What's in Season in Spring: Asparagus, Spinach, Peas and ...

What's in Season in Spring: Asparagus, Spinach, Peas and More · Apricots · Artichokes · Asparagus · Cabbage · Carrots · Cherries · Fava Beans. SkiptomaincontentMenuSearchTermSearchValWeston/ShutterstockHomeCookSeasonalWhat'sinSeasoninSpring:Asparagus,Spinach,PeasandMoreMarch18,2021ByCarolynMenyesandAaliyahGibsonSpringintonewmealswiththesefoodsValWeston/ShutterstockIt’sbeenalong,coldwinterwithheartystewrecipesandmorepotatoesandkalethanwecaretoadmit.But—what’sthat?Longerdays?Warmertemperatures?Yes,springhassprung,andwegetabountyofnewvegetables,fruitsandherbsinseasontocookwith.What’sinseasonintheU.S.inspring?Fromstaplessuchasasparagus,spinachandrhubarbtospecialtyproducelikemorels,stingingnettlesandfiddleheads,here’swhattolookforatyourlocalstoreorfarmersmarket—andhowtocookitall.Apricotsyuris/ShutterstockApricotsareinseasonbeginninginMayandstayinseasonuntiltheendofsummer,soyou’llbeabletoenjoythemthroughthehottestdaysoftheyear.Thissticky,sweetfruitworkswellwithheartymeats,soconsiderusingitasaglazeforyourchickenorembraceitssugarypropertiesbybakingsomeapricotcookies. ArtichokesLENAGABRILOVICH/ShutterstockMarchthroughMayisartichoketime.Thoughfrequentlyusedinitscannedformasabaseforspinachandartichokedip,thisMediterraneanvegetableisgoodenoughtostandonitsown.Embracetheartichokebyseasoningitsimplyandtossingitonthegrillthisspring.Or,youcanturnitintoasnackfoodbypreparingsomefriedartichokehearts.AsparagusMarenWinter/ShutterstockAsparagussproutsinearlyspringandisoneofthefirstsignsofthenewseason.It’sagreatgreenstaple,andit’saffordableandabundantinthespringtime.Embraceallthingsasparagusbyusingitinfrittatas,addingittofreshspringtimesaladsormarinatingittoservealongsidesomegrilledchickenoraperfectly-searedsteak.Cabbagebeats1/ShutterstockCornedbeefandcabbageisanintegralpartofSt.Patrick’sDaycelebrationsinMarch,butthere’ssomuchmoreyoucandowithcabbage.Cabbageisbestinthelatefalltoearlyspring,sogetthelastuseofallthatcabbagethisspringbymakingcabbagerolls,cabbagestirfryorfriedcabbage.CarrotsValWeston/ShutterstockCarrotsdowellincoolweather,makingthemagreatspringvegetable(thoughthey'realsoavailableinsummerandfall).Thebrightcolorsofcarrots,whichcanrangefromorangetoyellowtopurpleandbeyond,arecertainlyappealing.Thinkbeyonddippingrawcarrotsinranchdressingandusethisveggieforcarrotsouffle,carrotsouporroastedcarrots.CherriesAndriiYalanskyi/ShutterstockCherriesmayhaveareputationforbeingasummerfruit,buttheirharvesttechnicallystartsinlatespring.Letthesesmallstonefruitsshineinsomeofthebest-evercherrydesserts;justmakesureyouknowhowtopitthemeasilyfirst!FavaBeansBrentHofacker/ShutterstockAlsoknownasbroadbeans,favabeanshaveashortseasoninthespring,somakesureyouhitupthefarmersmarketcomeMay.They'lllikelystillbeintheirpods,butonceyougetthefavabeansout,you'llfindtheyhaveabuttery,nuttytaste—perfectandlightforspring.Aftershellingthebeans,youcaneatthemsteamed,boiled,mashed,raw,grilledorreallyanywayyouprefer.Weliketoblanchthebeans,turnthemintoapuréeandserveonacrostini.Thisrecipewillmakeyouforgetallaboutavocadotoast.FiddleheadsBrentHofacker/ShutterstockYoucanfindfiddleheads,sometimescalledfiddleheadferns,atfarmersmarketsinthespring,fromlateApriltoearlyJune.It'sashortseason,soifyouseethese,snatchthemup.Theytasteabitlikeasparagus,withahintofspinachandnuttiness.Highlightthembyblanchingthemandsauteingthemsimplywithpinenuts,garlic,lemonandPecorino.GarlicScapesMichellePatrick/ShutterstockGarlicrootisthepartofthisalliummostofusknowwell,butgarlicscapesarejustasedible—andjustasdelicious.Harvestedinthespring,thesefloweringstemsofthebulbhaveagrassygarlicflavorthatislesspotentthancloveswhenrawandsweeterwhencooked.Theymakeasimpleandspectacularbaseforagarlicscapepesto.GreenGarlicgunsangimbanjang/ShutterstockAlsoknownasyounggarlicorspringgarlic,greengarliciswhenagarlicplantispickedveryyoungandhasyettofullyformabulb.It'spickedbyfarmerstopromotefurthergrowthinothergarlicplants.Muchlikescapes,greengarlicismilderandsweeterthanfully-maturedgarlic.Itcanbeusedmuchinthesamewayasyournormalgarlic,butifyouwanttohighlightit,usegreengarlicinadressingorspringtimepesto.Greensnesavinov/ShutterstockKalesaladsaregreatforwinter,butinthespring,embracegreenslikearugula,dandeliongreens,peashootsandwatercress,whichbloomintoseason.Thesepepperygreensmakegreatbasesforanysidesaladalongwithotherspringtimeveggiesandabrightherbvinaigrette.HerbsHeitorPergher/ShutterstockSpeakingofherbs,freshgreeningredientslikechives,parsleyanddillcometolifewhentheweathergetsabitwarmer.Usethemtomakeagorgeousgreengoddessdressingforyoursalads,aflavor-packedherbyomeletoraddthemtothetopofaloadedbakedpotato.LeeksRotemita/ShutterstockLeekscomplimentheartyingredientswell,soifyou'restillfeelingabitwintryinthespring,usethemasacomponentinsilkypotatoleeksoup.Ifyouwanttohighlightthelightnessofleeks,sauteethemwithsomemushroomsandserveovergnocchioranotherpasta.Youcanalsousethemasaprimeingredientinafrittataoromelet.MorelsKseniaLada/ShutterstockMorelsareabitofanelusivemushroom,theymustbeforagedfromtheirnaturalhabitatsandcanonlybefoundbetweenMarchandJune.Ifyouspotmorelsatthefarmersmarketoranywhereandyou'reafanofmushrooms,you'llbeahappycamper.Morelsarenutty,meatyandshouldbecookedsimply,likeasatoppingforaluxuriousmushroomrisotto.Nettlesalicjaneumiler/ShutterstockSpringtimemeansforagingtime,andweurgeyounottoforgonettlesjustbecausetheyarepricklyandcanliterallystingyouifyou'renotcareful.Thoughthesemayburnwhenraw,afterbeingcooked,nettlesmakeanearthy,tangy,nutritiousadditiontoanumberofrecipes.Weliketohighlightthembycookingtheminahomemadegnudi.PeasPavelKobysh/ShutterstockSpringisthebesttimetopurchasefreshpeaswhenyou’retiredofeatingthefrozenvariety.Tosspeasinyoursalad,simplyboilthemandservewithatouchofbutterorincorporatethemincurries,soupsorpotpies.Radishesmythja/ShutterstockRadishesarecrisp,colorfulandcrunchyandjustslightlypeppery,makingthemagreatadditiontoanyspringtimesaladorpokebowl.Youcanalsogiveradishesaquickpickleinafewtablespoonsofredwinevinegar,asplashofoliveoil,saltandpepperandservethemontopofcarnitastacos.Foranextraprettypresentation,seekoutwatermelonradishes,whicharewhiteontheoutsidebuthotpinkinside.RampsDavidKay/ShutterstockRampsmaylooklikescallionswithbroadleavesandapurplestem,butthiswildoniontastessomewherebetweenonionandgarlic—ahybridflavorthat'shighlysoughtafterduringramps'shortspringseason.Youcanuserampsinthesamewayyou'dusescallionsorleeks;theylendthemselveswelltoeggdishes,potatosidesandinsalads.Ifyou'relookingforawaytogoall-inonramps,thiseasyramppestorecipeoverpastaisthewaytogo;plusyoucanmakeextraandfreezeitsoyoucanextendyourramp-enjoymentseason.Rhubarbcdrin/ShutterstockYou’llbeabletosnagthefreshestrhubarbatthefarmersmarketthistimeofyear,andnotmanythingsscreamspringtimequitelikefreshrhubarbmadeintoaniconicpie.Sotransformitstartstalksintoastrawberryrhubarbhandpieorarhubarbcrisp. ScallionsStephanSchlachter/ShutterstockAlight,crisponion,scallionsarefrequentlyusedtocomplementAsian-inspiredtakeoutdishes,sousethemtotopyourhomemadeeggdropsouporgrillthemonaskewerwithsomeyakitorimeatballs.ScallionsalsoworkwellinKoreanmarinadesorinfriedrice.NotfeelingAsianfood?Scallionsarealsoakeytoppingtosomeofourall-timefavoritecasseroles.SpinachEkaterinaKondratova/ShutterstockIfyou’remissingimportantvitaminslikeironandmagnesiumfromyourdiet,springistheperfecttimetoaddspinachtoyourroutine.Ofcourse,youcanusespinachasabaseforyoursaladsorcookituphomestylebyturningitintocreamedspinach.Honestly,theusesforspinachseemendless.It'sgreatwitheggs,inlasagnaorincurries.SpringOnionsESBBasic/ShutterstockSpringonionsmaylookaheckofalotlikescallions,buttheyareverymuchtheirownthing.Youcantellthedifferencebythebiggerbulbatthebaseofspringonions.Flavor-wise,thesearesweeterandslightlylessstrongthanregularonions,thoughtheyhaveamorepotentflavorthanscallions,especiallyinthegreens.Ifyoufindtheseatyourfarmersmarket,gettoknowthemwellbygrillingthemandservingwithaspicyromescosauce.StrawberriesDoloresM.Harvey/ShutterstockStrawberriesareongrocerystoreshelvesyearround,butthey’reattheirsweetestfromspringuntiltheendofsummer.Enjoythefreshfruitinbananabread,onasaladorjustbythemselves.Ifyouhaveanexcessofstrawberries,youcanalsousethemtomakejam,asasyrupforhomemadestrawberryshortcakesorinarefreshingsalsa.MorefromTheDailyMeal:MostPopularVegetablebyStateHowtoUseFoodScrapstoMakeDeliciousMealsVeganRecipesThatWillMakeYouWanttoGoPlant-basedVegetarianDinnerRecipesThatAreCheapandEasy4-IngredientEntreesPerfectforBusyWeeknightsMarvelousMapleRecipesforDessert,DinnerandBeyondVeganRecipesThatWillMakeYouWanttoGoPlant-basedEveryBroccoliandCheeseRecipeYouCouldNeedHowtoMaketheBestBoozyHotChocolate