Trying to have a nice Easter dinner, but don’t want to make too much food? Well, lucky for you, we have the perfect list of 15 healthy, plant-based recipes to try out on Easter Sunday or any day of the year! You probably won’t have ten people at your celebration this year, but keeping the portions somewhat smaller will mean your fridge won’t be overflowing with leftovers.
We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help you get healthy! And, don’t forget to check out our Holidays and Festivals Archives!
1. Pineapple Baked Ham
Source: Pineapple Baked Ham
This Pineapple Baked Ham by Robin Asbell is a magazine cover-ready classic. Here, you can stroll down memory lane with a plant-based version, complete with a layer of white “fat” wrapped around it and a sweet, pineapple glaze.
2. Chickpea Turnip Meatballs
Source: Chickpea Turnip Meatballs
These gluten-free Chickpea Turnip Meatballs by Ashley Madden put the boring ol’ turnip to good use! They are high in fiber, low in calories, and a good source of protein. Not to mention, they are loaded with flavor! Not only are they packed with garlic, cumin, and coriander, they’re served in a delicious herbed tomato sauce. Yum!
3. Hot Cross Buns
Source: Hot Cross Buns
An Easter favorite, indulge yourself with some lovely, sticky vegan Hot Cross Buns by Fabio Gallo. A hot cross bun is a spiced sweet bun made with raisins that are marked with a cross on the top. Traditionally, they are eaten on Good Friday. Serve these fresh from the oven with some butter and jam. Simplicity at its best.
4. Mushroom and Kale Quiche
Source: Mushroom and Kale Quiche
This Mushroom and Kale Quiche by Talida Voinea will take care of your quiche craving. It has crispy quinoa and almond meal crust with a creamy mushroom and tofu filling. It takes a little bit of time, but it is so worth it. This vegan quiche recipe is perfect to keep on hand for breakfast or to make for brunch! When you bring out this classic mushroom and kale quiche, it will impress vegans and non-vegans alike!
5. Colomba di Pasqua: Italian Easter Sweet Bread
Source: Colomba di Pasqua: Italian Easter Sweet Bread
This Colomba di Pasqua: Italian Easter Sweet Bread is a traditional Italian Easter bread. The dough is speckled with dried fruit and then fashioned into a dove shape (“colomba” in Italian) and then topped with sugar and slivered almonds before baking. This version makes it possible without the eggs or dairy!
6. Blood Orange and Thyme Olive Oil Cake
Source: Blood Orange and Thyme Olive Oil Cake
This stunning Blood Orange and Thyme Olive Oil Cake by Gabrielle St. Claire combines savory and sweet into an incredible dessert. The fresh rosemary adds a complex level of flavor to this already stellar blood orange olive oil cake and the orange icing on top gives it a nice little kick of sweetness.
7. Crispy Gnocchi With Mushrooms, Asparagus, and Brussels Sprouts
Source: Crispy Gnocchi With Mushrooms, Asparagus, and Brussels Sprouts
When you need a quick, one-pot dish for dinner, this crispy Crispy Gnocchi With Mushrooms, Asparagus, and Brussels Sprouts by Rhea Parsons is the way to go. It’s fast, easy to make, and packed with healthy veggies! And of course, the crispy pan-fried gnocchi. This dish is delicious, satisfying, and perfect for a wintery day! Buy prepackaged vegan gnocchi at the store or make your own! Buying it at the store will be easier and save time, but making your own can be fun! This vegan gnocchi recipe is healthy and delicious! You’re going to love it!
8. Strawberry Rose and Berry Lavender Tarts
Source: Strawberry Rose and Berry Lavender Tarts
These Strawberry Rose and Berry Lavender Tarts by Maria Koutsogiannis are the perfect treat for yourself … or your friends if you feel like sharing. The base of these beautiful tarts is super nutty, filled with hints of coconut, cacao, and dates. The smooth, creamy filling is made from coconut oil blended with coconut oil and a dash of sweetener — and you get two flavors! A sweet strawberry rose filling and a dark, delicious blueberry lavender filling. They’re so easy to make, too!
9. Fettuccine Alfredo
Source: Fettuccine Alfredo
Creamy sauces in vegan cooking tend to be made with nuts, so if you have a nut allergy, you might think that means you have to miss out on your favorite meals. Cauliflower takes the place of cashews in this recipe to make a rich and creamy alfredo sauce that you can make in big batches and freeze for later use. Serve this Fettuccine Alfredo by Maggie Jones with asparagus, peas, or whatever green vegetables you have readily available.
10. Broccoli Rabe Pesto Ravioli
Source: Broccoli Rabe Pesto Ravioli
If you love homemade pillowy ravioli stuffed with an outrageously good filling and finished with a lemony garlic oil – you’re going to love this Broccoli Rabe Pesto Ravioli by Lauren Hartmann. The simple pasta dough is stuffed with a zesty broccoli rabe pesto and then finished with a homemade lemon garlic olive oil that is to die for.
11. Deviled Potato Bites
Source: Deviled Potato Bites
These Deviled Potato Bites by Crazy Vegan Kitchen are deceptively budget-friendly. Little potatoes are halved and roasted until their centers are soft and scoopable and then a creamy yellow hummus is piped in, giving them that “deviled egg” look. Piping in the hummus is optional, but it gives them that “wow” factor that will make them disappear from the serving platter in an instant.
12. Veggie Carbonara With Cashew Cream Sauce
Source: Veggie Carbonara With Cashew Cream Sauce
This Veggie Carbonara With Cashew Cream Sauce by Renee Sexton is packed with flavor, creamy sauce, and tons of vegetables. The cashew cream sauce is smooth and creamy and then used to coat tender pumpkin, ripe cherry tomatoes, and hearty mushrooms. Friends and family will be begging for seconds . . . so there won’t be much left for lunch.
13. Choc-Chip Easter Buns
Source: Choc-Chip Easter Buns
These Choc-Chip Easter Buns by Karen Kitto are an updated version of a classic holiday treat: Easter Cross Buns. They are packed with chocolate, decadently gooey, and utterly delicious.
14. Raw Chocolate Easter Truffles
Source: Raw Chocolate Easter Truffles
These delightful, Raw Chocolate Easter Truffles by Karen Kitto are the perfect way to indulge your sweet tooth this Easter without feeling too guilty about it. The elegant dark chocolate shell is filled with luxurious date caramel and then coated with some chopped almonds.
15. Roasted Carrots
Source: Roasted Carrots
Not just for Easter or Passover brunch or dinner, these Roasted Carrots by Holly Bertone are going to be a side dish rotation for your weekly dinners throughout the year. They are easy to make, and they are Paleo, gluten-free, and vegan. The taste is amazing as-is or you can top them with crushed pistachios. They are fancy enough to make for any holiday dinner and easy enough to take to a potluck.
Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home
Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.
For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.
Here are some great resources to get you started:
- Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
- Plant-Based Health Resources
- Plant-Based Food & Recipes
- Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
- The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
- Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
- High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
- Plant-Based Meal Prep
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