Easter Main Dishes: Meal Ideas for People Who Hate Ham

Confession: Ham is overrated. Pork chops are a go-to dinner in my house, but if you ask me, ham is just glorified bologna (which I also hate). And with Easter coming up, it’s time once again to put on my Google-emblazoned thinking cap, and scour the internet for Easter main dishes I can serve in place of my food nemesis.

For many, ham becomes the star of special meals like Easter and Christmas because it’s a time of year that calls for a special menu, and whole hams aren’t something most families invest the time and money in for normal weekly meals. So this collection of recipes features memorable mains fit for a holiday meal in addition to dressed-up daily dinner favorites for less adventurous palates. And yes, there’s also lamb, the de facto alternative for a ham-free Easter feast.

A version of this article was originally published March 2019.

Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks

Image Credit: Julie's Apron.

I can’t think of a better flavor for a spring holiday than honey mustard. It’s perfectly sweet and savory and feels elegant enough to be served as the main course at Easter.

Get the recipe from Julie’s Apron.
Slow-Cooked Leg of Lamb

Image Credit: The Scatty Mum.

Luxurious red wine is the star of the show in this recipe. The slow-cooking yields incredibly tender and juicy meat, making this an excellent contender for your Easter menu.

Get the recipe from The Scatty Mum.
French Onion Chicken

Image Credit: Chef Elizabeth Reese.

Attention French soup lovers! If you’ve ever wanted to turn your favorite soup into a delectable main course, this is the recipe for you. Bonus? You don’t have to spend 30-60 minutes on the onions alone because the onions will continue to carmelize as the chicken cooks.

Get the recipe from Chef Elizabeth Reese.
Smoked Meatloaf With Quail Eggs

Image Credit: Ramona's Cuisine.

While meatloaf is a weeknight staple for many, you probably don’t consider it to be worthy of the main course at Easter. Well, let us prove you wrong with this smoked meatloaf with quail eggs recipe from Ramona’s Cuisine.

Ramona’s recipe elevates this classic dish into something that dinner guests will be raving about for weeks after. And how perfect are those little surprise eggs for Easter?!

Get the recipe from Ramona’s Cuisine.
Vegan Lasagna

Image Credit: Black Girls Eat.

Who says the main course has to be some type of meat? Certainly not us. Our friend LA Dunn of Black Girls Eat has a mouthwatering vegan lasagna recipe that is the perfect meat-free Easter main course. Trust us, even the meat lovers at your table will devour every bite.

Get the recipe from Black Girls Eat.
Honey Sriracha Salmon

Image Credit: Rasa Malaysia.

This salmon couldn;t be easier to make and you can easily adjust the spice level by adding more or less sriracha.

Get the recipe from Rasa Malaysia.
Braised Lamb Shanks

Image Credit: Cafe Delites.

These fall-off-the-bone-tender lamb shanks are seared to lock in flavor, then braised in a flavorful gravy of beef broth, a quality dry pinot noir and tomato seasoned with rosemary, garlic and onion. The best part of this recipe is that you can cook it on the stovetop or in your slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Get the recipe from Cafe Delites.
Pork Milanese

Image Credit: Leite's Culinaria.

Not only is this dish delicious, you can make the whole thing in one pan for super easy clean up. Perfect time to pull out that cast iron pan you’ve been dying to use.

Get the recipe from Leite’s Culinaria.
Braised Honey Mustard Rabbit

Image Credit: Spicie Foodie.

A tangy Dijon-sage honey mustard sauce creates a beautiful glaze for this simple braised rabbit.

Get the recipe from Spicie Foodie.
Spring Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken & Veggies

Image Credit: Half Baked Harvest.

Ina Garten’s roasted chicken may be a classic, but it’s definitely an any-given-Sunday affair. For Easter, whip out your cast-iron skillet and get to work on this roasted lemon chicken and veggies instead. The butterflied chicken is rubbed down with an oil infused with plenty of thyme, ginger, paprika and cayenne and baked with aromatic lemon slices, onions and garlic atop spring potatoes, seasonal asparagus and marinated artichokes for briny punch of flavor. Add some dry white wine, and as the chicken cooks, the peppery ginger-infused juices from the chicken will drip down into the wine to create a flavorful au jus pan sauce for this one-pot Easter dish.

Get the recipe from Half Baked Harvest.
Herb-Crusted Salmon With Goat Cheese Polenta

Image Credit: The Cookie Rookie.

Tart and earthy goat cheese polenta and sweet roasted cherry tomatoes are the perfect companions for this herb-crusted salmon, brushed with spicy Dijon mustard and topped with garlicky, herb-seasoned breadcrumbs to create a crisp and delectable crust.

Get the recipe from The Cookie Rookie.
Grilled Vegetarian/Vegan Cauliflower Steaks

Image Credit: Well Plated.

For a vegetarian or vegan alternative, these grilled cauliflower steaks are nobody’s side dish. They’re brushed with oil, lemon, garlic and honey (or agave to make it vegan), then roasted until tender and caramelized. Serve them topped with red pepper and parsley and a scattering of walnuts for added texture.

Get the recipe from Well Plated.
Juicy Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

Image Credit: Cafe Delites.

Since Easter falls during or near Passover each year (or, if you live here in Texas, because it’s Thursday), there should be plenty of brisket on sale at the grocery store. If you can’t talk your pal out of his grandma’s Passover brisket recipe, try this juicy slow cooker brisket seasoned with a spicy rub and cooked low and slow in a kicked-up barbecue sauce.

Get the recipe from Cafe Delites.
Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Mushrooms & Goat Cheese

Image Credit: Striped Spatula.

Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are stuffed with a mixture of cooked, wine-deglazed mushrooms, shallots, garlic and herbs and a smattering of creamy, salty goat cheese, then roasted until golden-brown.

Get the recipe from Striped Spatula.
Bison Steak With Herbed Brown Butter

Image Credit: Nugget Market.

Garlic- and rosemary-infused brown butter is the ideal complement to the tender, buttery mouthfeel of bison in this bison steak recipe.

Get the recipe from Nugget Market.
Sun-Dried Tomato & Garlic Roasted Leg of Lamb

Image Credit: Cafe Delites.

This showstopping roasted leg of lamb is rubbed with a piquant paste of sun-dried tomatoes in oil and garlic, stuffed with more thinly sliced garlic and cooked until the center is warm and red and the outside is chargrilled. Serve it with a lemon-dressed potato salad for a refreshing contrast of flavors.

Get the recipe from Cafe Delites.
Keto & Paleo Garlic & Dijon Chicken Drumsticks

Image Credit: Paleo Leap.

Everyone gets in on the best cut of the bird with garlic and Dijon chicken drumsticks. Marinate the drumsticks in a bright and zesty mix of hearty whole-grain mustard, spicy Dijon, garlic and lemon juice and bake them until the skin is just charred and the juices run clear.

Get the recipe from Paleo Leap.
Miso-Glazed Salmon

Image Credit: Steamy Kitchen.

Miso paste adds an extra punch of umami to the sweet Japanese sake and mildly acidic mirin (rice wine) in the glaze for these flaky, meaty salmon fillets. Serve the miso-glazed salmon over steamed white rice as the recipe indicates or mix it up by serving it over an Armenian rice pilaf (an Easter tradition in that country) and top it with thinly sliced green onions for garnish.

Get the recipe from Steamy Kitchen.
Paleo Roasted Duck With Herb Ghee

Image Credit: Paleo Leap.

Stuff your duck with a mixture of aromatics and tart berries to imbue the meat with flavor and keep it tender and juicy, then rub it down with a ghee flavored with rosemary, thyme, sage and garlic. After roasting until the herb ghee duck is cooked through and the skin is dark brown and crisp, make a succulent brown gravy with the drippings. This recipe uses cranberries, but any tart in-season berry or fruit will do.

Get the recipe from Paleo Leap.
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Image Credit: Half Baked Harvest. Design: Ashley Britton/SheKnows.

Pin it now, and prep for your Easter festivities!