As we get closer to spring and the weather changes, there is no better time than now to transition away from the heavy, hearty meals of winter and into the brighter, lighter flavours of spring, using so many wonderful fresh ingredients that are available during this time of year.
The following 12 amazing spring dinners utilize all of those great fresh ingredients; vegetables, herbs, and bright, zesty citrus flavours.
1. Spring Pea Pesto with Bacon and Leeks
This spring pea pesto made using bacon and peas is full of flavour; you’re going to love it! You may even want to substitute the fresh peas with frozen peas and still enjoy the same great flavour. The greatest part about making a dish that includes both peas and bacon is that you’re going to use the rendered fat from the bacon as your cooking base to create even more flavour when cooking your leeks. There is minimal leftover fat from cooking, so you get all of the wonderful flavours from each of the ingredients and create a great weeknight meal!
2. Spring Vegetable Soup
This spring vegetable soup is a great meal prep idea! You can use many different types of leftover spring vegetables that are still in good shape after your visit to the farmer’s market to create this refreshing, light soup. This soup has a nice balance of lemon and dill to give you a bright, fresh taste of spring, but it’s not overpowering. In addition, you’re not going to feel weighed down after you eat this soup; it’s definitely comfort food!
3. Lemon Pasta
Sometimes, the easiest dishes to make are also the most enjoyable to eat! This lemon pasta is an easy, quick, and delicious weeknight meal. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to create a delicious meal in less than 30 minutes using just a few simple ingredients. The lemon helps to intensify all of the flavours from the butter and cream, resulting in a perfect combination of richness and brightness! This is a great recipe for those nights when you want something satisfying, but you don’t want something too heavy.
4. Lemon Pesto
Not your typical pesto, the bright flavor and herb-infused citrus kick lighten up the richness of your typical pesto. Toss it with pasta, and you have an instant upgrade to dinner, or spread it on crusty bread for the simplest appetizer ever! The lemon brings out all the herb flavors in a way that is out of this world!
5. Cherry Tomato Pasta
This simple recipe for pasta using only cherry tomatoes creates a magical dish when the tomatoes are in season. The tomatoes break down into a chunky, clingy sauce that coats every noodle, and our recipe allows the best ingredients to shine without being in the way! It can be made faster than you can say, “Dinner’s done!”
6. Skillet Lemon Butter Chicken
Under 30 minutes to create a one-skillet meal with perfectly golden, juicy chicken is worth its weight in gold for dinner on a weeknight! The dredging of the chicken in flour gives you an amazing crust and thickens the lemon butter sauce, creating a divine flavor that rivals any restaurant! It has restaurant-quality flavors, yet no restaurant-level effort.
7. Rosemary Chicken with Vegetables
In one hour or less, you have tender vegetables and perfectly juicy chicken! This is the type of recipe that makes cooking on a weeknight feel do-able!By using an oven-safe skillet, you can sear on your stovetop, finish your dish in the oven, and not have to clean up any extra pans. The rosemary adds an incredible scent to everything cooked with it.
8. Air Fryer Shrimp
When you want to make dinner in less than 10 minutes, this shrimp recipe is your friend. The air fryer gives it a nice little crispy outside but keeps the shrimp tender and juicy on the inside. Moving quickly doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor or quality with your meals.
9. Fried Asparagus
Forget about those sad frozen appetizers – this fried asparagus leaves those types of restaurants in shame with their perfectly crunchy coating and perfectly crisp spears inside. Even if someone doesn’t care for asparagus, they’ll love it when they try this golden-crusted, super-addictive recipe! It may just outshine your main course!
10. Easy Roasted Asparagus
Sometimes, less is more, and this roasted asparagus is proof that fact; it goes with just about any main course. The parmesan gives a nice salty finish to the dish, but if you’d like to keep it lighter, you could easily leave the parmesan off. This is one of those side dishes that will simplify meal planning for you.
11. Garlic Lemon Sautéed Spinach
We’ve all seen how spinach shrinks down from a mountain of spinach to a molehill when it’s cooked, and this recipe provides proper portion sizes so that will not be an issue. The garlic and lemon together complement the delicate taste of the spinach without overpowering it. This side dish actually tastes just as good as it looks on the plate.
12. Creamy Leek and Gorgonzola Pasta
This fancy dish works because leeks give you a sweet, mild onion flavor, which pairs nicely with sharp gorgonzola cheese; therefore, when you add cream, it balances the strong flavors from the cheese, and you get a very fancy dish, but it was quick and easy to make. It’s an excellent choice for making any night seem like date night.
