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Your Easter lunch menu has landed
Bring on the long weekend! This handy guide has all the great-value recipes and drink pairing ideas you need to nail your Easter entertaining.
Whether or not you celebrate Easter at your place, the long weekend is your chance to get stuck into some fab food and drinks with the people you love. Whatever might be on your dream menu – a spread of Easter seafood favourites, a roast and all the trimmings or a different combo of delicious things, we’re here to help with the drinks. You’ll want to kick off with a tasty starter and wow the crowd with a show-stopping dessert too.
Want to add a few extras to the table? Make the most of any specials at the seafood counter – keep an eye out for oysters, half-shell scallops or cooked prawns, then team with fresh lemon wedges, aioli, a crisp green salad and some crusty bread and butter. Throw together a platter of fruit, nuts, cheese and chutney, and don’t forget the hot cross buns. Once that’s done, relax and enjoy your Easter drinks.
Carrot hummus and pale ale
Make this: Whip up a batch of Spiced Carrot Hummus with DIY dukkah coated crispy flatbread for dipping. Serve it up mezze style with mixed marinated olives from the deli.
Pair it with: James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale, a cloudy and refreshing Aussie favourite.
Why it works: The citrus hop flavours in the pale ale are a great match for a punchy hummus like this one. The maltiness and balanced bitterness in the beer pairs well with the spices in the dip and the sweetness of the roasted carrots.
Vegetable tart and tropical gin premix
Make this: Perfect for sharing, this Cheesy Cauliflower & Leek Tart has a tasty vegetarian filling wrapped up in crispy golden filo pastry.
Pair it with: Gordons Tropical Passionfruit, which adds a refreshing fruity uplift to the traditional London Dry botanical gin and soda mix. It comes premixed in bottles so your guests can help themselves.
Why it works: Just as you’ll need fresh lemon wedges for squeezing over this Mediterranean-inspired tart, you’re going to want something zesty to drink with it to balance out that cheesy, savoury goodness. The juicy flavours in this premix will do the job for zero effort – and wake up everyone’s tastebuds for the main event, too.
Individual fish pies and semillon-sauvignon blanc
Make this: Seafood mains don’t get much easier than a double batch of these 5-ingredient Potato-Topped Barramundi Pies. They’re easy to prep ahead, too – assemble everything cold and keep in the fridge, then bake for 30 minutes. Don’t have individual dishes? Easy – assemble one big pie and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until cooked through.
Pair it with: A light-tasting, aromatic Aussie white – we love Lindemans Early Harvest Semillon Sauvignon Blanc because it’s full of flavour but lower in alcohol and kilojoules.
Why it works: Citrus and tropical flavours in the wine work well with simple fish dishes like this one by cutting through the creaminess and bringing out the fresh green notes of the peas and dill.
Slow-roast lamb and Barossa shiraz
Make this: You can’t go wrong with roast lamb for a traditional Easter feast, and this Sticky Slow-Roasted Lamb with Sherry Vinegar Glaze is one to impress. Prep the lamb, add the glaze and slow-roast for hours until it’s pull-apart tender and oh-so sticky. Enjoy it with an autumn salad or some roasted veggies on the side.
Pair it with: Lamb calls for a bold Barossa shiraz – try Peter Lehmann Shoulder to Shoulder Shiraz.
Why it works: Roast lamb needs a hearty red, and the pepperiness of shiraz goes well with the paprika in the glaze. This full-bodied wine has the fruitiness and velvety soft tannins you need to cut through the richness of the sticky slow-cooked lamb.
Pear tart and single-malt whisky
Make this: With its pretty two-tone slices of cranberry-poached pears, this autumn Poached Pear Frangipane Tart has a rich, nutty flavour.
Pair it with: Nothing but a warm and smooth, light to medium bodied single malt – The Singleton 12YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
Why it works: Easy to drink with a soft, creamy finish, this award-winning spirit is great for sipping with autumn desserts like this one. The flavours in the tart match perfectly with the whisky’s fresh fruit aromas and the hints of honey, vanilla and spice. Enjoy this whisky with chocolate desserts too.
Sticky date pudding and stout
Make this: A comforting classic gets an Easter twist every bunny would approve of in this Sticky Date & Carrot Pudding. Serve with cream to balance the sweetness of the warm butterscotch sauce.
Pair it with: Break tradition and serve dessert with an autumn-friendly dark beer – try 100% Australian made Tinnies Stout.
Why it works: Cosy desserts with caramel flavours like this one match brilliantly with after-dinner beers. This stout’s chocolate and roasted coffee notes are great with baked puddings, chocolate cakes and brownies.
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