These simple fresh spring dinner recipes are our absolute favorite way to eat this season, from comforting pastas and risottos, to uber healthy sheet pan salmon and roasted shrimp.
spring dinner recipes to make now
Some recipes are just meant for spring. The best spring dinner recipes combine a cozy factor held over from winter with a light bright nod to the new season. A comforting pasta bowl can be ‘spring-i-fied‘ with just a squeeze of lemon and some tender stalks of asparagus or fresh peas. Buttery roasted salmon can rise to spring holiday status by surrounding it with those tiny baby veggies you can only find right now. Lemony chicken, of course. But meatless meals and healthy main course salads figure into our spring menu planning, too…
Let’s dig in to spring dinner recipes!
creamy lemon pasta with asparagus
My spring version of comfort food is creamy (check,) involves pasta (check,) and features a spring veg (check.) Lemon pasta with asparagus is ready in 30 minutes and proves that pasta can be the base of lots of fresh spring dinner recipes.
more simple pasta meals
- Spaghetti Peperonata with Tuna and Olives
- Pasta with Radicchio, Bacon, and Walnuts
- Zucchini and Lemon Pasta
- Pasta Primavera
sheet pan salmon primavera
“Primavera” means spring in Italian, and this salmon recipe celebrates all the tiny baby veggies of the season. My salmon primavera is a delicious, fresh, and super healthy meal that comes together quickly and easily on one sheet pan. Definitely one of my favorite spring dinner recipes for entertaining.
more salmon for dinner
Creamy Lemon Chicken with Asparagus
Creamy lemon chicken with asparagus is an easy one pot meal that feels elegant but takes just 30 minutes of your time ~ chalk up another dinnertime win!
more easy chicken meals
- Fried Chicken Tacos
- Firecracker Chicken
- Thai Chicken Salad
- Thai Chicken Satay Bowls with Peanut Sauce
chimichurri shrimp
This is the perfect spring dinner recipe for those first nights you’re ready to dine al fresco in the back yard with a glass of wine and some good crusty bread. It’s light, and bursting with bright herbaceous flavor. And for bonus points chimichurri sprimp is SUPER fast to cook, too!
more easy seafood meals
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Tuna
- Sheet Pan Tuna Melts
- Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto)
- Steamed Mussels
herby falafel
Meatless meals are always welcome in spring, and this fluffy falafel recipe is crispy on the outside, a moist emerald green on the inside, and garlicky, with lots of warm spices like cumin and coriander. We eat it in pita, or piled on a crunchy falafel salad.
more vegetarian spring dinner recipes
- Easy Pasta Alla Checca
- Quick Chili Oil Noodles
- Curried Chickpea Salad (vegan or not!)
- Falafel Burger Recipe (copycat McFalafel)
classic quiche
Quiche Lorraine is the ultimate laid back spring dinner recipe ~ serve it hot, cold, room temp, or reheated, it’s always delicious…food doesn’t get any more accommodating. Even when I don’t have the time or energy to roll out homemade pastry, a frozen crust works just fine.
more spring quiches and tarts
- Eggs Benedict Quiche with Hollandaise Sauce
- Spinach and Artichoke Quiche
- Sweet Onion and Herb Quiche
- Vidalia Ritz Pie
saffron risotto with roasted asparagus
Saffron risotto is memorable dish, and so simple. The wonderful saffron flavor really makes this dish special, and who can argue with that golden color! Since I’ve discovered how easy it is to make risotto in the Instant Pot, I make all the time.
more risotto recipes for spring
- Italian Wedding Risotto
- Instant Pot Cheddar Risotto with Fresh Sage
- Tomato and Parmesan Risotto
- 6 Minute Instant Pot Lobster Risotto
chopped chef’s salad
Nothing says ‘spring dinner’ like a chef’s salad. It’s probably the original main course salad, and it gets even better when you chop everything into bite sized little bits. Yum! Any salad can be transformed into a main course salad by adding a little bit of protein ~ think hard boiled eggs, shrimp, flaked salmon, sliced steak, or shredded chicken.
more spring main course salads
- Mexican Fajita Steak Salad
- Crispy Crab Cakes Recipe
- Charcuterie Salad
- How to Make the Best Chinese Chicken Salad
lemon garlic shrimp with orzo
A company worthy spring dinner recipe that’s ready in 30 minutes. Serve your lemon garlic shrimp with some crisp white wine, a little salad, a store-bought baguette and you’re done.
more spring dinner recipes with shrimp
- Tabbouleh Bowls with Shrimp
- Sweet Corn Polenta with shrimp
- New England Style Shrimp Rolls
- Shrimp Taco Salad
fried rice with asparagus and peas
For me, spring dinners need to be quick and easy, light, and nourishing. Leftover rice and fresh eggs are the base for a variety of bowl dinners like this fresh fried rice with asparagus.
spring dinner recipes in a bowl
- Weeknight Egg Roll Bowls
- Salmon Sushi Bowls
- Easy Korean Beef Rice Bowls (30 minutes!)
- Japanese Chicken Katsu Curry Bowl
Thanks for this great collection of recipes. My adult daughter recently stopped eating dairy & gluten for her health so I’ve been scrambling for things to make when she visits. Lots of options here!