When it comes to what’s for dinner, we’re saying goodbye to our winter comfort-food staples and saying hello to bright and fresh spring produce. Of course there’s always a time for those delicious and comforting recipes, but we’re ready to change things up and embrace some lighter and fresher flavors. Spring is all about carrots, asparagus, peas, strawberries, lemons, and fresh herbs (just to name a few), so that’s what we’re turning to for our weekly dinner menus.
What’s great about spring produce and all the fresh flavors that come with the season is that most of it can be prepared and cooked fairly quickly, making for some truly delicious dinners even on busy weeknights. Fresh and fruity salads are great weeknight dinner options because they can be tossed together in just a few minutes. Pot pies, tacos, and frittatas are delicious ways to pack tons of veggies and flavors into a single meal and use up all that fresh produce too. Add these quick and easy recipes to your spring dinner menus and thank us later!
Mini Carrot Pot Pies
These personal-sized pot pies are a great way to use up that bundle of fresh carrots from the farmers’ market. Pot pies are easy to customize with whatever you happen to have on hand in the fridge too. Simply stir everything together on the stovetop and add in some flour and milk to make a creamy sauce. Toss in some chicken or your favorite protein too if you’d like! Here we used puff pastry for an easy and flaky pie topper, but refrigerated pie crust or biscuits work well here too.
Get the recipe for Mini Carrot Pot Pies.
Grilled Chicken-and-Strawberry Cobb Salad
There’s nothing like a fresh and seasonal salad in the springtime! Juicy strawberries add tons of flavor and go well with other tasty ingredients like peas, crumbly feta, avocado, and red onion. This salad is tossed in a zesty lime vinaigrette, which is quick and simple to whisk together. So while salads might be a quick dinner fix, there’s no reason they can’t be packed with flavor.
Get the recipe for Grilled Chicken-and-Strawberry Cobb Salad.
Asparagus White Pizza with Prosciutto and Gremolata
Pizza nights aren’t just for the weekend! And you can think beyond the red sauce, too. This white pizza gets a base layer of creamy ricotta, then a topping of asparagus and mozzarella. After it's baked, you place fresh prosciutto and gremolata—a green sauce made of lemon and parsley. Italian gremolata doesn’t have any oil and gets its tang from chopped lemon zest versus vinegar, so you’re going to get tons of fresh flavor in every bite.
Get the recipe for Asparagus White Pizza with Prosciutto and Gremolata.
Lemon-Butter Broiled Salmon with Bibb Salad
You can always count on a salmon recipe to be quick and relatively easy, so it’s always a great option when you need a fast and low-effort dinner. This broiled salmon doesn’t involve much prep, just a quick lemon-butter to add extra flavor and help keep the fish from drying out while baking. Serve with a Bibb salad (or your favorite side salad!), a rice pilaf, or even roasted potatoes for a healthy dinner.
Get the recipe for Lemon-Butter Broiled Salmon with Bibb Salad.
Roasted Carrot and Chorizo Tacos
We love this recipe because these aren’t your average tacos! Crispy shells, sweet roasted carrots, and mildly spicy chorizo will make this recipe a new Taco Tuesday favorite. While carrots roast in the oven, you can cook the chorizo and prepare the rest of your toppings. So from start to finish, you can have these tacos on the table in about 25 minutes. Serve with your favorite chips and salsa or side salad.
Get the recipe for Roasted Carrot and Chorizo Tacos.
Asparagus Frittata with Burrata and Herb Pesto
Here’s another recipe you can have on the table in just 30 minutes. We love this frittata for a spring brunch, but it also makes for a pretty delicious dinner. It’s hearty enough on its own, so it makes for a fun breakfast for dinner menu. It’s full of veggies like asparagus and spinach, and of course there’s some Parmesan cheese in there too. This sounds pretty good on its own so far, but then there’s the burrata and herby pesto, which truly take it over the top. This is a recipe you can make again and again, and enjoy all season long.
Get the recipe for Asparagus Frittata with Burrata and Herb Pesto.
