30 Spring Produce Recipes to Try This Season

Spring produce is fresh, bright, and deeply satisfying. A bunch of asparagus can become dinner in under twenty minutes. A basket of strawberries, picked at their peak, can carry you through breakfasts, salads, and desserts all week.

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Here are some of our favorite recipes featuring spring produce.

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Soups & Light Stews

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Spring soups are lighter than their winter counterparts, leaning on fresh herbs, tender greens, and a squeeze of citrus.

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1. Classic minestrone with spring vegetables: Sauté onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in olive oil. Add tomatoes, stock, beans, and small pasta. Stir in peas and chopped asparagus at the end, and finish with parmesan and fresh basil.
2. Creamy asparagus and pea soup: Roast asparagus until tender. Sauté shallot and garlic, then simmer with peas and stock. Blend with almond milk until silky and finish with lemon and garlic croutons.
3. Green minestrone with mint pesto: Build a brothy base with leek, celery, and garlic. Add small pasta, peas, asparagus, and spinach. Serve with a spoonful of bright, herby mint pesto on top.
4. Creamy roasted carrot soup: Roast carrots until caramelized and sweet. Blend with sautéed onion, garlic, and a touch of butter. Brighten with lemon juice and a swirl of olive oil.
5. Potato leek soup with chives: Sweat sliced leeks in butter. Add diced potato and stock. Simmer until tender, then blend partially for a rustic texture. Top with snipped chives.

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Salads

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Spring salads are all about contrast — crisp radishes, tender greens, sweet berries, and something sharp to tie it together.

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1. Strawberry spinach salad with poppy seed dressing: Toss fresh spinach with sliced strawberries, red onion, and toasted pecans. Dress with a tangy poppy seed vinaigrette and finish with crumbled feta.
2. Ribboned asparagus salad with lemon: Shave raw asparagus into ribbons with a peeler. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, and plenty of parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Bright spring salad with peas, asparagus, and radishes: Combine blanched peas, shaved asparagus, thinly sliced radishes, and fresh herbs. Dress with lemon and olive oil, and add pistachios and feta for crunch.
4. Garlicky kale salad with crispy chickpeas: Massage chopped kale with olive oil and lemon. Top with crispy tandoori chickpeas and a creamy roasted garlic tahini dressing.
5. Carrot salad with herbs, dates, and pistachios: Slice carrots into matchsticks. Toss with chopped dates, fresh cilantro, and mint, then dress with a lightly sweet, cumin-spiced vinaigrette.

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Pastas & Grain Bowls

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Bright, herby pastas and grain bowls are the easiest way to turn spring produce into a full meal.

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1. Tagliatelle with asparagus and peas: Cook pasta until al dente. Toss with sautéed asparagus, peas, garlic, and a handful of fresh herbs. Finish with lemon zest and parmesan.
2. Bowties with sugar snaps, lemon, and ricotta: Blanch sugar snap peas briefly, then toss with pasta, olive oil, lemon juice, and parmesan. Dollop with fresh ricotta and scatter with mint.
3. One-pot creamy mushroom pasta: Sear mushrooms until golden. Add garlic, cream, parmesan, and pasta to the same pot. Cook until the sauce clings to every noodle.
4. Simple Swiss chard pasta: Sauté garlic and chopped Swiss chard in olive oil. Toss with pasta, white beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and pine nuts. Finish with shaved pecorino.
5. Herbed quinoa and chickpea salad with lemon-tahini dressing: Toss cooked quinoa with chickpeas, chopped parsley, mint, cucumber, and feta. Dress generously with lemon-tahini and season with plenty of salt.

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Roasts & Simple Sides

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Some of these best spring dishes need just good produce, olive oil, and a hot oven.

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1. Garlic roasted asparagus: Toss asparagus with olive oil, salt, and sliced garlic. Roast at 400°F until just tender with crispy tips. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
2. Glazed carrots with brown sugar or honey: Cook carrots in a wide skillet with butter and a drizzle of honey or brown sugar. Simmer until tender and glossy, then finish with fresh parsley.
3. Sautéed spinach with garlic: Warm olive oil with sliced garlic. Add spinach in handfuls and toss until just wilted. Season with salt, lemon, and a pinch of chili flakes.
4. Roasted rainbow vegetable bowl: Roast a tray of carrots, radishes, broccoli, and onions with olive oil and salt. Serve over greens with a creamy tahini dressing and hemp seeds.
5. Braised kale: Blanch kale briefly, then simmer with onion, carrot, celery, a splash of sherry vinegar, and stock until silky. Finish with a little honey to balance.

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Sweet Treats

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Spring fruit needs very little help. A little sugar, a hot oven, and maybe a scoop of ice cream are usually enough.

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1. Strawberry-rhubarb crumble: Toss strawberries and rhubarb with sugar, lemon juice, and a little cornstarch. Top with a buttery oat crumble. Bake until bubbling and golden.
2. Lemon olive oil cake: Whisk flour, sugar, olive oil, eggs, and plenty of lemon zest and juice. Bake until golden. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream and berries.
3. Small apricot galettes: Arrange sliced apricots on rounds of flaky pastry. Sprinkle with sugar, fold the edges over, and bake until the fruit is bubbly and the crust is deeply golden.
4. 1-bowl vegan banana bread: Mash ripe bananas and whisk with a flax egg, maple syrup, and coconut sugar. Stir in oats and flour, then bake in a loaf pan until set. Perfect with morning coffee.
5. Classic strawberry shortcake: Macerate sliced strawberries in sugar until juicy. Split soft, tender biscuits and layer with freshly whipped cream and berries. A classic for a reason.

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Drinks & Smoothies

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Spring produce also shines in a glass. These options are bright, refreshing, and barely sweetened.

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1. Strawberry basil lemonade: Blend strawberries with fresh basil and a splash of water. Strain, then stir with fresh lemon juice and a simple syrup. Serve over plenty of ice.
2. Pineapple cucumber smoothie with lime: Blend cucumber, pineapple, frozen banana, coconut milk, and lime zest. Finish with a good squeeze of lime for brightness.
3. Classic homemade limeade: Stir fresh lime juice with a simple syrup and cold water. Serve over ice with a sprig of mint. Uses less sugar than store-bought, so the lime really shines.
4. Ginger colada green smoothie: Blend pineapple, banana, coconut milk, fresh ginger, lime, and a handful of greens. Tropical, creamy, and perfectly tart-sweet.
5. Cucumber lime agua fresca: Blend cucumber with fresh lime juice, a little agave or maple syrup, and mint. Strain, chill, and serve over ice.

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