Soul Food Easter Dinner Menu Ideas
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If you’re taking on Easter dinner this year and feeling the pressure to prepare a Southern spread with soul food flavors, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered with dozens of easy, soulful Southern Easter menu ideas. These suggestions will help you create something special with less stress and plenty of heart and soul.
Traditional Southern Easter food ideas
Black folks know how to eat on the holidays (and every other time of the year too!) From honey-baked ham and crown roast to roasted carrots and mashed potatoes, you can’t go wrong with these Southern soul food Easter favorites.
If that doesn’t sound appetizing, some folks indulge in prime rib, scalloped potatoes, or fried fish—and we can’t forget carrot cake for dessert!
And, what is Easter without deviled eggs? These are just a handful of the Southern Easter menu favorites that answer the ever-popular question: What do Southern people eat for Easter?
Soul food Easter menu mains
The star of every Easter dinner is the main dish! An African American family meal might include Easter recipes like Black folks pineapple glazed ham, butter-rich Southern green beans, roasted asparagus, Brussels sprouts, deviled eggs, deep South dish sweet potato pie, and baked macaroni and cheese. And, of course, Southern Easter dinner favorite – carrot cake.
Start here and meal plan with these mouth-watering Easter soul food menu ideas! Your guests will exclaim, “Everything looks so yummy! When do we eat?”
Easter Dinner Brown Sugar-Glazed Ham
This brown sugar-glazed ham is the perfect Easter ham recipe. African Americans are renowned for their flavorful ham and sweet glaze recipes, especially those featuring pineapple and brown sugar.
Check out this recipe!
Souhern Turkey Recipe
Crispy skin and moist, juicy, flavorful meat define this Southern turkey recipe. It’s an exceptional centerpiece for your soul food Easter dinner menu.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Smoked Turkey Legs
Easter dinner doesn't have to be complicated or costly. These Instant Pot turkey legs provide an easy alternative to a whole turkey. They're a welcome addition to your Southern soul food Easter menu!
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Cornish Hens
This soul food Cornish hens recipe is prepared in the traditional Black cooking style, ensuring the hens are moist, juicy, and bursting with flavor! They're an easy alternative to an Easter ham or turkey.
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Lamb Chops
Ideal for Easter dinner, a rack of lamb seasoned with rosemary and coated in olive oil, quickly cooked to perfection in an air fryer!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Corned Beef And Cabbage
Southern corned beef and cabbage is pressure-cooked and full of intense flavor. It's a tender, seasoned main dish paired with buttery-rich cabbage, making it a favorite Southern comfort food for Easter!
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Whole Chicken Recipe
Here's a quick and easy Easter dinner idea— a whole chicken in the Instant Pot! This recipe is more than just traditional. It's flavorful, tender, and juicy, bursting with soul food flavor!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Fried Chicken Recipe
This beloved soul food recipe for Southern fried chicken is always welcome at the dinner table, even on Easter Sunday!
Check out this recipe!
Blueberry Chicken Thighs
Blueberry chicken is a delightful Easter dish! The blueberry brine is easily made in the Instant Pot, resulting in tender, juicy, and delicious chicken that's sweet and savory with every bite!
Check out this recipe!
Soul food Easter breakfast and brunch recipes
The Easter celebration doesn’t always have to start at noon! Hosting an Easter breakfast or brunch can be a great way to expand your menu options while enjoying time with friends or family who may have other celebrations to attend in the afternoon! Your guests will love traditional Black folks Southern fried chicken and waffles or shrimp and grits!
Southern Tea Cake
This delightful Southern dessert is a traditional Easter brunch recipe. Sweet biscuits, also known as tea cakes, are cherished in the South and are a historical African American treat that dates back to the 1600s.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Sweet Tea
Southern sweet tea is enjoyed throughout the Deep South. So, start your Easter menus with a symbol of Southern hospitality and good company.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Fried Chicken And Waffles
Southern fried chicken and waffles is the perfect recipe for a delicious and soulful Easter breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner!
Check out this recipe!
Pork Jowl Bacon
This recipe offers a modern take on Southern soul food pork jowl. It provides a new twist on a classic dish, cooked faster, more easily, and still perfectly in the air fryer!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Shrimp And Grits Recipe
The secret ingredient in Black folks' shrimp and grits is the Southern Creole sauce. It's a must-have for an Easter brunch menu!
Check out this recipe!
Shrimp Spaghetti Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
This soul food pasta salad recipe is a fresh dish for spring and summer, featuring a zesty sauce, irresistible steamed shrimp, and delicious seasonings. It's an excellent addition to Easter brunch!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Tomato Watermelon Salad
Spring is the perfect time to enjoy refreshing flavors like juicy watermelon and tangy tomatoes. This recipe for a tomato and watermelon salad, featuring feta cheese, pickled onions, pickled peppers, and zesty cilantro, captures the essence of Southern cuisine. It's an elegant dish ideal for Easter brunch or dinner!
Check out this recipe!
Moscato Sangria
Black people enjoy sweet recipes, so it's no surprise we've embraced this fruity and bubbly Italian Moscato wine, especially as an Easter brunch treat! As is our tradition, we began creating our own recipes — like moscato sangria!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Chicken Salad Recipe
A traditional Southern soul food chicken salad is more than just mayo and chicken chunks! It's bursting with flavor and is perfect for Easter brunch, balancing savory, crunchy, and sweet.
Check out this recipe!
Carrot-Shaped Tuna Crescent Rolls
Crescent rolls are a classic breakfast, brunch, and dinner treat! So, how about baking this fun 15-minute dish shaped like carrots for Easter?
Check out this recipe!
Captain Crunch French Toast
Captain Crunch French toast is a delightful, sweet, and crunchy breakfast or brunch dish made with cereal and topped with yummy maple syrup.
Check out this recipe!
TikTok Nature’s Cereal Recipe
If you enjoy TikTok food trends, you may have come across this easy, light, and healthy breakfast or brunch idea known as Nature's Cereal.
Check out this recipe!
Easter bread recipes
Do you know the true meaning of Easter colors?
At Easter, the color white symbolizes purity, grace, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus is why many Black people celebrate Easter, so the festivities often include food palettes featuring white and pastel hues, as seen in Easter bread and sometimes Easter cake.
In addition to the food, Black folks are known for their elaborate and colorful attire on Easter Sunday for church services, which includes vibrant dresses and stylish pastel suits. Just as our fashion choices are bold and expressive, we also like to think beyond traditional dinner rolls when it comes to Easter bread options.
Southern Homemade Cornbread
Let the aroma of homemade cornbread fill your kitchen, representing warmth and unity at your Easter dinner table.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Sweet Cornbread Recipe
Cornbread is best enjoyed with Sunday soul food dinners and Easter dishes like ham, turkey, and Southern collard greens. Impress your guests with this warm, sweet, and flavorful recipe!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Cornbread Recipe With Corn
This cornbread recipe with corn is a favorite for an Easter soul food menu. You'll never want to eat another dry slice of bread again!
Check out this recipe!
Coco Bread
Coco bread is a soft, airy, buttery bread that melts in your mouth with every bite! This delicious Jamaican delicacy has gained popularity in various parts of the world. It's perfect for a springtime Easter dinner feast!
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Banana Bread
Instant Pot banana bread is quick and easy. Mix a few ingredients in a bowl, pour the mixture into a cake pan, and place the pan in the pot. Then it's ready to serve straight to the Easter dinner table!
Check out this recipe!
Soul food Easter dinner sides
What are the best Easter side dishes?
When preparing Easter dinner, we spend a lot of time thinking about the main dish. But, let’s be honest, it’s the soulful, flavor-packed sides that really steal the show!
Sides like collard greens and macaroni and cheese have everyone coming back for seconds (and thirds), carrying the legacy of Southern soul food traditions in every bite.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
What are the best sides for an Easter dinner? Begin with this simple recipe for brown sugar-glazed carrots, a favorite on the Southern soul food Easter dinner table!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Green Beans
Green beans can be a flavorful addition to the Easter dinner table when seasoned and prepared the Southern soul food way.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Potato Salad
Black folks' Southern potato salad recipe is essential for a soul food Easter! It features a creamy yet tangy dressing balanced with soulful seasonings and flavors.
Check out this recipe!
Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Who has the best mashed potatoes for Easter? You do with this delicious soul food recipe for creamy mashed potatoes!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Coleslaw Recipe
How do Black people make coleslaw? With plenty of flavor! This soul-food Southern coleslaw is a classic recipe perfect for pairing with smoky BBQ meats for a mouthwatering Easter dinner feast!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Cabbage The Soul Food Way
This Southern cabbage recipe, cherished by Black families, is warm, sweet, and bursting with savory soul food flavors. It's a delicious way to enjoy one of the South's favorite side dishes during Easter!
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Collard Greens Recipe
What is a collard greens recipe in soul food? A collard greens recipe from the Black community is a quintessential dish for any Southern soul food dinner and is essential on the Easter menu.
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Macaroni Salad
Macaroni salad is an essential part of Black culinary traditions and a springtime delightful addition to Easter dinner. The choice of ingredients honors tradition, while a selection of soulful seasonings and spices elevates the flavor.
Check out this recipe!
Baked Macaroni And Cheese
This Southern comfort food recipe served for Easter is made the Black folks' way. Rich and creamy, cheesy goodness envelops the tender pasta, plus soulful seasonings and spices offer comfort in every bite!
Check out this recipe!
Baked Apple Slices
What makes this a soul food specialty is the spices! Cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla combine with fresh apples to make this flavorful baked apple slices recipe an Easter dinner must!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Creamed Corn
This homemade creamed corn recipe will surely be a hit at your next Easter dinner. Aside from its delicious Southern soul food flavors, the best part is that it's made from scratch, resulting in a fresh and vibrant taste!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Creamed Corn Pudding Casserole
Add to your Easter dinner menu this Southern creamed corn casserole. The corn's delightful sweetness is complemented by the savory flavors of parmesan cheese, onion, and garlic.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Black-Eyed Peas
Soul food Southern black-eyed peas are seasoned in a thick sauce, rich with smoky and spicy flavors. They are warm, comforting, and flavorful on the Easter dinner table!
Check out this recipe!
Stovetop Candied Yams
Candied yams are a traditional Southern African-American dish. This sweet potato side is a staple on Easter dinner menus, featuring a delicious cinnamon-brown sugar glaze.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
This old-fashioned Southern cornbread dressing recipe is a classic deep South dish for Easter. It combines a delectable blend of sage-infused, buttery-rich cornbread, onions, celery, thyme, and rosemary with savory chicken broth and egg.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Cornbread Dressing With Giblets (Gizzards)
When a whole turkey or chicken wasn't available, legacy soul food cooks utilized various chicken parts, such as in this Southern Easter recipe for cornbread dressing with gizzards.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Easter menu appetizers
What are the best type of easter eggs?
Deviled eggs, of course!
They are a Southern staple and a popular dish at any gathering in the Black community. Additionally, there are many other Easter recipe appetizers that can help kick off your Easter meal.
Southern Deviled Eggs
A Southern Easter is incomplete without deviled eggs on the table. The heart of the egg is boiled, perfectly seasoned, and then stuffed into the egg whites, making for a delicious and flavorful appetizer!
Check out this recipe!
Easter Charcuterie
Charcuterie makes a stunning Easter appetizer and centerpiece for brunch or dinner. Use these ideas to impress your guests this holiday with a perfect presentation of vegetables, fruits, and cold-cut meats!
Check out this recipe!
Easter desserts
Easter desserts without carrot cake?
That question deserves a puzzled expression and a “Whatchu talking bout, Willis?” response!
So, let’s begin with my great-grandma’s soul food carrot cake recipe, which includes secret ingredients that ensure a moist homemade cake paired with rich cream cheese frosting. If you’re not a fan of carrot cake, coconut cake is also a beloved Easter treat!
Be sure to explore all the other delicious Easter dessert recipes available here. What better way to celebrate Easter than with a fun and easy dessert?
Southern Soul Food Carrot Cake
Carrot cake is a Southern dessert specialty that many African American families enjoy as a favorite Easter holiday tradition. Black families often make a spiced carrot cake with classic homemade cream cheese frosting.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie Recipe™
A sweet potato pie recipe rooted in Black soul food traditions is a delightful dessert for all holidays, including Easter, packed with flavorful seasonings and spices.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Purple Sweet Potato Pie
Experience a new twist on an old classic treat that evokes warmth and comfort: the beloved purple sweet potato pie, reimagined with incredible soul food flavors and a regal Easter hue!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Sweet Potato Pie With Cream Cheese
This recipe is similar to my original Black Folks' Sweet Potato Pie™ and is perfect for Easter. It embodies Southern charm with a thin layer of homemade cream cheese frosting spread on top, allowing you to enjoy the sweet taste of Southern hospitality!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Banana Pudding
Southern banana pudding is a delightful dessert that captures the essence of Easter and springtime. Its creamy layers and sweet banana flavor create an irresistible treat that melds together in every spoonful!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Bread Pudding
This easy Southern bread pudding is your go-to recipe for Easter, maintaining the classic appeal of this traditional dessert recipe.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe
Your Easter table wouldn't be complete without Southern peach cobbler, where juicy fruits meet crumbly crusts in a dance of tanginess and sweetness!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Pig Pickin Cake
A Southern soul food classic, pig pickin cake is a homemade, moist yellow cake topped with whipped pineapple frosting. It includes vanilla pudding and sweet mandarin oranges baked right in. Unique in both its name and flavor, this cake is often found on dessert tables during Easter celebrations in the Deep South!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Ambrosia Salad
Ambrosia salad is a traditional Southern dessert made with tropical and citrus fruits such as mandarin oranges, pineapple, and shredded coconut. While the ambrosia of the gods granted immortality to those who ate it, human ambrosia offers a delightful and refreshing taste, perfect for enjoying after a festive Easter meal!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Pecan Pie Recipe
Having Southern pecan pie for Easter? This classic soul food recipe celebrates African American culinary traditions and delivers a sweet flavor in every bite. Brown sugar blends with a syrupy pecan filling, caramelized, and then baked to perfection.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Apple Pie Recipe
What makes this apple pie a Southern Easter specialty? It's all about the flavor! This soul food apple pie recipe features fresh apples sweetened with brown sugar and flavored with a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Check out this recipe!
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Let's combine rhubarb and strawberries to create a delicious Easter dessert! The pairing of tart rhubarb, tangy strawberry, and buttery crust produces an irresistible flavor that will leave you craving more!
Check out this recipe!
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Strawberry pretzel salad is a delightful combination of strawberries, crunchy pretzels, and whipped cream cheese. This Southern dessert is a great way to include fresh spring strawberries during Easter!
Check out this recipe!
Pie Crust Cookies
Imagine this: a perfect, sweet, flaky crust, bite-sized with your favorite seasonings, cinnamon and nutmeg, and sugar sprinkled on top. You just imagined pie crust cookies! The perfect little Easter treats.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Cheesecake
Who doesn’t want cheesecake for Easter? Everyone and their mama does! It’s even better when it’s made easily with this no-bake, one-pot recipe.
Check out this recipe!
Dole Whip Recipe
Dole Whip remains the best-kept secret in the frozen dessert world! It becomes even more special when you can make this Disney Park favorite at home for a fantastic Easter treat!
Check out this recipe!
TikTok Booty Dip Recipe
This easy, no-bake chocolate chip marshmallow dip is perfect for Easter. It’s made by simply combining cream cheese, brown sugar, whipped cream, marshmallow fluff, and chocolate chips, also known as Big Booty Dip!
Check out this recipe!
Lemon Fruit Dip With Cream Cheese
What represents Easter and spring better than lemon’s bold, bright, and zesty flavor? Enjoy a light, refreshing, tangy lemon dip with your favorite juicy fruits!
Check out this recipe!
Lemon Meltaway Cookies
Lemon meltaway cookies are a delightful Southern dessert that tastes like Easter and spring! They're crumbly lemon cookies made with fresh lemon juice and zesty lemon icing.
Check out this recipe!
With so many soul food Easter recipes, which ones will you add to your menu?
Servings: 12
Calories: 445kcal
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- KitchenAid stand mixer slicer/shredder attachment (optional)
- Flour sifter
- 9-10″ Bundt cake pan
- Baker’s cooling rack
Ingredients
Ingredients for Black folks soul food carrot cake
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups sugar granulated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs yolks
- 3 egg whites
- 2 ½ teaspoons water hot
- 1 cup carrots grated
- 1 cup black walnuts finely chopped
- ½ cup black walnuts finely chopped to garnish
Ingredients for Black folks soul food carrot cake cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened or whipped cream cheese
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Instructions for the carrot cake
- Grease and flour a 9-10″ Bundt cake pan and set it aside.
- Mix the vanilla extract, sugar, vegetable oil, egg yolks, and hot water in a medium-sized bowl.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon into a separate mixing bowl.
- Gradually pour the sifted dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredient mixture and electric mix to combine.
- Add the grated carrots and stir in by hand.
- Then add the chopped walnuts and also stir in by hand. The mixture will then become slightly stiff.
- Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. (When you lift up your beater, you want a nice peak that holds its shape and stands straight up.)
- Gently fold the egg whites into the batter until the whites disappear. The mixture will then significantly loosen.
- Pour the batter into the greased and floured cake pan.
- Keep an eye on the carrot cake while it’s in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the carrot cake from the oven and set the cake pan on a baking rack to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and onto a baker’s cooling rack.
- Allow the carrot cake to cool to room temperature for at least 2 hours before optional frosting.
- This Southern soul food homemade carrot cake recipe is usually served with cream cheese frosting garnished with finely chopped walnuts. (Frosting instructions below.)
Instructions for the cream cheese frosting
- Add the butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes or until stiff.
- Turn the mixer down to low and gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Once the ingredients are combined, turn the mixer up to medium and beat for another 2 minutes.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting onto the cooled carrot cake.
- Optionally, garnish with chopped walnuts, crushed walnuts, or carrot cake crumbs, then slice, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Pro tips:
- This recipe has my great-grandma’s secret carrot cake ingredient, the addition of beaten stiff egg whites to moisten the cake batter.
- Refrigerating a cake with cream cheese frosting for a few hours will give it a firm texture, making slicing easy upon serving.
- Freeze carrot cake by the slice and wrap individual pieces in parchment paper or plastic wrap. And then in foil before freezing for manageable portions that you can thaw and enjoy quickly!
Nutrition
Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 2116IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg
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The Ultimate Soul Food Recipes Guide
What is soul food? Soul food recipes are African-American recipes full of flavor! A legacy of Southern cooking the Black way. Check out this collection of the best soul food recipes!
Check out this recipe!