Spring is in the air! The days are getting longer and temperatures are starting to rise as the chill of winter fades away.
The changing of the seasons marks a time to turn away from the heavy and hearty dishes of winter, and open the door to fresh and light spring foods.
To help you embrace the new season, here’s a list of my favorite spring foods and my favorite spring recipes.
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Artichokes
Artichokes are high in vitamin C, folate and magnesium. They’re great for immune health and support proper fetal development.
My favorite way to prepare artichokes is to roast them with garlic and olive oil. Serve with something to dip the leaves in like butter, mustard, or a garlic-infused olive oil. It’ll eat your heart out. Or you’ll eat its heart out…? Either way, freshly roasted artichoke hearts are delicious!
I also enjoy marinated artichoke hearts. They’re a great addition to a charcuterie board, in pasta or on a pizza.
🥬 Arugula
Arugula is a good source of calcium, folate and vitamins A and K, which play important roles in proper blood clotting and contribute to strong bone health.
With its distinct peppery flavor, arugula is a great addition to just about any salad. Also great on pizza or as a replacement for spinach in a salad.
I think it’s about that time to make my Caramelized Pear, Butternut Squash and Arugula Salad again. For a spring take on this recipe, replace butternut squash with new potatoes, and add strawberries instead of pears!
Asparagus
Asparagus is a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K. Super nutrient dense and delicious.
Try roasting, grilling or stir frying your asparagus for quick preparation. I love asparagus as a simple side dish with Parmesan cheese or added to a salad or pasta dish.
Fava beans
Also known as broad beans, these large green beans are part of the legume family. A good source of protein, they’re loaded with soluble fiber, folate, manganese and antioxidants.
Make sure to remove the beans from their inedible green pods. Simply mashed or roasted, fava beans are a great addition to risotto, soup, salads and pasta.
Garlic
Oh I love garlic. The pungent and spicy flavor. It can add such depth of flavor to any dish.
Garlic also happens to be extremely nutrient-dense, providing a number of health benefits. It has been shown to improve immune function, reduce blood pressure, lower heart disease risk and may help prevent dementia. Quite the delicious superfood.
I add garlic to everything (almost). But really, just about any dish could benefit from a clove of garlic.
🥬 Herbs (like mint, dill and chives)
Yes to all the herbs! Mint is one of my favorite herbs and Dalton would have dill in just about every dish if I would let him.
All herbs provide different nutrients each offers a distinct flavor. Mint, dill and chives can add such freshness to any dish – perfect for the spring season.
Check out some of my favorite recipes with mint.
🥔 New potatoes
Potatoes boast a high amount of potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B6.
New potatoes are just young potatoes – the first potatoes of the season. They tend to be sweeter than older potatoes and have thin, wispy skin.
Because of their sweetness, they’re a great addition to salads or can be roasted to delicious perfection – pair with rosemary for a favorite combination.
Peas
Part of the legume family, peas contain a high amount of protein, and they’re also a great source of fiber and antioxidants.
Peas offer so much versatility. They can be mashed into a pesto or dip, added to a spring pasta, pureed into soup or mixed into a creamy risotto.
Varieties like sugar snap and snow peas are great in stir fry recipes, in a salad or as a simple snack.
Radishes
High in vitamin C and anticancer compounds, radishes boost the immune system and, as part of the cruciferous vegetable family, may help prevent cancer.
Radishes have a peppery and spicy flavor. The level of spice depends on how long the radish spent in the ground as spring turns to summer. They’ll be less spicy in the spring, and much spicier as the temperatures rise.
In the U.S, the most common variety is a globe, which looks something like a red ping pong ball.
Other varieties look like a small watermelon or have an oblong shape like the daikon radish.
Radishes add a great crunch to salads, tacos or a stir fry. Enjoy them raw, roasted or grilled. Shred them into a slaw, thinly slice to top a sandwich, or even pickle them!
And don’t toss those greens! Wash them and saute with garlic and olive oil. Or add the greens to hot water for a radish green tea. You can also mix them into salads for some added texture and flavor.
Scallions
Scallions, green onions and spring onions are actually all the same plant, each harvested at a different time.
A spring onion is the eldest, with the largest white bulb and a stronger flavor than the younger counterparts.
All parts contain micronutrients like folate, vitamin C and K.
All three ages (scallions, green onions and spring onions) are often used interchangeably as an easy garnish. Grill or braise them for a great addition to a frittata, soup or stir fry.
🥗 Tender greens (like baby kale, spinach and lettuce)
Greens, in general, are a great source of folate, fiber and vitamins A and K.
Spring means salad season, but there’s no need for boring salads. Add some variety to your salads by using tender greens like baby kale, spinach or lettuce. These greens are most flavorful early in the season, so spring is the perfect time to find them!
Spring has a lot to offer!
With the spring season upon us, embrace the flavors of spring and start incorporating some of these yummy spring foods into your life!
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