13 Easy Spring Dinners That Make the Most of Seasonal Produce
Get fresh ideas for flavorful meals.
Besides the weather warming up and the longer days, one of the very best reasons to look forward to during spring is the produce. No more dreary supermarket selections or digging through your freezer to see what’s left. You’ve got greens at your fingertips: asparagus, peas, so many kinds of lettuce, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg (no pun intended). Now you need to put them all to good use. Enter: these spring dinners with seasonal produce!
Green is just the start of the culinary rainbow when it comes to fresh spring dinner recipes, too. Carrots get a glow-up, radishes are at their crunchiest, and ruby red strawberries are at their berry best. That’s right! Remember, spring isn’t just about the vegetables. You can add seasonal fruit into the savory mix, too. Just wait until you try Ree Drummond’s grilled pork and strawberry salad. You’ll never look at mix-ins the same way again!
And don’t think you have to put in a ton of effort to use fresh ingredients, either. There are plenty of lazy spring dinner ideas that take a mere 30 minutes or less. That means you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time soaking up that vitamin D in the sunshine… well, when it’s not raining or chilly, of course. Spring can be unpredictable, but don’t worry. There are plenty of spring dinners using seasonal produce here that also double as cozy, comfort foods for those dreary days. Now get cookin’!
Ravioli Primavera
“Primavera” quite literally means “spring,” and there are endless ways to make this. Here, refrigerated ravioli is tossed with broccoli, asparagus, peas, and cheese, of course.
Get Ree’s Ravioli Primavera recipe.
Shrimp Stir-Fry with Asparagus
Mushrooms, asparagus, and peppers—oh my! Cook them up in a flash with shrimp. And don’t worry, the frozen kind works just fine. Just defrost them first.
Get Ree’s Shrimp Stir-Fry with Asparagus recipe.
Mediterranean Chicken
In the later part of spring, you’ll start to see fresh zucchini everywhere. Sauté it with tomatoes and olives, and you’ve got a trip to the Mediterranean without leaving home!
Get Ree’s Mediterranean Chicken recipe.
Salmon Tacos
Give Taco Tuesday an upgrade! Pile flaky fish and creamy dill slaw in soft tortillas and then top with avocado and a few crunchy radishes for texture.
Get Ree’s Salmon Tacos recipe.
Orecchiette with Italian Sausage and Asparagus
This pasta dish combines tender asparagus and Italian sausage for a burst of flavor. Best of all, it’s done in just 30 minutes. Don’t forget some parm for the top!
Get Ree's Orecchiette with Italian Sausage and Asparagus recipe.
Grilled Pork Salad with Strawberries
You haven’t truly enjoyed pork until you’ve tried this salad! Mixed greens and strawberries topped with tangy goat cheese is the way to go.
Get Ree’s Grilled Pork Salad with Strawberries recipe.
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Did you know you can make your favorite takeout stir-fry in the slow cooker? Just set it in the morning and forget about it until dinner. Easy peasy!
Get Ree’s Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli recipe.
Lemon-Herb Chicken Thighs with Snap Pea Salad
Do yourself a favor and marinate this chicken the night before. Let all that flavor soak in and the next day, it’ll take just 30 minutes to cook up. The thinly sliced snap peas are so refreshing!
Get Ree’s Lemon-Herb Chicken Thighs with Snap Pea Salad recipe.
Sheet Pan Gnocchi
After all that chopping, make the cooking part easy by throwing all your veggies on a sheet pan with refrigerated gnocchi. Let your oven do the rest!
Get the Sheet Pan Gnocchi recipe.
Crab Cakes with Arugula Salad
Hooray, peppery arugula is in season! It makes an easy side salad and the perfect contrast to homemade crab cakes. You’ll love rémoulade sauce as a side, too.
Get Ree's Crab Cakes with Arugula Salad recipe.
Spinach Lasagna
Chill in the air? Make lasagna with a spring twist by adding layers of spinach. There’s plenty of cheese in there, too. It is the perfect way to get through a dreary day.
Get Ree’s Spinach Lasagna recipe.
Grilled Tilapia
Cleanup is a cinch when you grill everything in a foil packet. You get your protein and veggies all in one convenient package, infused with so much flavor.
Get the Grilled Tilapia recipe.
Beef Taco Skillet
You can make this family-friendly meal practically any day of the year. But, the spring freshness really comes in handy when you top it with radish, avocado, and scallions.
Get Ree’s Beef Taco Skillet recipe.
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