Spring not only brings with it brighter, sunnier weather and longer evenings, but also a bumper crop of fruit and veg bursting with flavour.
This is such an exciting time of year, with ingredients like asparagus, wild garlic, rhubarb and spring greens all perfect for cooking up a storm. Get in the spirit with our gorgeous selection of spring recipes that embrace the best of the season.
The queen of spring produce – the Jersey Royal – is front and centre in this quick and easy savoury tart. Slices of soft, buttery potatoes, tangy cheese and sweet onions combined with golden flaky pastry make this a proper springtime treat.
Wild garlic is one of the most commonly foraged edible leaves and it can be found growing in abundance, in the woodlands, during early spring. Tossed with buttery Jersey Royals and woody rosemary, this is a delicious homage to spring.
Jamie heroes humble young cabbage in this elegant pasta dish. Smashed new potatoes, garlicky spring greens and nutty Parmesan provide a punchy filling for homemade ravioli worthy of a place at any dinner party.
Oozy and delicate with amazing colour, this vivid green risotto is a thing of real joy – there’s a real harmony between the shape of the veg and the size of the rice. This is comfort food at its best.
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Rhubarb season is one of the highlights of the year, and this is a beautifully simple way to celebrate this glorious veg. A few spoonfuls will bring a touch of sparkle to everything from porridge to Prosecco!
MORE:Best rhubarb recipes
Chard behaves a lot like spinach, making it the perfect veg to wilt down and stir through this rich tomatoey sauce, ready to stuff into cannelloni pasta tubes and top with a creamy ricotta sauce. A proper comforting family favourite for those early spring evenings.
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When you’re looking for a bit of sophistication, this dish combines the comfort of a good risotto with the beautiful flavours of crab and asparagus. This is a celebration of seasonal produce, so the flavour will be off the chart if you can get hold of fresh crab and British asparagus. A real delight.
Jamie celebrates the small-but-mighty spring onion in 3 ways in this fragrant and aromatic curry. The base of the sweet, vibrant onion is browned off in the pan; the middle part is used in the all-important curry paste (joining fiery green chilli, garlic and lemongrass); and the top green part is kept raw, crunchy and crisp alongside ice-cold sliced radishes and soft herbs.
Cooked lettuce makes a cracking side dish here – it has a lovely mild, delicate flavour when braised. Paired with spring onions, peas and a good squeeze of lemon juice, it’s a thing of beauty. If you’ve not tried it before, trust us and give it a go!
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Purple sprouting broccoli might not be your usual pizza topping, but it’s a total game-changer. Combined with sausage, fresh red chilli, melty mozzarella and fennel seeds, this is a real treat for your taste buds.
MORE:Our best purple sprouting broccoli recipes
Hungry for more? Take a look at our round-up of the best seasonal produce, month by month.