Here's an Entire Easter Menu of Gorgeous Spring Dishes
1 of 6
Easter Menu for 8
Our Easter feast celebrates early spring flavors, from asparagus and rhubarb to lamb and mushrooms. Most of the recipes are quick, and we offer get-ahead tips, so the meal is a cinch to pull together the day of. The menu serves eight (with dessert leftovers).
1 of 6
2 of 6
Cucumber-Lime-Lavender Spritzer
This effervescent, nonalcoholic refresher perfectly balances floral, tangy, and sweet flavors. If you'd like to turn it into a tipple, try adding a splash of gin or vodka.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Combine ingredients (minus club soda) in a pitcher up to a day ahead and chill; add fizz just before serving.
2 of 6
3 of 6
Sweet-and-Sour Mushroom Toasts with Tarragon
Be sure to get the skillet very hot before adding the mushrooms; otherwise, you won't get good browning (which is key to maximum flavor).
3 of 6
4 of 6
Asparagus with Avocado-Herb Dressing
If you can find white asparagus, try using half white and half green. The white variety will need to boil a couple of minutes longer than the green.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cook asparagus and blend the dressing the day before. Assemble and leave at room temp an hour before serving.
4 of 6
5 of 6
Roasted Spring Lamb with Fennel, Rhubarb, and Strawberries
"Frenched" racks of lamb are trimmed so that the bones are cleaned of fat and meat; if you can't find pre-frenched lamb racks, ask the butcher to french them for you.
5 of 6
6 of 6
Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
Fresh thyme gives this rustic cake a faint herbaceous quality that complements the warmth of cardamom and ginger and the tang of rhubarb. Be patient when turning the cake out of the pan; it may take several minutes for it to fully release. The surprise ingredient (mayonnaise) is an old-school trick for creating a super-moist cake. A dollop of yogurt cuts through the cake's richness—but you can omit it if you like.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Bake the cake in the morning, invert onto a plate or cake stand, and leave at room temperature, loosely covered, until ready to serve.