19 Classic Easter Dishes Eaten Around the World

While every family has a different way of making tsoureki, the recipe is always a sweet, yeasty bread flavored with citrus and mahlepi (a spice made of ground cherry pits). A red-dyed egg is braided into the bread to represent Christ’s blood and sacrifice, but should not be consumed — it’s merely decorative!

There are many flavors in traditional Ecuadoran fanesca, but a few ingredients are symbolic. Twelve different types of beans represent the 12 disciples, and salted cod (called bacalao) represents Jesus.

The Russian Easter dish kulich is a tall, sweet bread that is intricately decorated with white frosting and blessed by a priest before consumption. Pashka is made from cheese curds and sculpted into a religiously symbolic pyramid.

This time-consuming dessert (consisting of water, rye malt, molasses, and rye flour) takes days to fully prepare before being served with cream.

Colomba, a sweet Italian Easter cake, is similar to a panettone, except colomba is stuffed with candied citrus rather than raisins; the shape of the cake matches its name, as colomba translates to "dove" in Italian. Almonds and pearl sugar scatter the top.

Whether honey glazed or covered in sliced pineapple, Easter ham is a favorite in the US.

As is evidenced by its name, Jamaican bun and cheese is a simple dish: simply sliced cheddar and a spiced, fruit-filled bread.

This dish is similar to bread pudding and contains a mix of spices, fruits, and nuts, then topped with colorful sprinkles.

Much like a savory pie, torta pascualina is typically prepared with eggs, artichokes, parsley, and spinach.

While you may associate eggnog with Christmas, a similar drink is served in the Netherlands at Easter. Sugar, eggs, and brandy make up the alcoholic drink advocaat.

These spiced buns are — surprise, surprise — topped with the shape of a cross and spotted with raisins.

Lebanese Easter celebrations serve up ma’amoul, a date and nut shortbread pastry often topped with powdered sugar.

Egyptians ferment gray mullet to create this salty fish dish at Easter.

Osterchüechli is a pie served at Easter brunch that is flavored with vanilla, lemon, and almond.

Talk about breaking the Lenten fast! Polish Easter babka contains at least 15 egg yolks to celebrate the return of eggs to one's diet. The yeasty bread is also stuffed with raisins and is glazed once baked.

Translated to salt cod, onions, and potatoes, this Brazilian dish is garnished with hard-boiled eggs and olives.

Who needs butter when you can wrap an Easter ham in bread dough and bake it to perfection?

The French celebrate Easter by roasting a leg of lamb seasoned with garlic and aromatic herbs like rosemary.

This is like a Kinder Egg on steroids. These giant chocolate eggs have flowers and toy chicks on the outside, and on the inside they are filled with a surplus of candies. We want one!