★ Seasonal SPRING Fruit & Veg | Recipes For In-Season Vegetables, Plus Meal Ideas & Easter Cakes
Cooking with Fresh Springtime Fruit & Vegetables
Often it's difficult to know what foods are actually in season in any given month, especially now that supermarkets try to provide all foods all year round. However, if you learn to buy mainly seasonal ingredients during your weekly shop, you will be rewarded with superior freshness and taste, and more local produce will also be available to you.
On this page you will find a list of the fruit, veg, herbs and meats that are best to buy in Spring, plus plenty of recipe ideas for using those Spring greens and fresh fruits. The recipes are split up into main meals, lunches, pastas, salads, snacks, soups, sweets, desserts and treats, as well as a section at the end for fun Easter candy making instructions.
I hope you find this roundup useful and I hope you feel encouraged to buy seasonal :)
When Is Spring?
In the Northern Hemisphere, Spring occurs from March 21st to June 21st.
In the Southern Hemisphere, Spring occurs from September 22nd to December 21st.
Please note that the following lists of in-season foods on this page are for fruit and veg most common in the Northern Hemisphere.
Spring Risotto Ingredients
Useful Fruit Coring & Slicing Tools
There are all kinds of kitchen tools available to help you perfectly slice, chop and dice fruit & vegetables, as well as helping you create fancy garnishes. Here are my top 5 choices:
Mangoes are delicious in the warmer months, and this inexpensive product removes the good stuff as quick as a flash.
A set of 3 scoops for removing the lovely pulp from many sizes of fruit.
"Spring has come when you can put your foot on three daisies." ~ Proverb
Vegetables In Season In Spring
- Asparagus
- Chicory
- Morel Mushrooms
- Radishes
- Spring Onions
- New Potatoes
- Wild Garlic
- Artichokes
- Kale
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Cucumber
- Rhubarb
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Carrots
- Onions
- Beetroot
- Fava beans
- Leeks
- Fiddlehead Ferns
- Turnips
- Broccoli
Fruit In Season In Spring
- Gooseberries
- Strawberries
- Grapefruit
- Blood Oranges
- Nectarine
- Raspberries
- Lemons
- Avocados
- Apricots
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Kiwis
- Cherries
- Kumquats
Other Foods In Season In Spring
- Crab
- Lamb
- Watercress
- Rocket
- Oysters, Mussels, Cockles and Clams
- Sardines
- Venison
- Sea Bass
- Samphire
- Nettles
Spring Quote
"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything" ~ William Shakespeare
Recipes That Include Seasonal Meat & Seafood
- Herbcrusted Spring Lamb
Step-by-step on how to stuff and cook a leg of lamb. - Crab Cakes
These can be for dinner or a light lunch. - Crab Linguine
Fresh and delicious pasta dish. - Braised Lamb Shanks
With a tomato and basil sauce. - Pasta with Smoked Mussels
Easy meal including creme fraiche and spring onions. - Roasted Sardines
With green garlic gremolata. - Venison Steak Diane
You get to flambé in this recipe for added fun! - Pan-Fried Sea Bass
With mango and onion relish. - Tomato-Basil Crab Bisque
Highly rated recipe for a rich seafood soup.
Spring Vegetable Soup
Main Meal Recipes
- Baked Fish with Orange
Spring onions are included in this melt-in-your-mouth fish recipe. - Spring Vegetable Cannelloni
Stuffed pasta with artichoke and spinach. - Duck with Gooseberry Sauce
A strong but balanced flavor combination. - Thai Green Curry
Thai vegetarian curry sauce with broad beans and asparagus. - Fennel & Mushroom Pie
A good meal to prepare ahead of time - and experiment with. - Braised Chicken with Spring Veg
An easy one-pot recipe with carrots and radishes. - Lamb with Cauliflower & Shallots
A healthy low-fat meal option.
Morel Mushrooms
Fresh Ideas for Lunch
- Spring Quiche
With asparagus, garlic, leeks and goat's cheese. - Vegetable Risotto
With fennel, peas, mint and spinach. - Mushroom & Onion Omelette
A simple lunchtime staple. - Kale & Ricotta Galette
Serve 3-4 people with a whole wheat pastry base. - Sweet Pea Crostini
With crispy pancetta pieces. - Asparagus Grilled Cheese
A healthier twist on a grilled cheese sandwich. - Mushroom Chard Frittata
Easy recipe made completely in one pan. - Crispy Asparagus Tart
Individual tarts of asparagus and potato. - Veggie Spring Rolls
Wrap up assorted vegetables and serve with your favorite dip. - Asparagus Pizza
Cheese, chives and asparagus make a yummy combination.
Spring Onion & Cheese Tart
Pastas & Soups with Spring Greens
- Asparagus & Tomato Rigatoni
A fresh pasta dish with avocado, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms. - Pea & Spinach Pesto Pasta
Light lunch with peas, spinach and pine nuts. - Strawberry Gazpacho
A chilled refreshing (savory) soup with strawberries. - Spring Onion & Celery Soup
With garlic and cauliflower also included. - Kale & Cabbage Pasta
Unbeatable value at £1.50! - Garlic Scape Soup
Garlic scapes are the mild-tasting curly tops of garlic plants. - Green Garlic Pesto Pasta
Pesto pasta should be in everyone's repertoire. - Fiddlehead & Morel Pasta Dish
A fancy name for beetroot pasta with a whole host of Spring veg. - Pasta & Saffron Cream Sauce
Lots of vegetables including leeks and asparagus in this meal.
Soy Spiced Asparagus
Snacks & Salads
- Radish Sandwich
Quick sandwich of radishes, anchovies and cheese. - Strawberry Salad
With vanilla lemon dressing. - Salmon & Rice Salad
A range of spring vegetables with a creamy lemon dressing. - Spring Onion Pancakes
Create a laminated dough plus a soy sauce dip from scratch. - Cucumber Salad
With red onion slices and Feta. - Egg & Avocado Tostadas
Baked egg and avocado slices on tortillas. - Crab, Grapefruit & Avocado Salad
Colorful and fresh salad. - Shrimp & Grapefruit Salad
Light and sweet salad with mint, peppers and lemon also added. - Fennel with Turnip Greens
Chickpea salad making use of spring greens.
Spring Onions
Ways to Cook In-Season Vegetables
- Sugar Glaze Carrots
A simple coating of sugar and butter. - Pickled Vegetables
Pickle spring veg in vinegar so they'll keep for up to 3 months. - Roasted Radishes
Roasting radishes brings out their sweetness. - Grilled Asparagus
With yummy bacon vinaigrette. - Kale Chips
These crispy leaves make a healthy snack on their own. - Orange & Honey Carrots
A fab Spring alternative to honey and mustard baked carrots. - Parsley Pesto Potatoes
The lemony, peppery parsley flavor compliments the roasted potatoes. - Pan-Fried Baby Artichokes
Fried with mint and lemon flavors. - Coconut Leeks
Mildly curried creamy leeks.
Spring Cooking Lesson Videos
Sweets & Desserts
- Sweet Spring Rolls
Clever way of serving your favorite fruits. - Easy Strawberry Tart
Made with only two main ingredients; pastry and strawberries. - Rhubarb-Strawberry Cobbler
A mix of liquid and cake-like textures. - Meyer Lemon Bars
Tangy citrus bars for dessert or snacks. - Kiwi Grapefruit Sorbet
In-season fruit combination served in a fruit skin bowl. - Rhubarb & Raspberry Crostata
With a nutty wholewheat crust. - Apricot & Thyme Cake
Upside-down apricot cake. - Apple Strudel
With some apricot also mixed in. - Gooseberry Meringue Pies
Mini meringue pies for individual servings. - Rhubarb Tart
The perfect dessert for the season.
Spring Pea, Ramp & Garlic Onion Soup
More Tasty Recipes & Ideas
- BBC Seasonal Recipes
A list of brilliant information and recipes, organized by month. - Nettle-Mint Sauce & Fiddleheads
Lamb served with a nettle sauce. - Beetroot Tarte Tatin
Beetroot with Feta cheese. - Avocado, Mango & Crab Stacks
Fresh and attractive salad dish. - Spring Onion Bhajis
With a radish raita dip.
Cottage Pie
Top-Rated Vegetable Slicers & Handy Tools
Springtime Treats - Cupcakes, Cookies & More
- Flowerpot Cupcakes
A fun use of mini flowerpots and flower toppers. - Butterfly Sugar Cookies
You could make all sorts of shapes with this recipe base. - Little Lamb Cookies
Great how-to for icing the perfect fluffy lamb cookies. - Spring Flower Lollipops
Hard candy lollies with hand-picked flowers preserved inside. - Lemon Drop Cookies
Cute little biscuits with a lemon zing. - Strawberry & Rhubarb Jellies
Pate de fruit made with 2 in-season fruits. - Pineapple Jam
Homemade jam recipe for a breakfast treat. - Pink Grapefruit Cocktail
Refreshing drink including Elderflower, Lemon and Grapefruit. - Orangeberry Shortcake Biscuits
Orange and strawberry are a tasty combination. - Rhubarb Thumbprint Cookies
Bitesize treats with a rhubarb mix in the centre.
Carrot Cake Biscotti
Easter Candy & Cakes
- Egg Nest Spoons
Kid-friendly chocolate sprinkle spoon treats. - DIY Easter Chocolates
How to make patterned and colored rabbit and carrot chocolates. - Chocolate Brownie Eggs
Clever recipe for cooking brownies inside eggshells. - Mini Simnel Cakes
Traditional marzipan and fruit cake with a twist. - Coconut Macaroon Nests
Shredded coconut is used to replicate the look of bird's nests. - Hot Cross Buns
It's not Easter without them. - Carrot Cake
Looks yummy, and the colors are perfect for Easter. - Raspberry Easter Cupcakes
I love the contrast of bright pink and green. - Hidden Bunny Ears
Candy melt ears with a fun serving suggestion.
Classic Simnel Cake
"Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil." ~ Bishop Reginald Heber
Hot Cross Buns
