Roast it a day ahead and serve it cold or at room temperature on Easter Sunday.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
10/50
Citrusy Haricots Verts
It doesn’t take much to make slender, tender green beans memorable—lemon zest and orange zest warmed in olive oil provide sensational sparkle.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Susan Spungen
11/50
Grapefruit Bars with Candied Zest
With an easy press-in crust, these bars can be made in their entirety up to 3 days in advance. The candied zest garnish is pretty, but by no means necessary if you'd rather skip it.
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Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
12/50
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
You can make and chill these mashed potatoes up to two days before you plan to serve them.
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Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
13/50
Cold Roast Lamb with Marinated Eggplant
Pop the garlic-and-rosemary-rubbed leg of lamb and the eggplant spears into the oven together and they’ll be done at the same time. The dish is designed to be served cold, so you won't even need to reheat anything.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi
14/50
Quiche Sardou
Both the tart shell and the filling for this luscious quiche can be prepped ahead, making it a great dish for brunch entertaining.
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Read More

Crunchy Veg Salad With Dates and Fried Shallots

Crunchy Veg Salad With Dates and Fried Shallots

Elegant enough for a dinner party centerpiece, sturdy enough to take the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Green Goddess Harvest Salad

Green Goddess Harvest Salad

So much more affordable than ordering from those fast casual salad chains.

Buckwheat Crepes With Banana-Sesame Jam

Buckwheat Crepes With Banana-Sesame Jam

Practical to make and feels like a total flex.

Glazed Apple Pie Fritters

Glazed Apple Pie Fritters

Apple pie in doughnut hole form? We’re in love.

Nuoc Cham Chicken Salad

Nuoc Cham Chicken Salad

A spicy-funky upgrade for lettuce cups, sandwiches, and more.

Giant Garlic Knot

Giant Garlic Knot

This savory babka is braided with a whole head of garlic, fresh parsley, and salty Parmesan.

Cheeseburger Fried Rice

Cheeseburger Fried Rice

An immediately familiar and comforting dish from Agnes and Sherman in Houston.

No-Mayo Tuna Salad

No-Mayo Tuna Salad

Riff on the lunchbox staple. Mayo-haters deserve tuna, too.

Korean Street Toast Breakfast Sandwich

Korean Street Toast Breakfast Sandwich

Veggie-packed eggs, gooey cheese, and don't skip the sprinkle of sugar.

Cold Silken Tofu With Chili Crisp Dressing

Cold Silken Tofu With Chili Crisp Dressing

A cool, custardy treat for the hottest days and beyond.

Salt and Smoke Margarita

Salt and Smoke Margarita

With black pepper, toasted sesame oil, and Castelvetrano olives, this margarita is for the savory drink lovers.

A Really Big Chicken Parm

A Really Big Chicken Parm

Ground chicken, Parmesan, marinara, and plenty of mozz in a supersize sheet-pan dinner worth sharing.