Lamb is the meat most commonly associated with Easter in Italy. The tradition is especially strong in central Italy, where abbacchio—young, often suckling lamb—is a classic holiday dish.
The custom has both culinary and religious roots. In Christianity, the Paschal Lamb symbolizes Jesus and his sacrifice, so lamb became closely connected with Easter meals. Italian cooks prepare it differently by region: Rome is known for roasted abbacchio, while Naples may serve lamb with peas and eggs, and Sardinia often pairs it with potatoes, artichokes, or myrtle.
A common mix-up is treating abbacchio and agnello as completely different meats. Both are lamb, but Romanesco usage distinguishes very young, recently weaned abbacchio from the older lamb called agnello. Italy also has many other Easter foods, including colomba, pastiera, and casatiello, but among meats, lamb is the canonical answer.