Three simple Easter menus for stress-free success

Thea Everett

Deputy editor (audiences) Thea loves to be in the kitchen and has a particular interest in cooking on a budget and deep frying. She thinks Sri Lankan and Indian food is the food of the gods. She looks after the brand’s social channels and newsletter – and contributes features and recipes.

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Cooking Easter lunch for the family, but don’t want to end up with piles and piles of dishes when it’s all over? We’ve got the menu for you. These make-ahead Easter menus can all be prepared well in advance, and are simple enough not to require hours in the kitchen, but impressive enough to illicit some gawping from onlookers.

Think succulent roast lamb with a creamy leek sauce; cured salmon with citrus-zing and plenty of crunchy watercress; a greens pie for vegetarians, and to finish, an array of hold-your-breath moment desserts… Now that’s what we call LUNCH.

Three simple Easter menus for stress-free success

The classic one

Start things off with our beetroot salmon, cured with salt, sugar, pink peppercorns, lemon zest and of course beetroot. Serve with crème fraîche and watercress for a refreshing make-ahead delight.

For mains, a classic stuffed leg of Welsh lamb or roast chicken with almonds and sherry are great if you want to keep things traditional, yet special. Enjoy simple butter-drenched Jersey royals alongside for potato perfection.

Pudding is our ultimate treacle tart: that perfect sweet finisher, which takes only 30 minutes of preparation.

The alternative one

Some say bread and butter is the meaning of life, and we say – too right! Try our warm flatbreads to start your Easter feast, they’re topped with herb butter and and definitely get the taste buds going. Enjoy with olives, or a very simple spring-like broad bean dip.

This lamb shoulder with freekeh and roasted onions is so tender you can eat it with a spoon. Our rainbow carrot salad is a lovely side.

For dessert we have a real wow-moment: it’s our Easter rocky road roulade, the joy of which is it can be assembled a day ahead, then decorated before serving.

The vegetarian one

Our spring onion dip is the most achievable, seasonal starter. You could serve it with warm pita or flatbreads, or even crisps or crudités.

For the main course, our wild garlic and cheese pie based on the Greek dish, spanakopita, which is made with a mixture of wild greens. You can just as easily use large spinach leaves in place of the wild garlic if needs be, just add 1-2 fat garlic cloves per 250g leaves. Enjoy with lemony chipped potatoes.

Finish with our moreish, always-fantastic Nutella puddings which can be prepped in 25 minutes.