My Vegan Easter Recipes

Easter is such a fun holiday, for me it is full of new life, color and family. In years past Easter eating would have centered around dairy and meat. I would have had an egg breakfast, meat dinner and milk-chocolate dessert. When I switched to a plant based diet I found it a challenge to create a vegan friendly dinner that felt like all the fullness of Easter. For most holiday feasts I quickly found substitutes for all the trimmings and trappings that I was excited to try and thrilled to eat.

In fact, for holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, my vegan holiday meals were more flavorful, exciting and satisfying than the ones I had made before! Yet, for some reason, when it comes to Easter, I have struggled to find just the right recipes–this could be because images of lamb, eggs and chocolate bunnies are so tied up in the picture of Easter that I just couldn’t find something that would fit my traditions the way I wanted them to.

After trial and error, I decided to stop asking the question, “What do people eat for Easter” to “What do I want to eat for Easter” and the question, “How can I fit my meal into an image of the things I think of” to “How can I create a new vision of Easter and base a meal on it.” In this way, I became inspired and started compiling recipes that displayed new life, color and family! I hope you like the Easter dinner recipes that I gathered. This menu is a mix of traditional staples, vegan substitutes, and brand new dishes. Enjoy!

Hasselback Butternut
Squash & Bay Leaves

Bon Appetite by Ann Redding & Matt Danzer

Vegan Easter Main Meal Recipe:

1 large butternut squash or 2–3 small honeynut squash (about 3 pounds total)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 Fresno chile, thinly sliced
¼ cup pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
3 tablespoons unsalted vegan butter
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
6–8 dried bay leaves

Photo Credit: bonappetit.com

Vegan Scalloped
Potatoes

by Alissa Saenz

The Starch:

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 4-8 hours and drained
1 cup vegetable broth
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus a bit more for the pan
1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper to taste
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
Chopped fresh chives

Photo Credit: connoisseurusveg.com

Maple Roasted
Carrots

by Kelly at trialandeater.com

The Veggie Side:

2 lbs. whole multicolored carrots
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley for serving

Photo Credit: trialandeater.com

Roasted Beet,
Avocado, Citrus Salad

by Chelsea at chelseasmessyapron.com

The Salad:

4 beets (golden, red, or variety)
2 navel oranges, separated (you’ll use one for juice for the dressing!)
2 tangelos
2 cara cara oranges
2 blood oranges
2 Avocados,
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

Dressing:

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and pepper

*This recipe initially contained cheese, which I left out in order to make it vegan.

Photo Credit: chelseasmessyapron.com

The Bread:

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
3/4 cup room temperature/lukewarm unsweetened non-dairy milk
1/3 cup oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried currants or raisins

Vegan “egg” Wash:

2 tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Icing:

Icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened non-dairy milk

Shopping List:

1 Bulb of garlic – $0.50 (1)
2 Butternut squash – $6.00 (2)
2 Avocados – $2.50 (2)
2 Navel oranges – $1.00 (2)* save for zest
2 Blood oranges – $1.50 (1)
2 Tangelos – $1.50 (1)
2 Cara cara oranges $2.00 (1) *If you can’t find these use a ruby red grapefruit
4 Large beets, several colors if possible – $5.25 (1)
1 Medium white onion – $0.79 (1)
2-3 Packets of instant yeast – $1.48 (1)
1 Package of all purpose flour – $2.99 (2)
1 Package of raw cashews – $7.00 (1)
1 32 oz. Carton of vegetable broth – $3.49 (1)
1 Carton of almond milk – $2.50 (2)
1 Lemon – $0.39 (1)* for zest
Salt and pepper – $2.00 (5)
1 Jar of pure maple syrup – $5.99 (3)
2 Lb bag of rainbow carrots – $1.99 (1)
2 Lb bag of russet potatoes – $3.00 (1)
1 Jar of olive oil – $4.99 (4)
1 Bunch of fresh basil – $1.00 (1)
1 Bunch of fresh chives – $1.00 (1)
1 Bunch of fresh parsley – $1.00 (1)
1 Small bag of sugar – $2.00 (1)
1 Jar of vanilla extract – $2.50 (1)
1 Jar of dijon mustard – $1.69 (1)
1 Jar of apple cider vinegar – $3.49 (2)
16 oz Jar of honey – $5.99 (1)
1 Fresno chile – $0.50 (1)
1 Tub or package of vegan butter – $3.68 (1)
1 Package of dried bay leaves – $3.44 (1)
1 Spice container of cinnamon – $1.99 (1)
1 Spice container of nutmeg – $1.99 (1)
1 Small bag of raisins – $2.00 (1)
1 Small bag of currants – $3.00 (1)
1 Small bag of shelled pistachios – $6.99 (1)