21 Recipes for Fresh Spring Vegetables (2024)

Updated March 03, 2022

• Asparagus Pesto with Pasta

  

  This is a clever way to work fresh asparagus into your pasta. After a quick blanch, you whirl it into a creamy pesto, along with fresh spinach, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese. The combination adds up to an incredibly nutritious mix that’s excellent tossed with hot pasta.

• Nettle Soup

  

  For those of you who like to cook on the wild side, this soup is for you. Nettles are typically acquired through foraging, though you might find them at a farmers’ market. This is a classic preparation that turns nettles, potatoes and a touch of cream into a vibrant, luxurious soup. This recipe calls for chicken stock, but you can substitute vegetable stock to make vegetarian friendly.

• Cheesy Risotto with Leeks and Crispy Sage

  

  This recipe takes full advantage of young spring leeks in a comforting pot of risotto. It’s made with Mimolette, a hard, nutty cow’s milk cheese from France that pairs just right with the crispy sage that finishes each glorious bowl of risotto. If you can’t find Mimolette you can substitute Edam, Gouda or Parmesean cheese. Got leftovers? Spoon it onto a lightly greased skillet to make crispy risotto fritters the next day.

• Artichoke Leek Frittata

  

  This is the sort of thing to make on a Sunday for brunch or save for quick meals all week long. With five eggs and a full cup of cottage cheese, the frittata delivers a satisfying dose of protein. As for flavor? It’s hard to beat the tasty duo of artichokes and leeks.

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• Spring Vegetable Tortellini Soup with Pesto

  

  This nutritious soup is built on two guaranteed crowd pleasers: tortellini and pesto. It’s a brothy brew that’s chock full of vegetables and is endlessly flexible. You can use store-bought or homemade broth and pesto. You can also easily swap in any vegetables you have on hand. Leftovers make a great lunch the next day.

• Asparagus Souffle

  

  Just a heads up that things are about to get fancy. This is no ordinary souffle. Here, pureed asparagus gets mixed with bechamel and egg yolks. Then, beaten egg whites are folded in and the whole thing bakes up into a golden puff. It’s definitely a recipe to celebrate spring.

• Lemony Spaghetti with Peas and Ricotta

  

  What’s not to love about spaghetti with sweet peas, lemon zest, onions, and creamy ricotta? The recipe calls for spring onions, which you’re most likely to find at a specialty store or farmers’ market. They look like large scallions with thick stalks and bulbs that are two to three inches across. If you can’t get them, use scallions instead.

• Cheesy Artichoke Pie

  

  Here’s some good news: this golden pie will wow everyone at your table. It’s a trifecta of cheese mixed with artichokes (fresh, frozen, or canned), lemon zest, and eggs all encased in delicate phyllo dough. Here’s more good news: You can assemble this pie ahead of time. Cover it tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Once it’s out of the oven, cut into thick wedges and serve with a green salad on the side.

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  See Also

  Beef and Bean Soup Recipe

• Lentil Salad with Arugula and Feta

  

  Who’s up for salad for supper? This one has enough heft to qualify as a main dish, thanks to protein-rich lentils. Those earthy legume pairs well with baby arugula, a spring green that adds a peppery bit to this salad. It’s tasty warm or enjoyed cold the next day.

• Shaved Asparagus and Potato Pizza

  

  Shave asparagus with a vegetable peeler and you’ll have a pile of tender ribbons that make a terrific topping for pizza. Here, they’re paired with little potatoes, gouda, and either homemade or store-bought pizza dough. Enjoy this for a meal or cut the pieces small for a pre-dinner appetizer or game day snack.

• Sautéed Asparagus and Morels

  

  This is more a side dish than a main course, but is so seasonal, we had to share it. Morels are a spring season mushroom with a distinct honeycomb appearance and excellent flavor. They pair perfectly with that other springtime favorite: asparagus. The morel season is short, so if you can’t find them, feel free to swap in dried morels and rehydrate them in water before using.

• Spring Vegetable Salad with Asparagus, Peas and Radishes

  

  This feast for the senses packs in all the superstars of spring: radishes, peas, asparagus. A drizzle of tangy crème fraîche dressing ties it all together for a crisp salad that works just as well as a dinner side as it does a light lunch.

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• Braised Marinated Artichokes

  

  If you are used to eating tough, rubbery out of season artichokes, a good one harvested in the spring is a revaluation. They're often on sale, too, which means you should snatch up a bundle and braise them Roman-style, as in this recipe. A broth rich in olive oil and wine makes a great liquid for dipping crusty bread.

• Oven-Roasted New Potatoes

  

  We think of any small potato as being a new potato, but technically new potatoes are thin-skinned young potatoes dug up early in the season. This recipe actually does best with small mature potatoes, the kind you'll see labeled as new potatoes at the grocery store. Roast them with rosemary and they'll be a fiber-packed starch to complement any pretty spring greens at your table.

• Watercress Salad with Strawberries and Feta

  

  Don't forget the savory side of strawberries, which start appearing in warmer climates and make their way up north to brighten salads such as this pretty sight. It's got crisp cucumbers and salty feta to play up the strawberries. Watercress, another spring delight, provides a backbone.

• Asparagus and Ricotta Bruschetta

  

  Let's just admit it: what we want in the spring is asparagus, and lot of it. Make a quick, lemony ricotta spread and top your favorite sturdy bread to make these scarf-able asparagus toasts. Go the extra mile and plant an egg (poached or fried) on top, why not?

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• Roasted Radish and Feta Salad

  

  Have you ever roasted radishes? They attain a fresh sweetness and a texture that's not too far from tiny, less-firm potatoes. You can toss roasted radishes with this salad, or you can skip the salad altogether and just roast the radishes. Either way, this recipe will be a game-changer.

• Fava Bean Fennel Salad with Parmesan

  

  Fresh fava beans are a spring delicacy. Firm and buttery, they are a bit of work to shell, but it all pays off in the this multi-layered character of this salad.

• Spring Succotash

  

  Succotash usually sports lima beans, but here we have suave spring fresh fava beans. See those chunks of ham? If you have ham kicking around, toss it in; otherwise, no need to bother. This recipe is a stand-alone standout.

• Mint Pesto

  

  Top your favorite spring pasta and veg dishes with this chunky mint and almond pesto. Try it on a baked sweet potato, a broiled salmon fillet, or lamb or any sort.

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• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

  

  Not exactly a main dish, but we couldn't talk about spring without sharing a favorite dessert. (Rhubarb is a vegetable, after all.) This is a classic that brings together two stars of spring in a gorgeous crisp that is excellent with your creamy topping of choice. (We also support leftovers for breakfast topped with plain Greek yogurt).

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