Best Spring Side Dishes
These deliciously fresh spring side dishes are bright-tasting, vibrant, and perfect for welcoming back warmer weather. We've rounded up the best vegetable spring sides that the season has to offer. They are easy to make and absolutely delicious!
Spring Side Dishes
There’s nothing like produce in season. Vegetables and fruits picked in their prime and served up from local farms (or your garden) are absolutely divine. Their taste is fresh, crisp, and flavorful.
With the warmer temperatures, the sunnier days, and the opening of local farmers' markets, we are eating fresh spring vegetables again. Some of you may even subscribe to CSA boxes and are looking for new ideas of how to spruce up the vegetables in this week’s box.
We’ve put together this wonderful list of the best spring side dishes so that you can take full advantage of all the fresh produce that shows up in spring.
What vegetables are in season in spring?
What's in season in spring will vary depending on where you live. Here are a few of our favorite spring vegetables that are widely available during the season:
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Greens
- Leeks
- Lemon
- Mushrooms
- Peas
- Radishes
The Best Spring Side Dishes
Sweet Sautéed Radishes
Cooking radishes is a wonderful way to enjoy more of spring's spicy treat. Cooking them mellows their heat and the slightly sweet glaze in this recipe pairs with them perfectly. Also, try these spring radish recipes:
Sauteed Asparagus with Garlic and Parmesan
Asparagus is the iconic spring side dish. The tasty spears can be roasted with parmesan, steamed, pan-fried, or eaten raw. Here are a few other spring asparagus recipes we love:
- Creamy Asparagus and Aged Cheddar Bake
- Shaved Asparagus Arugula Quinoa Salad with Watermelon Radishes
- Asparagus Salad with Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette
Also, look for other green veggies at the market, like green beans near the end of spring. These green bean recipes are all delicious:
Roasted Broccoli Salad with Lemons and Almonds
While broccoli and broccolini can be found year-round in the grocery store, it tastes the best when you find it at your local market in late spring. You can roast broccoli for a super simple spring side dish, or try it in one of these recipes:
- Roasted Broccoli Steaks with Butter Toasted Pine Nuts
- Roasted Lemon Parmesan Broccoli
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Classic Broccoli Coleslaw
- Broccoli and Kale Salad with Blueberries and Coconut
- Roasted Broccolini with Tahini Yogurt
Creamy Carrot Pasta Sauce
Fresh, spring carrots make a wonderful addition to your spring side dishes repertoire. We often serve our creamy carrot pasta (pictured above) as a side dish to baked chicken to salmon. You can also turn the greens into carrot top pesto!
- Garlic Herb Carrot Fries
- Quick Garlic Roasted Carrots
- Spicy Honey Carrots
- Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Mozzarella
Spring Mix Salad
After a winter of lackluster greens, it's always exciting to find fresh and flavorful lettuce at the spring market. Try making your go-to salad recipes with spring greens or try one of these spring side dish salads:
- Spring Gratitude Salad
- Asparagus Salad with Balsamic Glaze
- Spring Salad with Goat Cheese
- Arugula and Wild Rice Salad
- Spring Panzanella with Peas and Fennel
Roasted Mini Potatoes with Herbs and Garlic
New potatoes come into season as early as April. When you spot them, pick up a bag; They're wonderfully tender.
If you love these recipes as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Also nutritional values? I forgot to mention that in my first question!
There are links to all of the recipes right under the pictures. 🙂
Where are the recipes?
Hi Kristen:
Thanks so much for including my easy sauteed mushroom recipe in this round-up! I love all the others on here too- going to check them all out now-
Have a great day-
Scott
You are so welcome! Those mushrooms look amazing. 🙂
Great round-up Kristen! Thanks for including my asparagus dish (one of my favourites 🙂
You’re so welcome! It looks crazy delicious!