Our Favorite Easter Brunch Recipes (Including the Best Healthy Carrot Cake)

We don’t like to play favorites, but if we had to choose, we’d definitely choose Easter brunch over Easter dinner. Easter brunch feels special, but not overdone, more about the gathering of loved ones and less about elaborate preparations, with the bonus of little ones running around looking for eggs. And maybe this year, you can safely get together IRL with your newly-vaccinated friends and family. Chances are, it’ll still be an intimate affair — which is what these no-fuss recipes are designed for. There’s enough to feed everyone at the table, with plenty of leftovers for the week ahead. They’re perfect for those of us whose entertaining skills might be a little bit rusty. And they’re bursting with the promise of more flavors and colors from veggies and fruits that are starting to come back into season.

Here are our favorite Easter brunch recipes that are special, but not fussy, and will feed a small crowd.

1. Vegan Ricotta and Asparagus Tart from Crowded Kitchen

This just screams Easter brunch. It’s pretty, it’s tasty, and the cornmeal crust means it’s gluten-free (in addition to vegan). If you and your guests aren’t dairy-free, go ahead and use regular ricotta.

Photo Credit: Love and Lemons

2. Avocado Almondaise Tartines from Love and Lemons

Don’t panic! Tartine is just a fancy way of saying toast. Here’s what you do: Get some good quality whole-grain bread, pile on avocado, hard boiled eggs, and spring veggies, and top with a dollop of vegan hollandaise. It’s an easy and lovely way to enjoy some bright, creamy flavors of spring.

Photo Credit: Cookie + Kate

3. The Best Frittata Recipe from Cookie and Kate

A frittata is an ideal Easter brunch candidate. You can easily customize it to your favorite veggies, and add as much or as little cheese as your crowd prefers. Plus, leftovers keep great in the fridge for breakfast the next day.

Photo Credit: Deborah Madison’s In My Kitchen

4. Roasted Asparagus and Arugula with Hard-Cooked Eggs and Walnuts from Clean Plates

This recipe from vegetarian cookbook author Deborah Madison brings so much of what we love about spring together on one plate: asparagus, arugula and hard-boiled eggs. If you don’t have a grill, you can roast the asparagus for a similar charred effect.

Photo Credit: How Sweet Eats

5. Salmon Citrus Salad with Avocado from How Sweet Eats

Any oranges will do in this festive salad, but blood oranges are sweet and beautiful, and their citrus zing works really well here. Broiled salmon is so easy to make and adds substance (and nutrition!) to this super-bright dish.

Photo Credit: Ambitious Kitchen

6. The Best Healthy Carrot Cake from Ambitious Kitchen

We couldn’t not include dessert, especially one that looks like this. Loaded with beta-carotene, which helps the body create Vitamin A, this paleo-friendly and gluten-free cake is basically a must before your next optometrist appointment. We love that the only form of sugar in the cake itself comes from maple syrup; if you’re trying to watch your sugar intake, go easy on the frosting. We think this would work perfectly as a naked cake (i.e. with only the inner layers of frosting).