So, here we are: The first day of spring. According to the calendar, anyway; the weather here in the Midwest is anything BUT springlike.
Nonetheless, I’m feeling a gradual shift toward a lighter way of cooking, with more seasonal vegetables as they roll into the farmers’ markets. I’m thinking of simple pasta dishes tossed with the freshest veggies and dusted with Parmesan. Easy side dishes. Grilling. Berries.
In that spirit, here are a few of my favorite spring recipes. Enjoy!
best spring recipes
spring vegetables with pasta—peas, asparagus, spinach, chard or kale; pretty much any spring vegetable is perfect when sautéed and tossed with fresh tortellini
spring vegetable frittata—the frittata is a perfect preparation for spring’s best veggies, and it’s a great way to use leftover cooked vegetables. This is our weeknight go-to meal.
grilled 3-cheese and arugula sandwiches—load peppery, spring-y arugula onto your favorite grilled-cheese sandwich
grilled flatbreads—as the weather warms and we start grilling out, this easy flatbread recipe one of our favorite side dishes
arugula salad with pistachios and cranberries—in my garden, arugula is just sprouting now, and I can’t wait to dress it up with crunchy pistachios and zingy cranberries; it’s the perfect flavor/texture pairing.
raspberry almond squares—even though raspberries are more of a summer fruit, their bright flavor seems fitting for spring, too.