With Easter around the corner, why not bring a taste of France to your holiday table? Whether you’re planning a festive brunch or a special Easter dinner, these French Easter recipes will add a touch of elegance and tradition to your celebration. Start the day with flaky almond croissants, enjoy a classic quiche for brunch, and impress your guests with hearty mains like Lamb Navarin or Porc aux pruneaux. Pair them with spring-inspired sides like Carrots Vichy, and don’t forget to indulge in decadent chocolate desserts like the iconic Queen of Sheba cake.
Bon appétit, happy Easter—or as we say in France, Joyeuses Pâques!
The Traditional French Easter Menu
The French Easter meal is traditionally enjoyed on the Sunday or Easter Monday, which is a public holiday in France. The meal usually consists of chicken or lamb, served with roasted potatoes and sides of vegetables – usually seasonal carrots. As asparagus come into Season, they are often served as a starter or as a side as well. A large cheese platter served before dessert is a must during any French meal, and Easter is no exception. Finally, for dessert, Easter classically calls for either a big chocolate dessert (like a Queen of Sheba Cake, a Moelleux Chocolate Cake or individual chocolate mousse cups) or a strawberry dessert, like a Classic French Strawberry Tart. And of course, a typical Easter feast is always finished off with an Easter egg hunt in the backyard or nearby park – for the kids and kids alike.
That said, the French nowadays tend to get more and more creative with their Easter menu, making the most of seasonal ingredients. While we tend to stick to tradition when it comes to the Christmas menu, it is safe to say we allow more modern takes for the Easter menu.
French appetizers for Easter
This beloved French treat, “Oeufs Mimosa,” is the perfect addition to your Easter table. Hard-boiled eggs are carefully halved and filled with a creamy, indulgent mixture of egg yolks, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and fresh herbs.
This simple starter of White Asparagus à la Grenobloise is a French Spring classic. Tender and slightly sweet white asparagus, which are incredibly popular in France, are doused with a tangy Grenobloise sauce of butter, lemon, capers, parsley and crunchy croutons.
A fun way to bring some French Caribean flavors to your Easter table! These crispy, golden bites made with the perfect blend of salted cod, aromatic herbs, and spices.
Known as “Caviar d’Aubergine”, this eggplant caviar dip is a staple of the French apéro: the pre-dinner snacks and drinks. It is a creamy and flavorful dip made of roasted eggplant, shallots and garlic, seasoned with fresh herbs and seasonings.
This Cauliflower Soup is a celebration of spring, featuring a whole head of cauliflower, lovingly chopped and roasted to bring out its natural sweetness. The roasting gives the soup a wonderfully thick texture and an incredible depth of flavor—perfect for warming up this Easter season.
Simple to make and affordable, this soup is creamy, satisfying and boasts delicious sweet flavors from roasted carrots. It’s also a great make-ahead and freezer friendly recipe.
This Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tarte Soleil – known as a “Sun Tart”, in English – is a gorgeous tear-and-share French appetizer. It features two layers of buttery puff pastry with a filling of cream cheese and smoked salmon, cut and twisted into tearable strands.
These salmon rillettes, made with both poached and smoked salmon, are a simple yet sophisticated spread bursting with flavor—perfect for your Easter table. Whether enjoyed on crackers or fresh bread, they’re sure to impress your guests.
French mains for Easter
This beloved French dish is a staple for Easter celebrations. A traditional meat stew, it features tender lamb chunks simmered with an abundance of seasonal vegetables, including carrots, peas, turnips, and new potatoes. Hearty yet light, this comforting dish is the perfect way to bid farewell to winter and embrace the arrival of spring.
In my home region of Brittany, Porc aux pruneaux is especially popular for Easter, making it a cherished tradition at family gatherings. Slow-cooked in white wine, the pork becomes irresistibly tender, soaking up a rich depth of flavor complemented by sweet onions and luscious, melt-in-your-mouth prunes.
If you want to keep your Easter hosting stress-free, a one-pan lamb dish is a fantastic alternative to the traditional rack of lamb. This simple yet flavorful recipe delivers all the classic Easter lamb flavors with half the effort. Plus, it’s perfect for hosting a small gathering of four!
This homemade French Chicken and Mushroom Pie, known as a “Tourte,” is the epitome of comfort food. Encased in two layers of golden, flaky puff pastry (store-bought or homemade), it boasts a rich, creamy filling of tender chicken breast, sautéed mushrooms, and crispy bacon, enhanced with thyme and Dijon mustard for a burst of flavor. Perfect for a cozy family meal or a special Easter gathering.
This creamy French Chicken Tarragon, known as “Poulet à l’Estragon”, is a simple one-pan recipe that’s both comforting and fresh tasting.The delicate aniseed-like notes of fresh tarragon make this dish truly special. A traditional dish for Easter, with unique flavors !
Nothing beats a classic French roast chicken to bring everyone together around the table! Juicy, flavorful, and always a crowd-pleaser, this recipe never fails.
Tender chicken thighs are braised in a luscious sauce made of white wine, tomatoes, and earthy mushrooms, then brightened up with a hint of fresh orange zest. This traditional French Chicken Marengo dish is a comforting one-pot wonder that brings a bit of French elegance and springtime joy to any festive meal!
If you’re looking to bring a taste of Southern France to your Easter table, this recipe is a great choice! Beef Dauce is a slow-cooked Provençal stew featuring tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef, rich red wine, and the earthy flavors of garlic, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. What makes it extra special are the subtle touches of clove, juniper berry, and orange peel, which add a cozy, aromatic warmth.
This Queue de Boeuf aux Carottes is a classic French-style braised oxtail that’s perfect for a cozy Easter feast. The tender oxtail practically falls off the bone, soaking up a deliciously rich, velvety red wine sauce, packed with the sweetness of carrots, leeks, and fragrant herbs. It’s a dish that’s both comforting and indulgent, making it the ideal centerpiece for a special holiday meal.
Choux Farcis can be a fun twist for your Easter table! Imagine tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory filling of ground sausage, bacon, egg, and pork, then lovingly rolled into little parcels and slow-cooked in a rich, flavorful broth.
French Sides for Easter
“Pommes de Terre Sarladaises” is a beloved classic from the south-west of France. These tender potato slices are cooked in rich duck fat, then finished off with a punch of garlic and fresh parsley. It’s a deceptively simple dish, but the duck fat brings all the flavors! Perfect for anyone who loves a side dish with bold, hearty flavors!
The ultimate French side dish! This delicious “Dauphinois” potato gratin is the perfect accompaniment to any meat—whether it’s beef, lamb, pork, or chicken—or even fish. It’s an absolute must-try!
Fresh herbs, a zesty vinaigrette, and a few playful add-ons turn this Classic French-Style Potato Salad into the perfect dish for spring gatherings—especially Easter! Unlike its heavy, mayo-laden American cousin, this version is all about lightness and elegance.
If you’re looking for a fresh and vibrant salad to brighten up your Easter table, this Classic French Lentil Salad is a must-try! Packed with the earthy goodness of Puy lentils, sweet carrots, fragrant shallots, and a touch of fresh herbs, it’s the perfect balance of wholesome and flavorful.
A true spring delight! This French-Style Potato and Green Bean Salad is the perfect dish to bring to the table. Crisp green beans and tender potatoes create a fresh, vibrant base, while the bold, Mediterranean flavors shine through.
A wildly popular side dish in France, Vichy Carrots feature perfectly tender carrot coins cooked in butter, sugar, and water until it reduces into a sweet buttery glaze, which is then finished off with fresh parsley.
French Desserts for Easter
This Queen of Sheba Chocolate Cake is one of Julia Child’s most famous recipes, and for all the right reasons. It’s a simple cake recipe that yields a rich chocolatey taste with hints of almonds and a thin layer of chocolate buttercream to wow your guests.
This is a true French classic, perfect for the Easter season: a Chocolate Moelleux Cake. It’s a rich, indulgent treat that celebrates all things chocolate, with a simple yet luxurious blend of eggs, sugar, butter, and high-quality dark chocolate.
Rich and indulgent yet wonderfully refined, a Classic French Chocolate Mousse is the perfect treat to share with loved ones this Easter. With just a few simple ingredients—chocolate, eggs, butter, and sugar—it comes together to create a velvety, airy texture and an intensely chocolatey flavor
Perfect chocolatey cookies to finish up your Easter meal with a cup of coffee!
A slice of spring on your plate.! This Easter, treat yourself to the delightful simplicity of a Classic French Lemon Tart, a dessert that’s as refreshing as it is iconic. Perfect for celebrating the season with a burst of citrus sunshine!
This traditional French Tart features a buttery, sweet pastry crust filled with rich pastry cream and topped with colorful fresh fruits and an apricot glaze.
This classic French dessert is a perfect celebration of Spring, featuring a buttery pastry crust filled with velvety crème pâtissière and topped with sweet, juicy strawberries. As Easter arrives and strawberry season begins, this delightful tart becomes a staple in boulangeries (bakeries) all over France.
A sweet tangy filling bubbling underneath a buttery oat crumble… This Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp has to be one of my favorite Spring desserts. It just has it all: it’s a snap to prepare, it doesn’t have to look perfect and it’s a delicious crowd pleaser.
Another great recipe if you’re a fan of the Strawberry-Rhubarb combo! Easier than pie but just as delicious, this Strawberry Rhubarb Galette features a flaky all-butter crust, folded in a free form manner over a sweet filling of ripe strawberries and tangy rhubarb.
French Breakfast and Brunch ideas for Easter
Crêpes are a true French favorite, loved for their light, airy texture and endless possibilities. Perfect for any meal—whether you’re serving them sweet or savory—they’re a delightful addition to your Easter brunch spread.
Almond Croissants are a French brunch classic that’s surprisingly easy to make at home! Just use day-old croissants, fill them with almond cream, and top with syrup and shaved almonds. In just 25 minutes, you’ll have warm, flaky pastries packed with almond flavor—perfect for your Easter brunch spread!
These sweet, tender slices of bread, dipped in an eggy mixture and toasted to perfection, make for a cozy, delicious Easter brunch. Known as Pain Perdu, this dish reflects the French reverence for bread and their belief in never wasting it.
Nothing says Easter brunch like a Classic French Butter Brioche, or “Brioche pur Beurre.” This soft, pillowy bread is rich with butter, making it the perfect indulgence for a festive morning.
Chouquettes are also a fun treat to make at home. They’re easy, quick and require only staple ingredients… and they’ll disappear fast!
A quick and easy cake recipe with a buttery and tender crumb and beautiful chocolate and vanilla swirls.
For an Easter Brunch, quich is always a good idea! This one is loaded with sweet peas, cheese and diced ham.
Don’t hesitate to leave a comment to share your traditional Easter menu! If you do make a recipe from this French Easter roundup, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram.
18 comments
OMG-can we come to your house?? All of these dishes look amazing.
Thanks so much! I hope this gives you some Easter inspiration!
My oh my ! Heavenly good ! Pinned !
Thank you!
Everything looks so delicious , can’t wait to try some of these recipes!
Thank you Susan!
I recently made the Bordeaux-style Fish Gratin with wild haddock. Easy & delicious. It’s now a favourite fish recipe. Thanks!
Amazing, thank you Tanya!
Hi Audrey, this is Fran from G’day Souffle” blog. Gosh, so many good recipes to try- where do I start? I am most interested in your Charlotte recipe. Several years ago, I made Julia Child’s ‘Charlotte Mallakoff which tasted great (very rich). However, my lady fingers stuck a little to the side of the pan, so they were a bit raggety looking. Next time I’ll try using a removable bottom pan, as you uggested!
Thank you Fran, and happy baking!
Love your recipes. I want to make EVERYTHING!! Such classic, elegant recipes!
Thanks so much Carol!
These all look amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Happy Easter!
Thank you!
La premiere fois que je vous rencontre. Je continuerai a lire et cuire vos recettes. Merçi beaucoup. Micheline
Merci!
I have tried so many of your recipes and they all turned out fantastic. I even went out to buy your book. Well done!
Thank you!