43 Spring Dinner Ideas That Will Bring You Back to Life
What comes to mind when you think of spring dinner ideas? Maybe an appetizer of simple, fresh spring vegetables with bagna cauda? A spring pea pasta recipe with some glazed shallots and crusty bread for the main event? Carrot cake for dessert? Whatever you’re craving, whatever course, we imagine it leans on spring produce—because why wouldn’t it? It’s the best, especially after months and months of root vegetables.
The main dishes you’ll find below do what we all want them to, which is to say they feature fresh herbs, asparagus, snap peas, artichokes, leeks, spinach, watercress... It’s almost an embarrassment, the riches of green things that come with the season. Almost.
So pour a glass of white wine and ready yourself, because here are our favorite veggie-forward spring dinner ideas (and when you’re ready, head over to our best springtime desserts).
More spring recipes, right this way →
Blistered asparagus with harissa, shredded carrot and lentil salad, and more sides that make the most of spring produce.
Shaved into a salad, roasted until crispy, or puréed into soup, our best asparagus recipes celebrate spring’s most iconic spears.
Tacos with radish escabèche, fried lemon and radish salad, farmers market farro bowls, and more of our favorite ways to cook with radishes.
The season’s diamond? Rhubarb, obviously.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni2/43Papas con Rajas
Potatoes and poblano chiles are the stars—the combo is a great side dish or vegetarian taco stuffing—but garlic, jalapeños, and crema are important supporting characters in this spring recipe.
Photograph by Isa Zapata3/43Spring Orzotto
No one’s saying you can’t make your own pesto if you really want to, but the quick part of this quick, fresh take on risotto has store-bought pesto to thank.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie4/43Spring-y Rice and Lentils with Coconut Yogurt
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman5/43Spring Greens With Hot Bacon Vinaigrette
Hot fat from bacon drippings mixes with vinegar to dress kale, Swiss chard, and watercress in this vitamin-packed spring recipe. It would be great as an Easter side dish, but really, we like eating a big bowl of it for a cozy, casual dinner.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen6/43Herby Salmon and Potato Salad
A sheet-pan dinner gets the salad treatment with help from lemon-dressed herbs, briny olives, sweet pickled peppers, and jarred artichokes—speaking of which, don’t throw out the marinade.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni7/43Potato and Pea Chowder
Heavy cream alone wouldn’t be enough to thicken this spring chowder, but we won’t ask you to make a roux. Simply mashing some of the potatoes in the pot does the job.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Gerri Williams8/43Black Pepper Beef Stew
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca9/43Chicken Primavera
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Nicole Louie10/43Broken Lasagna Pasta Salad
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie11/43Crispy Tortilla Salad With Snap Peas and Avocado
Cilantro haters will say, “Thank you, next,” to this recipe, because...there’s a lot of it here. Its peppery bite is essential for balancing the tart lime juice, warming spices like cumin, cooling avocados, and hot jalapeños. We’re here for it.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Gerri Williams12/43Summer Roll Rice Noodles
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro13/43Pad Thai
You can make this Thai dish as is, but keep in mind that it’s also a good vehicle for leftover proteins such as poached chicken breasts or baked tofu nuggets. Just toss them in with the noodles.
Alex Lau14/43Moussaka
If it’s still cold outside come Easter Sunday, this comforting Greek-style moussaka is a good place to turn. Speaking of Greek dishes, here’s a crunchy salad to serve with it.
