24 Recipes for Spring Fruits and Vegetables (2024)

This easier-than-pie dessert recipe puts a spin on the traditional rhubarb pie, topping it with an oatmeal crumble rather than a piecrust.

Recipe: Rhubarb Crisp

Crisp snap peas add a touch of sweetness to this light salad.

Recipe: Snap Pea and Marinated Mushroom Salad

If possible, use freshly caught fish from a local purveyor for this dish.

Recipe: Horseradish-Crusted Wild Pacific Salmon

Luscious strawberries and creamy avocado mingle in a honeyed lemon dressing to create this simple and elegant salad.

Recipe: Avocado and Strawberries with Honey Vinaigrette

For a sophisticated starter, we grilled old-fashioned pickled shallots and garlic with bite-size cubes of peppered and seared beef sirloin, then placed them on garden-fresh basil leaves.

Recipe: Pickled Garlic, Shallots, and Pearl Onions

Jewel-toned and tart, grapefruit beautifully offsets cool, creamy avocado and char-grilled shrimp.

Recipe: Grilled Shrimp, Pink Grapefruit, and Avocado Salad

This recipe is basically a one-dish meal, so you don't have to fuss with a lot of sides. A salad with fresh greens, some crisp crackers, and a light dessert complete the menu. To let the freshest fruits and vegetables star in your dishes, be flexible about the ingredients; kernels cut from just-picked corn will add a crisp, sweet note to this casserole.

Recipe: Chicken with Fresh Peas and Sparkling Wine

This casserole is bright with citrus flavors and assembles quickly once the potatoes and lemons are sliced. Fresh basil, added right before serving, enlivens the flavor of the salmon.

Recipe: Wild Salmon and Potato Casserole

This easy-to-prepare avocado dish makes a simple and tasty starter.

1. Pop 4 slices of crusty artisan bread in the toaster, or on the middle rack of an oven set at 350 degrees F, until crisp and golden brown.

2. While the bread is toasting, peel and mash 1 ripe avocado in a small bowl.

3. Spread the avocado on the toasted bread and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and sea salt.

Creamed spinach substitutes milk for some heavy cream and gets zip from lemon juice and zest. When using fresh spinach, the key to success lies in soaking it in cool water and gently lifting it, leaving any grit behind.

Recipe: Creamy Spinach Casserole

Thanks to a marinade of buttermilk and hot-red-pepper sauce, deep-fried Cornish game hens assume a southern edge. Seasonal asparagus makes a colorful side dish.

Recipes:
Deep-Fried Game Hen
Recipe: Lemon-Dressed Steamed Asparagus

Prepare this spring tart with savory Pastry Dough with Manchego Cheese and Chives. To save time, simply fill prebaked phyllo tart shells and serve.

Recipe: Spring Onion Tart

Now, while spring still hangs in the balance, is a wonderful time to take advantage of the bright notes of the lemon. Its sunny fragrance and piquant flavor are sure to alert the senses and awaken your palate. Squeeze lemon over fresh greens, stir segments into a caper-and-butter sauce for sautéed trout, or create a classic, such as lemon meringue pie.

Recipe: Trout with Fresh Lemon and Capers

Some soups are just as tasty hot as they are cold. However you serve this soup, add the garnish at the last minute to preserve its contrasting texture. Play up the vibrant hue of this colorful soup in sparkling-white bowls.

Recipe: Carrot Soup with Cucumber Pistachio Relish

Feel like you're tailgating at home with grilled artichokes and a zesty dip.

Recipe: Grilled Artichokes with Creamy Butter Dip

For an extra fillip of taste (and panache), top an avocado soup with a colorful sprinkle of watermelon-radish and mint sprigs. Or stir in fresh lump crabmeat or strips of toasted tortillas with a dollop of sour cream.

Recipe: Cold Avocado Soup

Our refreshing cantaloupe soup, inspired by chef Shawn Lawson, is a cool menu change. Instead of using traditional soup plates, try a mix of pilsner glasses and champagne flutes.

Recipe: Cool Cantaloupe Soup with Basil Cream

Our spring onion soup is a lighter version of winter's favorite cheese-crusted French onion soup. When serving hot soup, deep bowls help retain the warmth of the broth; before serving, heat bowls by running them under hot water.

Recipe: Spring Onion Soup

Two warm-weather favorites — the rich sweetness of lobster and the delicate flavor of fennel — pair perfectly in a soup that sings of the season.

Recipe: Lobster-Fennel Soup

Currants and raspberries brighten up this tempting bread pudding.

Recipe: Bread and Butter Pudding with Fresh Currants and Raspberries