7 Spring Dinner Ideas That Make the Most of Vegetables

People love to joke that spring is the shortest season: one day you’re shivering in freezing temps and a week later, you’re scorching at 90 degrees. The seemingly fleeting nature of this beloved season is one more reason to enjoy the tasty produce it has to offer — like veggies! Asparagus, radishes, peas, leeks, beets, herbs, and other vegetables all flourish in the spring. Incorporating them into these spring dinner ideas is a great way to make use of them while they last.

Not only will eating with the seasons probably you save you money, it can promote a healthier diet, too. The fresher your produce choices, the more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants they’re likely to contain. And of course, adding more veggies to your plate is a veritable guarantee that you’ll take in plenty of fiber, slow-digesting carbs, and micronutrients.

We’re springing into the season with these fresh and colorful spring dinner ideas that make the most of vegetables.

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1. Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich

Courtesy of A Couple Cooks

Some evenings you just can’t muster much more than a sandwich for dinner. That’s totally ok! When a sandwich is as pretty and tasty as this one, you won’t be missing out.

This easy dinner starts with whole grain bread, then layers it with your favorite hummus (we’d recommend any of Sabra’s fun flavors, like Caramelized Onion or Olive Tapenade). Then simply sprinkle on a variety of spring vegetables and crumbled feta cheese. Leave the feta off to make it vegan and dairy-free, or add a slice of seitan or turkey for extra protein.

Try the recipe from A Couple Cooks.

2. Spring Pasta Salad with Dill Frond and Radish Green Pesto

Courtesy of Rachel Hartley Nutrition

We challenge you to find a more Insta-worthy dish than this eye-popping spring pasta. It’s loaded with ruby-red radishes and every shade of green from watercress, asparagus, snow peas, and scallions. But that’s just for starters! You can easily mix and match any spring veggies you happen to have on hand.

Once you’ve assembled your veg palette, you’ll pull it all together over tender orzo pasta and top with a DIY pesto. Don’t be intimated — making the pesto is only a matter of tossing six ingredients in the food processor and letting it do the work.

Try the recipe from Rachel Hartley Nutrition.

3. Thai Green Curry with Spring Vegetables

Courtesy of Cookie + Kate

Curry is the perfect vehicle for featuring the vegetables of spring. Aromatics like ginger and garlic blend beautifully with veggies like carrots, peas, and spinach. Here, the flavors all make friends in a coconut milk broth, then drape themselves over high-fiber brown rice.

Want to make your curry a bit more substantial in the protein department? Add some diced chicken or marinated tofu, like Hodo Foods’ Thai curry nuggets.

Try the recipe from Cookie + Kate.

4. Everything Spring Green Salad with Basil Lemon Vinaigrette

Courtesy of Ambitious Kitchen

You’ve heard of everything bagels — how about everything salads? This light, springy dinner is like a farmer’s market in a bowl. Just about every spring veggie in the book is accounted for, from spinach to sprouts to peas.

Drizzle with the zingy lemon-basil vinaigrette and you’re good to go for a dinner that’s as healthy as it is gorgeous. One serving of this salad contains over 7 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein at just 226 calories.

Try the recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.

5. Spring Salmon with Creamed Leeks, Potatoes, and Asparagus

Courtesy of Pinch of Yum

You probably know about the various health benefits of salmon, from promoting heart health to potentially boosting cognition. Add to the healthy picture by pairing the fatty fish with crispy springtime potatoes and asparagus. And if you’ve never tried creamed leeks, you’re in for a treat! This dish gets finished off with a thick, velvety sauce of leeks, cream, and broth.

Try the recipe from Pinch of Yum.

6. Vegan Risotto with Miso and Spring Vegetables

Courtesy of Minimalist Baker

In your quest to include more fermented foods in your diet, don’t discount miso! This fermented, umami-rich paste is teeming with probiotics. And since this vegan risotto from Minimalist Baker includes asparagus and garlic (prebiotic ingredients that “feed” healthy bacteria), it’s a win-win. Check it out for a one-dish spring dinner that makes great next-day leftovers.

Try the recipe from Minimalist Baker.

7. Springtime Asparagus Soup

You can’t think of spring veggies without picturing asparagus. The long, pointy-crowned stems are the quintessential vegetable of the season, harvested from February through June.

Our simple recipe for asparagus soup lets the green guys take center stage with nearly three cups of them! The result: one of our favorite, comforting (and delightfully green) spring dinner ideas that is just right with a side salad or hunk of crusty bread. Plus, this soup happens to be vegan, getting its creamy texture from red potatoes and coconut butter.

Try our recipe on Clean Plates.

Read next: 12 Seasonal Spring Recipes That Are Super Easy to Make