22 Spring Recipes: Simple Recipes to Make in Springtime

Spring recipes use fresh ingredients that are in season during the spring. Spring vegetables and fruits include asparagus, artichokes, fennel, leeks, radishes, morel mushrooms, snap peas, spring onions, ramps, arugula, and rhubarb.

From fresh salads to hearty casseroles, the following are spring dinner ideas with springtime veggies:

1. 1. Artichoke soup: Artichoke soup is a creamy vegetable soup featuring puréed artichoke hearts. Most artichoke soups include other vegetables like onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and potatoes, plus herbs like thyme and bay leaves cooked in chicken stock or vegetable stock. The result is a rich broth with a taste similar to asparagus soup that goes well with breads and pasta.
2. 2. Arugula avocado salad: This arugula avocado salad recipe features a rich, tangy, and lemony vinaigrette. It is the perfect side dish for a variety of lunches and dinners. Arugula avocado salad pairs well with grilled fish, pork chops, kebabs, or kale pesto pasta. For an easy vegan, gluten-free lunch or weeknight dinner, add cooked quinoa and chickpeas to your arugula salad. For a non-vegan alternative, try crumbled feta cheese, shaved Parmesan cheese, or goat cheese.
3. 3. Arugula pesto: A flavorful substitute for classic basil pesto, arugula pesto is a great use for those with a surplus of greens. Toss this Italian spread with your favorite pasta to make a light, springtime pasta dish.
4. 4. Asparagus casserole: Asparagus casserole is a Southern side dish made with chopped asparagus spears cooked into a creamy cheese sauce and baked until golden brown. Like green bean casserole or potatoes au gratin, asparagus casserole is a classic comfort food option for barbecues and brunches. It is often made around Easter when fresh asparagus is in season.
5. 5. Asparagus-stuffed chicken: Asparagus-stuffed chicken is a dish made with asparagus stalks, chicken breast, and seasonings. You can prepare a stuffed chicken recipe as a side dish or a main course. Since it’s a dish you can make in large quantities, asparagus-stuffed chicken is an option for feeding a large group, such as a whole family for a weeknight dinner.
6. 6. Asparagus fries: Asparagus fries are fresh asparagus spears that you pre-cook, bread with a batter or breadcrumbs, and then either fry or bake until they become golden-brown and crispy. Eat asparagus fries as an appetizer, side dish, or substitute for potato French fries.
7. 7. Asparagus frittata: An asparagus frittata (Italian for “fried”) is a baked egg dish similar to a quiche but without the crust or a custardy omelet. Your asparagus frittata can be simple, incorporating few ingredients beyond asparagus and eggs, or it can serve as a base for more vegetables, such as artichoke hearts, shallots, and other spring vegetables. This asparagus frittata can be a great main dish for brunch.
8. 8. Asparagus pasta: Pasta with fresh asparagus is a classic, Italian-inspired meal that combines fresh, tender asparagus with pasta, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. Whether you’re cooking up a hot bowl of asparagus pasta or making a cold pasta salad with fresh spring vegetables, it’s important to consider the shape of the pasta. Short pasta like rigatoni, penne, or orecchiette pairs better with large pieces of vegetables or meat than long, thin pasta.
9. 9. Asparagus pizza: Asparagus pizza is an Italian-inspired vegetarian dish consisting of a crispy, golden-brown pizza crust topped with olive oil, Italian cheeses, and asparagus. You can have this easy weeknight asparagus pizza recipe on the table in just a half-hour once you prep the dough. Make the most of the earthy vegetable by pairing it with a creamy ricotta cheese base that allows the bold flavor of asparagus to shine.
10. 10. Asparagus risotto: Asparagus risotto is a variation on risotto, a popular Italian rice dish consisting of arborio rice cooked in broth. Arborio rice is high in amylopectin starch, which is what gives risotto its creamy texture. This dish is frequently made with rice, chicken broth or vegetable broth, onion, white wine, lemon juice or lemon zest, butter, and Parmesan cheese. This creamy risotto recipe also calls for blanched asparagus, which lends some earthy, mildly bitter notes to this rich, creamy dish.
11. 11. Asparagus salad: Asparagus is the main ingredient in an asparagus salad; however, the salad can include any combination of leafy spring greens, veggies, pasta, grains, and other ingredients. To make an asparagus salad a main dish, you can add chicken, shrimp, or grilled steak alongside the spring vegetable. For a side dish, keep things simple with just vegetables, cheese, and a crunchy element, like pine nuts or pistachios. This asparagus salad is dressed in a zesty lemon, dijon mustard vinaigrette.
12. 12. Asparagus soup: Asparagus soup is a rich, vegetable-based soup made with fresh asparagus, vegetable stock, and cream. This creamy asparagus soup recipe pairs the earthy, slightly bitter flavor of asparagus with bright, flavorful ingredients like garlic, lemon, and chives.
13. 13. Asparagus quiche: Asparagus quiche is a classic French egg tart that is traditionally served at breakfast or brunch, with asparagus baked into it. Quiche is a simple and versatile baked dish comprised of savory egg custard, flaky pie crust, and a variety of veggies, meats, and cheeses.
14. 14. Grilled artichokes: Grilled artichokes offer a contrast in flavor and texture: A smoky flavor with a lingering sweetness and a charred outer layer that hides its soft interior texture.
15. 15. Oatmeal risotto: Chef Wolfgang Puck’s springtime risotto is a vegan variation on Italian risotto. This oatmeal risotto uses oats instead of arborio rice, but the cooking principles are the same — such as using white wine to flavor the risotto. With fresh peas and morel mushrooms, this risotto can serve as an appetizer or a main course. The sweetness of the fresh peas, the nuttiness of the oats, and the earthiness of morels combine to create a multi-dimensional, creamy dish. Top your risotto with pea tendrils to create a beautiful composition for your next dinner party.
16. 16. Pajeon: Pajeon is a Korean scallion pancake. Its name comes from the Korean words “pa,” meaning scallion, and “jeon,” which refers to foods that have been pan-fried or battered. Pajeon features a batter made with both wheat flour and rice flour, cold water, and scallions. Pajeon is a popular appetizer. Restaurants often serve it with makgeolli (Korean rice wine) and a dipping sauce made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a variety of garnishes, like sesame seeds.
17. 17. Pan-fried morel mushrooms: Sautéing is the most common way to cook morels. Enjoy pan-fried morels as a side dish, sautéed in butter with sweated shallots, a splash of sherry or vermouth, and fine herbs like thyme. You can also dredge the morel mushrooms in batter before frying them in a shallow pan with olive oil.
18. 18. Potato leek soup: Potato leek soup is a classic soup made of puréed potatoes and leeks. Potato leek soup can be enjoyed hot or cold and can be smooth or chunky in texture, like chowder. Some recipes for potato leek soup feature sweet potatoes, others are dairy-free, and many are topped with a dollop of sour cream, crispy bacon bits, and chives. Serve this soup with some crusty bread.
19. 19. Roasted fennel: Raw fennel has a crisp, herbal licorice flavor that becomes more complex when roasted. Like the sweetness that emerges from caramelizing onions, cooking fennel in a sheet pan under high heat softens the initially sharp, almost medicinal, notes of licorice, coaxing deeper anise flavor into the forefront. Roasted fennel is a perfect savory complement to roasted chicken thighs or other hearty veggies like roasted cauliflower.
20. 20. Rhubarb cobbler: If you’re looking to mix up your repertoire of rhubarb recipes beyond the usual strawberry rhubarb pie, this rhubarb cobbler will become a welcome addition to your springtime menu. All you need to make this rustic rhubarb crisp are some fresh rhubarb stalks from the grocery store (or the farmers’ market during rhubarb season from early spring to early summer) and some kitchen staples you probably already have in your pantry. Serve rhubarb cobbler with ice cream or whipped cream.
21. 21. Stuffed artichokes: Stuffed artichokes is an Italian dish of fresh artichokes filled with breadcrumbs, garlic, and cheese, steamed in the oven until tender. In Sicily, stuffed artichokes are traditional fare for St. Joseph’s Day in March. Enjoy them all spring as a festive appetizer or side dish.
22. 22. Vegetable stir-fry: Stir-fry is a Chinese cooking technique that involves cooking food over high heat in a wok—similar to the French technique sauté. Constantly tossing the ingredients allows the food to become crispy without getting scorched. This method is especially useful for veggies and quick-cooking proteins like chicken breast, and it is most successful when every ingredient is cut into small, uniform pieces. Make this vegetable stir-fry with any springtime vegetable you have, and serve with rice.

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