The best recipes to make for spring cooking
Brighter days are here. Make use of spring's bounty with these vibrant dishes.
With the darker days of winter behind us, we welcome the return of bright buds, cherry blossom-tipped trees and birdsong. That’s right, spring is here, and we’re celebrating its bounty of British seasonal fruit and vegetables.
There’s so much to look forward to in spring, from vibrant asparagus spears and spinach to rhubarb and radishes. Wild garlic and nettles grow abundantly along our riverbanks, while the warmer May weather promises the start of strawberry season here in the UK.
Spring marks a change in our kitchens, too, as we turn away from cold weather comfort food to lighter recipes, such as tray bakes, tarts and pasta dishes laden with tender veg. The countdown to Easter is on, when the family can gather to enjoy traditional roast lamb followed by plenty of sweet Easter treats.
If you're looking for meal ideas for specific winter months, see our guide to what's in season (and what we're cooking) in March, April and May.
Spring Terrine
This beautifully striking terrine is filled with all the best spring vegetables and wrapped in vibrant cooked leeks. This is the perfect dinner party starter.
Recipe: Spring Terrine
Spring Vegetable Tart
This impressive tart is full of the flavours of spring. Try topping with edible flowers for a final flourish, if you fancy.
Recipe: Spring vegetable tart
Pea and Ham Minestrone
As the weather gets warmer, this pea, ham and spring green minestrone soup makes the perfect light lunch.
Recipe: Pea and ham minestrone
Rhubarb and Custard Eclairs
Transport yourself to Paris with these retro-inspired eclairs which are packed with crème pâtissière and poached rhubarb for a heavenly mouthful.
Recipe: Rhubarb and custard eclairs
Spelt Flatbreads with Pickled Rhubarb
Make the most of rhubarb season with these spelt flatbreads topped with shredded chicken and tangy pink pickled rhubarb. Prefer a veggie option? Opt for jammy soft boiled eggs instead.
New Potato Skewers with Satay Sauce
We can't get enough of these new potato skewers dipped in nutty satay sauce. Serve as is (they're that good) or pair with grilled chicken or steak for supper.
Spring Minestrone with Mint Pesto
This spring version is packed with new potatoes, spring greens and mint. Top with grated parmesan and enjoy.
Beetroot and Basil Orzo
Bring a pop of colour to your table with this simple beetroot and basil orzo. The addition of cream cheese and Parmesan at the end create a luxuriously silky finish, but feel free to substitute for your favourite dairy-free alternatives instead.
Recipe: Beetroot and basil orzo
Fruity Chicory Salad
Sweet, citrussy, bitter and crunchy, this simple chicory side dish strikes every flavour high note. The best bit? It takes just 15 minutes to prepare.
Recipe: Fruity chicory salad
Very Green Spring Soup
This soup includes nourishing spring greens and courgettes, giving it a gorgeous green colour. We’ve garnished with fried rice for texture, but crumbled goat’s cheese is a delicious addition, too.
Recipe: Very green spring soup
Crushed Jersey Royals, Radish and Cod Traybake
Let the oven do the work with this super seasonal spring traybake, combining cod, radishes, Jersey Royals and asparagus.
Recipe: Crushed Jersey Royals, roasted radish and cod traybake
Crunchy Crab Cakes
These crab cakes are served with an array of veg, including your choice of radishes. Crab is also in season in April, making this the perfect dish to whip up this month.
Asparagus Orzotto with Watercress Pesto
This recipe is one of the first things we're making when asparagus and watercress season arrives. The pine nuts add creaminess to the pesto, but you could use blanched almonds or hazelnuts instead, if preferred.
Lemon and Pistachio Meringue Layer Cake
Made with a pistachio, elderflower and lemon curd filling, our meringue layer cake is a real show-stopper. Follow our expert guide to ensure perfect meringues every time.
Greek Lamb Meatball Bake
Combining lamb mince, aubergine, feta and fresh herbs, this Greek traybake offers a taste of the Med in mere minutes.
Recipe: Greek lamb meatball bake
Carrot Salad with Cumin and Radish
Sweet and sticky roasted carrots are the ideal contrast to the crisp crunch of fresh radishes in this recipe. It makes a great vegetarian side dish for roast meat; we love it with our butterflied Moroccan lamb.
Vegan Caesar Salad
We've given the classic Caesar salad a vegan makeover, with a creamy, plant-based dressing, crunchy chickpeas and roasted tofu. It's our favourite way to use up the first tender lettuces of May.
Recipe: Vegan Caesar salad
Watercress and Ricotta Lasagne
Requiring just 5 ingredients, this watercress and ricotta lasagne is one of our favourite spring recipes for a simple weeknight dinner.
Recipe: Watercress and ricotta lasagne
Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream
This easy, no-churn rhubarb crumble ice cream comes together in a flash, making it perfect for impromptu garden parties this spring.
Recipe: Rhubarb crumble ice cream
Asparagus with Maple-Balsamic Dressing
A scattering of finely sliced red onion with a maple syrup and balsamic dressing really make this side dish sing.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
Seasonal recipes for January
15 Best Autumn Baking Recipes
Seasonal recipes for August
Get 20% off Gozney’s top-scoring pizza oven
