Braised Lemon Chicken, Brown Butter Pasta, Strawberry Margaritas, And 28 More Seasonal Recipes To Make This Spring
Are you feeling what I'm feeling? There's no denying that spring is officially in the air. And the best way to celebrate the seasons turning is to cook with all the very best early spring produce. Here are 30 refreshing and restorative April recipes to get you out of winter hibernation mode and into the spring spirit.
1.Gluten-Free Quiche with Leeks & Mushrooms
One of the most versatile dishes there is, quiche makes a delightfully fitting meal for anything from Sunday brunch to casual dinner.
2.Buttermilk Waffles with Maple Poached Rhubarb
The key to this recipe is the maple poached rhubarb, which may sound fancy except that it only requires four ingredients. It takes ordinary waffles (or pancakes!) to the next level.
3.Strawberries and Cream French Toast
This 20-minute breakfast is the easiest way to turn anyone into a morning person.
4.Key Lime Pie Sweet Rolls
If you like cinnamon rolls you'll love this early spring, seasonal take on them, which is a satisfying combination of zesty, tart, and sweet.
Recipe: Key Lime Pie Sweet Rolls
5.Strawberry Overnight Oats
This make-ahead breakfast calls for just six ingredients, so you can whip it up at night and have a satisfying breakfast waiting for you in the morning.
Recipe: Strawberry Overnight Oats
6.Easy Rhubarb Cake
Cake for breakfast? Twist my arm.
Recipe: Easy Rhubarb Cake
7.Cheesy Asparagus Tart
This easy veggie side dish can also be served with anything from a poached egg to smoked salmon to turn it into a satisfying meal.
Recipe: Cheesy Asparagus Tart
8.Air Fryer Artichokes
For the quickest, easiest way to whip up spring artichokes, look no further than your air fryer. Grab your favorite dip or aioli to round it all out.
Recipe: Air Fryer Artichokes
9.Korean Pineapple Pork Lettuce Wraps.
As delicious as they are colorful, you can always swap the pork for whatever protein you like best from chicken to shrimp.
10.Seven-Layer Beet Salad
Layers of cooked beets, sliced oranges, chopped pistachios, truffle ricotta, and fresh mint makes for a salad that is anything but boring.
Recipe: Seven-Layer Beet Salad
11.Air Fryer Onion Rings
Golden brown and crispy on the outside but tender on the inside, this is the only way I'll be making onion rings from here on out. And there's no deep frying required.
Recipe: Air Fryer Onion Rings
12.Spring Salmon with Creamed Leeks, Potatoes, and Asparagus
This sheet pan dinner couldn't be much easier. Since everything roasts together you can easily swap the salmon for another type of fish, chicken, or even portobello mushrooms.
Recipe: Spring Salmon with Creamed Leeks, Potatoes, and Asparagus
13.Carne Asada Tacos With Chimichurri Sauce
Upgrade any taco Tuesday with the help of this homemade, herbal chimichurri sauce — packed with parsley, cilantro, shallot, jalapeño, and red wine vinegar.
14.Easy Fava Bean Dip
Give the hummus a break and whip up this protein-packed fava bean spread instead. Serve it with pita or veggies for dipping, spread it on your falafel wrap, or add a scoop to your grain bowls and salads.
Recipe: Easy Fava Bean Dip
15.Roasted Lemon Artichoke and Browned Butter Pasta
If you could take spring and turn it into a pasta dish, it would taste a whole lot like this one, which gets a ton of flavor from burrata, thyme, basil, fresh lemon juice, walnuts, and marinated artichokes.
16.Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Chive Butter Sauce
These braised chicken thighs are fall-off-the-bone tender. Oh, and you're going to want to eat this chive butter sauce by the spoonful.
Recipe: Braised Chicken with Potatoes and Chive Butter Sauce
17.Shirred Eggs With Spinach and Mushrooms
These fancy baked eggs are cooked until just set over a bed of mushroom and spinach topped with cream and parmesan for optimal decadence. You might want some bread to sop up all the runny yolks.
18.Vidalia Onion Pie
Never underestimate the power of savory pie on your dinner plate.
Recipe: Vidalia Onion Pie
19.Grated Egg Avocado Asparagus Salad
Roasted asparagus is topped with creamy avocado, shaved hard boiled egg, and pistachio nuts to make a show-stopping, lettuce-free "salad."
20.Creamy Pappardelle Pasta With Crispy Shallots
Start with whatever type of pasta you have in your pantry. Topped with savory pancetta, peas, spinach, and crispy shallots in a mascarpone sauce, it doesn't get much more delicious than this.
21.Chicken Provençal
This one-pot chicken is impressive enough for date night but it's easy enough for any old weeknight dinner. It's made with green olives, tomatoes, shallots, fresh thyme, white wine, and lots of garlic.
Recipe: Chicken Provençal
22.Thai Green Papaya Salad
Spice up your dinner plate with the help of this Thai-inspired salad. It's sweet and tangy and makes a great side dish with whatever simple grilled protein you're serving.
Recipe: Thai Green Papaya Salad
23.Creamy Cucumber Salad With Lemon Chive Dressing
Juicy cucumbers are dressed in a light and tangy dressing made with sour cream of Greek yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, dill, chives, and Dijon mustard. You might want to make a big batch to slather onto all your salads.
24.No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Icebox Cake
Even if you're intimidated by the idea of baking, this icebox cake requires no more than some simple assembly.
25.Strawberry Honey Custard Tarts With Lemon Curd
Try stopping after just one of these perfectly portioned desserts — a balanced blend of fresh strawberries, puckery lemon curd, and a healthy dose of honey.
26.Coconut Lime Butter Bars
Imagine: Key lime pie meets coconut bars (and the result is just as tasty as you might expect).
Recipe: Coconut Lime Butter Bars
27.Roasted Rhubarb Scone Sandwiches With Vanilla Glaze
Breakfast or dessert, the choice is yours when it comes to these vanilla bean-coated scones.
28.Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Serve this springy lemon and poppy seed loaf with some crème fraîche, whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream for good measure.
Recipe: Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
29.Strawberry Basil Margarita
The sun is shining, the birds and chirping, and the strawberry basil margs are flowing.
Recipe: Strawberry Basil Margarita
30.Creamy Coconut Lime Mojitos
These mojitos made with coconut cream, mint, fresh lime, and ginger beer are guaranteed to transport you somewhere tropical.
Recipe: Creamy Coconut Lime Mojitos
