Who said that Easter should only include meat-based dishes? If the idea of a vegetarian Easter excites you, we have here for you some excellent alternatives to the traditional Easter lunch, a vegetarian menu that can inspire new recipes, fresh ingredients and a more sustainable approach to festive cooking.
Let’s discover together how to create a delicious and satisfying meal, which not only celebrates the spring season, but also respect for animals and the environment.
Vegetarian appetizers for the Easter menu
To start, a series of appetizers that are as essential as they are captivating. Frying is not just for Christmas, it turns out to be a good way to start any lunch.
Fried artichokes in tempura
Here is the recipe for preparing delicious artichokes in tempura: a light, crunchy and equally tasty fried dish. Perfect as an appetizer or side dish, they will make the whole family happy.
This tempura, easy to prepare and adaptable to any vegetables, is vegan and gluten-free. With Japanese origins, its batter has a neutral flavor and a light texture that enhances the flavor of the vegetable. All you need are two ingredients: carbonated water and rice flour. Here you will find the recipe and the right proportions for tempura.
VEGETARIAN DANUBE with ricotta and spinach
Here is our recipe for preparing a delicious vegetarian Danube with natural leavening, enriched with seasonal vegetables, in particular spinach and olives. Danubio is a savory leavened product made from brioche dough, usually stuffed with cured meats and cheeses. However, our vegetarian version uses unrefined flours, a long natural leavening and a filling made from spinach, ricotta and olives. We replaced the sugar with agave syrup. This vegetarian Danube is soft, tasty and suitable for everyone, young and old. Perfect for a quick dinner, as an appetizer or to be included in buffets and lunches away from home.
We have included a double filling to make this savory pie even tastier, but you can customize it to suit your tastes. Here is the complete recipe.
Potato and asparagus pie
A simple but elegant appetizer, perfect for enhancing spring vegetables. The potato and asparagus pie is prepared with just a few ingredients and has a soft and enveloping consistency, ideal for opening Easter lunch with flavour.
To make it, boil the potatoes and mash them until you obtain a puree. Add eggs, grated parmesan, salt, pepper and asparagus previously blanched and cut into small pieces. Transfer the mixture into lightly greased single-portion molds and bake in the oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes, until golden. Serve them warm.
Savory courgette and cheese pie with phyllo pastry
Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, this savory phyllo pastry pie with courgettes and cheese is a light and tasty preparation, perfect for an appetizer or to enrich a spring buffet. The courgettes combine with the flavor of the feta, while the peas and basil add freshness and color to the dish.
To prepare it, wash and cut the courgettes into thin slices. Sauté them in the pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt for a few minutes, until they are slightly soft but still firm.
Crumble the feta in a bowl and add it to the warm courgettes. Add a handful of already boiled peas and a few basil leaves torn by hand, mixing everything delicately.
Line a baking tray with a few sheets of phyllo pastry, lightly brushing each layer with extra virgin olive oil to obtain a more crumbly consistency during cooking. Distribute the filling on the base and fold the edges slightly inwards.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 20-25 minutes, until the surface becomes golden and crispy. Once baked, complete with fresh microgreens and a few basil leaves. Serve it warm: it is perfect cut into wedges.
Vegetarian first courses for Easter
The first course plays a fundamental role in obtaining a satisfying lunch. There are many alternatives, let’s look at them together.
Vegetarian lasagna with artichokes
If you’re looking for a delicious vegetarian lasagna recipe to share with family and friends, you’re in the right place! Our vegetarian artichoke lasagna is perfect for any occasion, even the largest. Here is the complete recipe to prepare them and delight all your guests.
Nettle risotto
If you want to prepare a delicious nettle risotto, you have the option of using both fresh nettles and dried nettles. Dried nettles are easily available in herbalist’s shops or online, while you can collect fresh nettles in places away from busy roads and pollution, remembering to wear gloves. It is important to know that the irritating properties of nettles are eliminated during cooking. Here is the complete recipe.
Roman style gnocchi
Roman gnocchi are a great classic of Lazio cuisine. The traditional preparation is based on a few simple ingredients: semolina, whole milk, butter and pecorino cheese. Some versions also include the addition of eggs, which make the dough richer and more compact.
Ingredients for the dough
Ingredients to complete
50 g of melted butter
20 g of grated pecorino
Black pepper to taste
Preparation
Pour the milk into a large saucepan and season it with salt, black pepper and grated nutmeg. Add the butter and bring almost to the boil, stirring.
When the milk is hot, pour in the semolina a little at a time, continuing to mix to avoid the formation of lumps. Cook over a moderate heat until you obtain a thick and creamy mixture, similar to a compact polenta.
Remove from the heat and incorporate the egg yolks and grated pecorino, mixing vigorously until a uniform mixture is obtained.
Divide the mixture into two parts and spread it on two sheets of baking paper. Using the paper, form two cylinders and close the ends like a candy. Let cool for about 40 minutes.
Once firmed, remove the baking paper and cut the cylinders into rounds about one centimeter thick, using a slightly wet knife.
Brush the bottom of a baking dish with part of the melted butter and arrange the semolina slices slightly overlapping. Spread the remaining butter over the top and complete with grated pecorino and freshly ground pepper.
Cook in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes in ventilated mode, or at 200°C for about 20 minutes in static mode. In the last minutes, activate the grill to obtain a golden and gratinated surface. Serve the Roman gnocchi piping hot.
Vegetarian second courses for the Easter menu
Secondly, you can look at soy and its derivatives: seitan meatballs, breaded or fried seitan, tofu in spicy or sweet and sour sauce.
Seitan meatballs with sauce
Seitan meatballs with sauce represent an absolute delicacy, perfect for creating a second course with an authentic and delicious taste, also ideal for holidays or dinners with friends. Whether your guests are used to seitan or are trying it for the first time, they are sure to be satisfied. You can season these tasty meatballs with a high quality tomato sauce, perhaps prepared directly by you. Here you will find the complete recipe to delight everyone’s palate.
Golden tofu
Here is the secret to obtaining golden, tasty and crunchy tofu: it is essential to eliminate excess moisture before browning it in the pan. Cut the tofu into slices about half a centimeter thick, sprinkle them with a pinch of fine salt and let them rest for 15 minutes. Before cooking them in a pan with oil, dry them carefully with a kitchen cloth. Cook until golden brown and the result will surprise you.
Zucchini parmigiana
To prepare a tasty courgette parmigiana, start by washing the courgettes and cutting them into thin slices lengthwise. Grill them or fry them briefly until they are lightly golden, then place them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
In the meantime, prepare the sauce: pour the tomato puree into a bowl and season it with salt, pepper and a few fresh basil leaves torn into pieces with your hands. Then cut the mozzarella into thin slices and keep it aside.
Take a baking tray and make the parmigiana by alternating layers: first the courgettes, then the tomato sauce and finally the mozzarella. Continue in the same way until you finish the ingredients, finishing with a layer of sauce and mozzarella.
In a small bowl, beat an egg with a pinch of salt and pepper and distribute it over the last layer: it will help bind the ingredients and make the surface more golden during cooking.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 30–40 minutes, until the surface is well browned and the cheese is completely melted. Once baked, let the parmigiana rest for a few minutes before bringing it to the table, so that it compacts slightly and is easier to serve.
Delicious side dishes for the Easter menu
Roman-style artichokes
To make delicious Roman artichokes, you will need to stew the vegetables with parsley, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and Roman mint. We recommend the use of Romanesco or violet artichokes and a little water will be essential for cooking. Below you will find the complete recipe for preparing this delicacy.
Baked Jerusalem artichoke
With a flavor reminiscent of artichokes and an appearance reminiscent of baked potatoes, this side dish of baked Jerusalem artichokes is perfect for cooler days. Its preparation is simple and in this recipe we suggest enriching it with smoked paprika to enhance its flavour, reducing the use of salt. Follow this step-by-step guide carefully to create a delicious dish full of personality. Here you will find the detailed recipe.
Easter sweets
Finally, the desserts. Italy is famous for its specialties.
Neapolitan pastiera
The Neapolitan pastiera is the Easter dessert par excellence, here is the traditional recipe to follow step by step.
Homemade Colomba
The colomba is the traditional Easter dessert, prepared at home with the help of sourdough. According to legend, its origins date back to the Lombard era. The dessert began to be produced and distributed commercially in the 1930s in Lombardy and other regions of Italy. It’s time to rediscover the pleasure of preparing this dessert at home. With the indicated ingredients, you will obtain a dove weighing approximately 1 kg. Here is the recipe for the Colomba with sourdough.
Lunch is served, bon appetit everyone.
