31 Spring Side Dishes to Brighten Any Meal
As the weather warms and we start to move beyond root vegetables, we’re especially excited to cook our favorite spring side dishes. One lap around the farmers market is enough to inspire spring vegetable recipes that make the most of thick stalks of asparagus, perky pink radishes, purple-streaked spring onions, tender sweet peas, thin-skinned new potatoes, and more.
Whether you’re planning an Easter brunch, a Passover seder, or just another weeknight dinner, nothing makes roast chicken—or any main—shine quite like a bright, colorful side. Think crunchy vegetable salads with salty cheese, green sauce–coated rice, and even vegan deviled “eggs.” With recipes like these in the mix, consider your spring side dish needs officially sorted.
Photography by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Drew Aichele1/31Grilled Asparagus With Tahini Super Sauce
Nothing says spring side dish like grilled asparagus. And since we all know a vegetable is better with a sauce, meet this salty-rich, anchovy-enhanced tahini mayo. Save leftover sauce to slather on tomorrow’s sandwich.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Christine Keely2/31Spiced Lentil and Carrot Salad
Basic roasted carrots served us well all winter, but by spring, the vegetable deserves a lighter treatment, as in this marvelously fresh grated salad. Add some thick planks of feta, and you could call it dinner.
Photograph by Peden + Munk, food styling by Adriana Paschen, prop styling by Ceci Garcia3/31Radishes With Sesame Yogurt
This may not look like your typical spring vegetable recipe, and that’s just the point. Serve this appetizer with hunks of crusty bread.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro4/31Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Parmesan and Herbs
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie5/31Crispy Tortilla Salad With Snap Peas and Avocado
Inspired by Levantine fattoush, this salad swaps crispy pita for chile powder-dusted tortillas. (Not in the mood to set up a shallow frying station? Use thick tortilla chips, warmed in the oven.)
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams6/31Steamed Vegetables With Miso-Ginger Dressing
Eva Kolenko7/31Braised Artichokes With Tomatoes and Mint
One or two artichoke halves make a lovely side dish to a springy pork loin roast, but you could also chop these up to toss with pasta or lay a few over polenta for a plant-based entrée.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susan Ottaviano, prop styling by Sophie Strangio8/31Spring-y Panzanella With Kombucha Vinaigrette
Sure, you could make stale bread into breadcrumbs, but why not make it the base of a salad? Peas and fennel, bring welcome color to the large hunks of sourdough, but the real star is the tangy kombucha-based vinaigrette. (It’s also swap-friendly: try arugula instead of watercress, and Parmesan cheese for the pecorino.)
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca9/31Vegan Deviled “Eggs”
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore10/31Charred Asparagus and Dates With Goat Cheese
This 15-minutes-or-less side dish makes the case for warming dates in a hot skillet, where they quickly caramelize and go extra-squidgy. Add a can of chickpeas or tinned fish and you could honestly call this dinner.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams11/31Quinoa-Bean Salad With Lots of Dill
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco12/31Miso-Glazed Carrots With Scallion Gremolata
Photograph by Kelly Marshall, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio13/31Grilled Leeks With Brown Butter and Spiced Hazelnuts
Photograph by Isa Zapata14/31Spring Orzotto
Here you’ll make orzo using the risotto method—slow and steady—then stir in spring peas and a dollop of store-bought pesto (or, hey, why not use the one we just mentioned?).
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi15/31Honey and Bitters Fruit Salad
Too often relegated to the forgotten dish on the dessert table, fruit salad can be truly vibrant, balanced, and exciting to eat. The key is to dress it with something punchy, like you would any salad recipe.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser16/31Beets and Farro With Honey-Garlic Goat Cheese
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca17/31Asparagus Pulao With Minty Lemon Raita
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Linden Elstran18/31Dill Pickle Potato Salad
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua20/31Asparagus and Endive Salad With Comté Cream
The star of this asparagus salad is the nutty Comté cream, which is made into a vinaigrette. Try smearing it under blanched leeks, or using it as the dipping sauce for steamed or grilled artichokes.
Photograph by Joann Pai, food and prop styling by Rebekah Peppler21/31Fried Lemon and Radish Salad
Cookbook author Rebekah Peppler says a solid vinaigrette makes an average salad great and a great salad unforgettable. Thanks to fried lemons, bright herbs, and rich pistachios (swap in pecans or walnuts in a pinch), this salad is firmly in the latter camp.
Photograph by Graydon Herriott, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk.22/31Smoky and Crunchy Peas With Creamy Nuoc Cham
These simply sautéed peas—snow or sugar snap peas welcome—are delightful, but are absolutely a vehicle for the freshly toasted cashew-based nuoc cham. And because that dressing is so tasty, we know any firm, quick-cooking vegetable would swap in well (looking at you, asparagus, green beans, even thin broccolini).
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton, Prop Styling by Christine Keely23/31Easter Salad
This salad is a no-brainer side dish for Easter, but it also works for any spring celebration. The colorful number will get passed around the table multiple times throughout the meal.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Taneka Morris, prop styling by Dayna Seman25/31Chickpea Pancake With Pea Salad
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua26/31Blistered Asparagus With Labneh and Harissa
Before swirling in spicy harissa, whisk the labneh (or Greek yogurt in a pinch) for an even creamier texture. This asparagus side would be dreamy eaten alongside a silky piece of grilled salmon.
Photograph by Janice Chung, food styling by Lauren Stanek, prop styling by Raina Kattelson27/31Greenest Mint and Ginger Pesto
Blanching the herbs is the key to keeping this pesto Shrek-green. Toss it with grains for a quick salad, dollop it on sliced leg of lamb (sorry, no more mint jelly!), spread it into puff pastry, bake, and top with salad greens for a quick spring tart.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Nicole Louie28/31Broken Lasagna Pasta Salad
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou29/31Simple and Citrusy Asparagus Stir-Fry
One of the most straightforward spring sides is a quick vegetable stir-fry. This asparagus recipe works just as well with radishes, green beans, snow peas, snap peas, or even thin planks of zucchini.
Alex Lau31/31Quick-Pickled Rhubarb Salad
We couldn’t round up spring side dish recipes without mentioning rhubarb. Mellow its tartness by turning it into a quick pickle. Finish this spring salad with sliced fennel and celery, then drizzle with peppery olive oil.
