This entire Easter Dinner is made using only 2 sheet pans, and comes together in an hour or less!ย
authorโs note
The Easiest Easter Dinner Iโve Ever Pulled Off!
My husband and I spent the first five years of our marriage living states away from family, and I quickly learned that making a full Easter or Thanksgiving spread meant way too much wasted food when planning Easter dinner.
A few years ago, when I was on a sheet pan kick, I set out to create a smaller-scale Easter dinner. After lots of testing, I figured out how to cook an entire Easter meal on two sheet pans in under an hourโand honestly, it might be my best creation yet.
The best part? Itโs beyond delicious!
Au Gratin Potatoes
Thinly sliced Yukon Gold potatoes simmered in a creamy, cheesy sauce and baked to golden perfectionโperfect for this one-hour Easter dinner!
- Yukon Gold potatoes: Slice them evenly (about 1/8-inch thick).
- Unsalted butter: Use unsalted butter to control the salt level.
- Flour: Whisk the whole time when adding flour to avoid lumps.
- Whole milk: Adds creaminess to the sauce without making it too heavy.
- Seasonings: Adjust salt based on the saltiness of the cheese.
- Cheese: Freshly grate sharp cheddar and parm.
One Hour Easter Dinner: Carrots
Next is roasted carrots coated in a buttery honey glaze for a sweet, caramelized finish.
- Baby carrots: Dry carrots well after washing to ensure they roast instead of steam.
- Olive oil: Helps caramelize the carrots and prevents sticking.
- Dried thyme: Swap for fresh thyme if you have itโjust double the amount.
- Unsalted butter: Add butter after roasting so it melts evenly over the hot carrots.
- Honey: Drizzle honey over the carrots while theyโre still warm.
Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham
Sweet and savory ham baked with pineapple slices and brown sugar glazeโthe star of any Easter dinner.
- Smoked Boneless Ham: If using ham steaks, cut them in half for even cooking.
- Sliced pineapples: Save the juice to make a tasty glaze at the end.
- Brown sugar: Gently press the sugar onto the pineapple slices before baking.
- Dijon mustard: Make sure itโs dijon, not yellow mustard.
One Hour Easter Dinner: Asparagus
Tender asparagus roasted with garlic and herbs, then topped with Parmโa classic dish for your Easter dinner.
- Thick asparagus: Bend the spearโit will break where the tough end starts.
- Garlic powder: Use fresh minced garlic for a stronger flavor, but add it in the last 5 mins of roasting so it doesnโt burn.
- Dried basil & thyme: If using fresh herbs, add them after roasting to keep fresh.
- Olive oil: Helps make the asparagus crisp and adds flavor.
- Parm: Sprinkle right after baking while the asparagus is warm so it sticks better.
More Spring Recipes:
Salads
Spring Quinoa Salad
Easter
Easter Popcorn
Desserts
Confetti Bars
Side Dishes
Roasted Carrots (2 Ways!)
One Hour Easter Dinner
Whip up a complete Easter dinner in an hour or less! Everything bakes together on just two sheet pans for an easy, stress-free feast.
Video
Equipment
- 2 Large sheet pan (15" x 21")
Ingredients
Au Gratin Potatoes
Honey Butter Carrots
- 1 pound baby carrots washed and peeled, see note 1
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme optional
- 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
Parmesan Asparagus
- 1 bunch asparagus woody ends removed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham
- 1-1/2 pounds smoked boneless ham or 3 (7 ounces each) ham steaks (halved crosswise)
- 1 can sliced pineapples reserve the juice
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
Optional
- 1/2 large baguette sliced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Fresh parsley
- lemon
Instructionsย
- Prepare two extra large sheet pans by lining them with parchment paper or buttering both pans. Arrange the oven racks so that one rack is the second down from the top and the other oven rack is the second one up from the bottom. Preheat oven to 425ยฐF.
Au Gratin Potatoes
- Start with the potatoes. Scrub clean and thinly slice (1/8-inch thick) all the potatoes. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Briskly whisk in the flour and, whisking constantly, stir for 30 seconds. While whisking constantly, slowly add the milk and whisk until smooth. Allow to thicken. Add in all the seasonings. (Salt and pepper to taste; I always end up adding another 1/2 teaspoon salt). Stir in the sliced potatoes, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to cook for 10โ15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until potatoes are fork tender. If needed, add a few extra tablespoons of milk. Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese.
- Arrange the potatoes on 1/3 of a parchment-covered (or buttered) sheet pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over the potatoes. Place the rest of the potatoes on top and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
Honey Butter Carrots and Parmesan Asparagus
- Place the washed (completely dried) and peeled carrots on the sheet pan and drizzle with oil, salt, and thyme (if desired). Toss to combine. Separate the carrots to one half of the sheet pan.
- On the other side of the sheet pan, add the asparagus (break off the woody ends). Pour the oil and seasonings over the asparagus and toss to coat.
- Bake on the bottom rack for 10 minutes; stir veggies around, and bake for another 10โ15 minutes or until veggies are tender. Remove from oven.
- For the carrots: combine the butter and honey and melt in the microwave for 20โ30 seconds. Pour over the carrots and toss to coat. For the asparagus: top with the Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon if desired.
Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham
- Slice the ham into thick slices. Place on the parchment-lined sheet pan next to the au gratin potatoes. Place a pineapple slice on top of each ham slice.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of the juice from the canned pineapples, the brown sugar, and Dijon mustard. Whisk. Generously coat all the ham with this mixture.
- Bake the potatoes and ham on the top rack for 15โ20 minutes or until potatoes are crisp and ham is thoroughly warmed through. Remove from the oven and add the baguette slices on the last 1/3 of the sheet pan.
- Spread butter over each slice and sprinkle with the Italian seasoning. Cook for another 2โ3 minutes or until the baguette is toasted and soft.
- Remove from the oven and top the potatoes with fresh parsley if desired. Salt and pepper everything additionally to taste and enjoy immediately!
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: If you only have larger carrots, make sure you slice them in half lengthwise so they can cook in the right amount of time.
Storage: For Easter leftovers, wrap ham tightly in plastic or foil and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Roasted carrots and asparagus can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, while au gratin potatoes should be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days and can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 813kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 20g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This worked out so perfect. I havenโt been feeling amazing and was dreading making a big Easter dinner. This came together super quick, tasted amazing and barely had any leftovers for our family of 5. Thank you!!
Yay! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Susan!
This is a great meal. One hour is very doable for an Easter afternoon. And it looks very fancy on the Dining Room table.
So thrilled this was a hit! Thanks Rudy!
Happy Easter! ๐ฐ
How thick to cut ham ?
Iโd say about 1/4 inch thickโjust make sure theyโre all cut evenly.
Made this for Easter and LOVED it! I only changed 1 thing: I used 2% milk instead of the whole due to calories. I will be making this again!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Abbe! ๐