Ina Garten’s Best Bright and Fresh Spring Recipes

Veggies are always better with a hit of cheese, aren’t they? Thanks to the addition of gruyere and bread crumbs, this dish is guaranteed to make any zucchini naysayer a fan. It’s an easy but impressive dish to serve guests or indulge in alongside barbecued fish or a roasted chicken.

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Fresh spring veggies like asparagus and peas transform this cold-weather pasta dish into a brighter, warm-weather option. Don’t worry; the pasta still features the egg and pancetta taste you’d expect from traditional carbonara, but with an added freshness that eliminates the need for a side salad.

Chicken is delicious any time of year, but Ina Garten’s roast chicken with lemon has a definite spring vibe. With a cast iron pan and a few fresh herbs, you can roast chicken any day of the week with this recipe. Of course, we think it’s still an impressive dish to serve to guests, especially when you pair it with a fresh salad and a bottle of white.

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Whether you need a make-ahead recipe to bring to a picnic or potluck, a side to reach for on a busy weeknight, or a salad for quick lunches throughout the week, this recipe delivers. Orzo holds dressing well without going soggy, while the fresh herbs and scallions add brightness and flavour with each bite.

Hummus is more than a dip: when you combine it with fresh veggies and herbs, it can serve as a dressing for an incredible salad. That’s what Ina does in this lemony dish, which includes bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and a little Sriracha for kick.

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Add a little crunch to your spring noodle salad with fresh peppers and sugar snap peas a la Ina Garten. This recipe starts with spaghettini noodles and transforms into something special thanks to peanut butter, ginger, sesame, and rice wine vinegar.

Scallops are an impressive and delicious appetizer or addition to a main, and they’re surprisingly simple to make. You only need 15 minutes to whip some up, and when you add special ingredients like white wine and butter, they turn into a bright spring treat.

There’s nothing like biting into a fresh tomato, and this recipe delivers that feeling with every forkful. The trickiest part is making the creamy and salty dressing, but with fresh ingredients and a food processor, you’ll enjoy this spring bite in no time.

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Why eat fish tacos when you can serve up salmon tacos instead? Freshly roasted (or grilled) salmon pairs perfectly with warm corn tortillas, homemade slaw and mashed avocados, offering a tasty preview of warmer summer fare ahead.

What better way to top off a delicious meal than with a delightful spring dessert? Nothing says spring like lemons, so this lemon cake is always a favourite. It’s also super easy to make, and leftovers can be a decadent breakfast the next morning. In our book, that makes this Ina Garten recipe an all-around win.