This is the best soul food Easter dinner menu, featuring 40 of our favorite celebration recipes! Be sure to also check out our Easter potluck recipes for more ideas.
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Can you believe it's almost Easter Sunday? I don't know about you, but for us, this holiday is all about celebrating the Easter spirit, family gatherings, and, of course, the delicious spread of soul food on the dinner table!
The Perfect Southern Easter Menu
We've rounded up of our favorite collection of recipes that are perfect for a traditional Easter dinner menu. From a brown sugar double smoked ham recipe to Southern staples like potato salad, candied yams, and collard greens, plus Easter desserts like carrot cake, pound cake, and banana pudding. These Easter dinner recipes are easy, approachable, and perfect for a soul food feast!
A typical Black Easter meal includes ham, prime rib, and lamb, along with potato salad, deviled eggs, candied yams, collard greens, and mac and cheese. Dessert often features carrot cake, coconut cake, pound cake, and banana pudding. Many African American families also enjoy dishes like spaghetti, green beans, and dinner rolls on Easter.
For Easter, you can skip the ham and serve dishes like turkey, prime rib, or a classic seafood boil. Other great options include crab cakes, oxtails, neckbones, and fried chicken.
Easter Dinner Ideas
Double Smoked Brown Sugar Ham
A show-stopping double smoked Easter ham made with a rich and flavorful brown sugar bourbon glaze is the perfect centerpiece for Easter. It’s the perfect meal that’ll have everyone coming back for seconds.
Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey
Our pellet grill smoked turkey (Traeger smoked turkey) is a favorite for the holidays. It's made with a smoked turkey brine and homemade dry rub so it comes out perfect every time, with crispy skin and delicious flavor!
Smoked Turkey Brine Recipe
This smoked turkey brine is our secret recipe for tender and juicy smoked turkey on Easter Sunday. Say goodbye to dry turkey and hello to a mouthwatering, flavorful bird with our easy and aromatic brine.
Dry Rub for Smoked Turkey
This dry rub for smoked turkey is perfect for the whole bird, turkey breasts, wings, or legs. It's a smoky and sweet bbq rub made with brown sugar, Cajun seasoning, garlic, onion, and more.
Southern Oxtail Recipe (Tender, Fall Off the Bone!)
This oxtail recipe is a cooked to tender perfection, smothered in rich, velvety gravy with bell pepper and onion and served over rice. It's perfect for a Southern soul food Easter dinner.
The BEST Seafood Boil Recipe with Cajun Butter Sauce
A restaurant-style seafood boil recipe with Cajun butter seafood boil sauce, crab, shrimp, andouille sausage, red potatoes, sweet corn, and boiled eggs.
Spatchcocked Smoked Turkey with Creole Butter Injection
This spatchcocked smoked turkey is made with Cajun seasonings and a Creole butter injection recipe. Perfect for a Southern Easter!
Smoked Turkey Breast
Worried about having a bunch of leftover turkey? Instead of smoking the whole bird, this pellet grill turkey breast recipe offers a delicious meal for a small family or party of one. It’s a perfect alternative to a traditional Easter turkey and a delicious dish when you’re craving smoked white meat.
Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes (Little to No Filler!)
These Chesapeake Bay crab cakes (Maryland-style) have very little filler, so they’re mostly crab, not crackers or breadcrumbs. They’re made with sweet, tender blue crab, using lump or jumbo lump meat. Just add a squeeze of lemon and maybe some tartar sauce for the perfect bite!
Smoked Turkey Wings Recipe
Reverse Sear Prime Rib Roast
Indulge in this holiday centerpiece with our reverse sear prime rib recipe—slow-cooked, seasoned to perfection, and finished with mouthwatering compound butter!
Turkey Neck Boil
These turkey necks are simmered in a Cajun-infused broth with smoked sausage, potatoes, and corn on the cob. Elevate your soul food cooking with this flavorful and easy-to-follow Southern turkey neck boil recipe!
Pork Neck Bones Recipe
Our Pork Neck Bones recipe is a budget-friendly, hearty soul food meal served over rice with Southern cornbread. Prepared in a slow cooker, it’s an easy “set it and forget it” dish that’s full of flavor and rooted in down-home soul food dinner traditions.
Southern Fried Chicken Recipe
Turkey not your thing? Southern fried chicken is a cherished family soul food recipe that brings crispy, golden goodness to our table. It has a delightful crunch on the outside, juicy tenderness within, and the perfect blend of seasonings.
Popular Easter Side Dishes
Southern Potato Salad
A black Southern potato salad recipe with the best creamy texture and tangy flavor, featuring ingredients like dill pickle relish, mustard, hard-boiled eggs, and seasonings.
Best Southern Candied Yams (Soul Food Recipe)
These southern candied yams are the perfect side dish. They're sweet and buttery and feature brown sugar and warm spices. A traditional soul food candied yams recipe made with sweet potatoes passed down from generation to generation.
Cornbread Dressing
This cornbread dressing recipe is a standout addition to your Easter feast and a true Southern soul food comfort that’s as rich in tradition as it is in taste. Sometimes called cornbread stuffing, it features a blend of moist cornbread and a combination of celery, onion, bell peppers, and green onions.
Baked Gouda Mac and Cheese
Our baked Gouda Mac and Cheese boasts a velvety, creamy sauce made with a flour roux and a blend of Gouda, sharp cheddar, and Colby Jack cheese. It’s perfect for celebratory occasions like Easter.
Southern Collard Greens Recipe with Smoked Turkey
This is the best collard greens recipe, featuring smoked turkey legs and a blend of savory spices. Simmered to perfection, these soul food style collard greens are tender, full of flavor, and sure be a crowd pleaser on Easter Sunday.
How to Make Dirty Rice (Louisiana Cajun Recipe)
Learn how to make dirty rice with us! This Cajun rice recipe is perfect as a side dish or a main dish. It has that classic brown color and is full of bold flavor from the seasoned meats, veggies, and spices.
Best Green Bean Casserole (with Fresh Green Beans)
Make the best green bean casserole with fresh green beans, Campbell's cream of chicken soup, and crispy fried onions.
Salad Supreme Pasta Salad Recipe
Our Salad Supreme Pasta Salad recipe is made with zesty Italian dressing, tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, pepperoni, cheddar cheese, and a homemade seasoning blend.
Chicken and Cornbread Dressing
A classic African American chicken and dressing made with shredded chicken and homemade buttermilk cornbread.
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping
Our old fashioned sweet potato casserole is a classic holiday side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Get the perfect mashed potatoes and gravy recipe with creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes and rich, flavorful gravy.
Southern Cornbread Recipe
Our soul food cornbread recipe is easy to follow and yields a moist, tender crumb. It combines the rich tang of buttermilk with classic ingredients like butter and sugar for a delightful side dish that complements any Southern meal.
Green Beans and Potatoes (Southern Recipe)
Fresh green beans and potatoes are simmered in a rich and flavorful broth with smoked turkey, onion, garlic, and seasonings. It's a classic Southern soul food recipe that's perfect for festive holidays like Easter.
Southern Fried Cabbage
Southern Fried Cabbage is a soul food side dish elevated by the combination of crispy bacon, smoked sausage, and a medley of seasonings. Serve it alongside your favorite main for a simple, satisfying, and flavorful meal.
The BEST Southern Mac and Cheese
Indulge in this Southern soul food-style baked macaroni and cheese featuring cheddar, Monterey jack, and mozzarella. This recipe uses no roux and is rich, decadent, and comforting. It's an absolute must-try for anyone looking to savor a taste of the South.
Soul Food Collard Greens
This soul food collards recipe features slow simmered greens with ham hock, onions, and a dash of red pepper flakes. It's a quintessential Southern comfort food dish.
Southern Cabbage Recipe (Soul Food Boiled Cabbage)
This Southern cabbage recipe features boiled cabbage in a smoky, meaty broth with seasonings and spices. A savory and succulent Southern side dish that is a staple on our Easter dinner table!
Creamed Corn Recipe
Sweet, tender corn kernels are simmered in a rich, creamy sauce, making this dish a true comfort classic that’s easy to prepare and impossible to resist. This cream corn recipe only takes 30 minutes to whip up, making it perfect for a quick and satisfying Easter side dish.
Collard Greens and Cabbage (Mixed Greens)
Collard greens and cabbage (mixed greens) are cooked together, simmered in a flavorful smoky broth, with seasonings, onions, ham hocks, and red pepper flakes.
Delicious Easter Desserts
Mini Carrot Cakes with Walnuts, Cream Cheese Frosting
These mini carrot cakes are topped with crunchy walnuts and homemade cream cheese frosting. They're prepared in a mini Bundt cupcake pan, making them the perfect size.
Simple Banana Pudding Recipe
Our simple banana pudding recipe is a classic Southern dessert made with Chessmen cookies, condensed milk, and instant pudding mix.
Old Fashioned Caramel Cake Recipe
This old-fashioned caramel cake recipe features two layers of moist yellow cake coated in a homemade caramel sauce. This classic recipe is just like the one grandma used to make and is perfect for Easter.
Southern Blackberry Cobbler
Delicious Southern blackberry cobbler featuring a golden brown buttery crust and made with frozen blackberries so you can enjoy it any time of year.
Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
This Southern sweet potato pie has a buttery smooth, silky texture and is made with simple ingredients like fresh sweet potatoes, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It’s an easy soul food dessert recipe that uses store-bought pie crust to save time. Serve it warm with a dollop of whipped cream!
Peach Cobbler with Canned Peaches
This is one of the easiest peach cobbler recipes, made with canned peaches and flaky pie crust is a delicious soul food dessert. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream and enjoy!
7 Up Cake (Pound Cake Recipe)
An old-fashioned 7 Up cake pound cake recipe made in a Bundt pan and drizzled with lemon lime soda glaze. It's super moist, easy to make, with a subtle lemon lime flavor.
Peach Cobbler with Frozen Peaches
This Southern peach cobbler is made with frozen peaches and flaky lattice pie crust.
📖 Recipe
2025 Soul Food Easter Dinner Menu (40 Recipes!)
Ingredients
- 1 fully cooked, bone-in ham spiraled or non-spiraled, about 8 pounds
- wood chips or chunks for smoking
Brown Sugar Bourbon Ham Glaze
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons mustard Dijon or yellow
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Get the recipe for our Double Smoked Ham.
Angela says
I love your recipes! I’m most looking forward to making the smoked turkey, green beans and potatoes, and banana pudding!
Krysten & Marrekus Wilkes says
Thank you so much! 😊 That sounds like an incredible meal—you're in for a treat! I’d love to hear how everything turns out. Happy cooking! 🍽️