14 Spring Fruits and Vegetables You Should Be Eating Right Now

Spring is the season that celebrates renewal and rebirth. And, as the world wakes up from a cold, sleepy winter, so does a whole crop of spring vegetables, leafy greens, and sweet fruits that bring freshness and vibrance to any dish. After all the stews and casseroles of the past few months, they encourage us to embrace lighter meals and more minimal cooking. Whether incorporating peppery radishes into a salad, steaming tender asparagus or potatoes to serve with a piece of fish, or enjoying the pleasant tartness of rhubarb in a dessert, the possibilities are as endless as they are delicious. Few things are more rewarding than cooking and eating in season, so use this guide to help identify and choose the freshest ingredients that are at their peak this spring.

Asparagus

Thin, crisp, and deeply green (sometimes even purple or white!), asparagus is one of the earliest vegetables of the spring. It's at its peak from February through June. When shopping, look for firm spears with tightly closed tips, and avoid any that are limp or have dry, woody ends. Whether you choose thick or thin spears is up to you, but opt for bunches that are approximately the same size for even cooking.

How to Use Asparagus

Enjoy asparagus quickly blanched in salted water, grilled, or roasted with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon. Raw asparagus freezes well, just be sure to halve it (if desired, for shorter more manageable pieces) before storing. 

Artichokes

Artichokes can be intimidating and require some preparation, but there is a good reason they are so beloved—and have been enjoyed as far back as ancient Rome. They are unparalleled in look and flavor—slightly nutty and slightly sweet. They are in season from February through early June. The best artichokes feel heavy for their size and have tightly packed leaves that give a slight squeak when squeezed.

How to Use Artichokes

Smaller, tender artichokes can be roasted or grilled whole, while larger ones are perfect for steaming and enjoying leaf by leaf with a simple aioli or even just a squeeze of lemon.

Cherries

Something to look forward to, cherries are available in late spring and early summer. The tell-tale indicator of a ripe cherry is a bright green stem. Cherries take well to being frozen, just be sure to first remove the pit so that you don’t have to wrestle it out of a solid frozen cherry later on. 

How to Use Cherries

Whether sweet or tart (also known as sour cherries), cherries make a perfect snack, pie filling, or a topping for yogurt and desserts.

Dandelion Greens

Dandelion greens are the leafy tops of the dandelion plant and they’re known for their slightly bitter, peppery flavor. Like nearly all dark leafy greens, they are highly nutritious containing vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, and iron. You’ll find younger leaves in early spring, which are milder and more tender. Later in the season the leaves are older, more mature, and have developed a slightly more bitter flavor.

How to Use Dandelion Greens

The first delicate dandelion greens are just right for salads. Larger, more mature leaves found in later spring are best when cooked. Either quickly sauté them or add them to soups and stews. Use them in place of (or in addition to) other leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or even mustard greens. 

Fava Beans

Fresh fava beans are another unique spring treat. They do require some peeling, but their nutty, buttery taste is well worth the effort, and the quality of a fresh bean towers over the quality of a canned or frozen fava. Look for plump, firm, and bright green pods that should feel heavy for their size, indicating healthy beans inside. The beans within the pod are actually enclosed within another soft shell, which also needs to be removed, but can be done so easily by quickly blanching them and slipping them out.

How to Use Fresh Fava Beans

Fava beans are best quickly sauteed, mixed into pasta or risotto dishes, or pureed in the food processor for a creamy, rich dip.

Green Beans

The best time of the year to enjoy green beans isn't at Thanksgiving. Though they are a popular vegetable side on the holiday table, now is the best time to enjoy fresh green beans. New season green beans, also known as snap beans, are thinner, sweeter, and more tender. It's best to buy green beans that are sold loose rather than in packages so you can pick the freshest ones. They should be crisp and bright green, without blemishes or signs of wilting. For even cooking, choose beans that are of similar size. And, look out for haricot verts, French green beans, they are a smaller, more tender variety—and also generally more costly.

How to Use Green Beans

No matter which variety you go with, quickly blanch them for a bright, crunchy side dish. They’re a great blank canvas for a wide variety of sauces and dressings, sprinkled with crunchy toppings like nuts or even potato chips,

Leeks and Garlic Scapes

Tender leeks and garlic scapes in the spring are spring treasures to look for. Leeks should have long, slender white stalks with tender, bright green tops without bruises or scratches. They should be thoroughly cleaned by cutting in half lengthwise and rinsing between their many layers. Garlic scapes are curly green shoots that grow from the top of a garlic bulb.

How to Use Leeks and Garlic Scapes

Both spring leeks and garlic scapes can be used to give a nuanced onion-garlic flavor to soups, quiches, pestos, pasta salads, and more. Because of their pungent flavor, garlic scapes are best quickly blanched, grilled, and sauteed.

Peas (Sugar Snap, Snow Peas, and English Peas)

Fresh spring peas are sweet and crisp, truly the pearl of the season. Are you team sugar snaps, snow peas, or English peas? Maybe you love them all equally? Sugar snap peas should be plump and crisp, while snow peas should be flat with small, undeveloped peas inside. Avoid pods that feel mushy or look bruised. You can occasionally find English peas already shelled, but if shopping for pods, choose those that are bright green and firm.

How to Use Spring Peas

Eat them lightly blanched, tossed raw into salads, lightly sautéed with tender herbs and butter. We also snack on English peas straight from the pod!

Potatoes

Yes, you can get potatoes year round but new potatoes in the spring are something to get excited about. They have thin, delicate skins and creamy interiors.

Look for smooth, unblemished potatoes and avoid any with soft spots, sprouting eyes, or that have a light green tint to them.

How to Use New Potatoes

Using young spring potato saves you labor and time— there is no need to peel them! New potatoes are perfect for roasting whole, steaming, or tossing into a light, vinaigrette-based potato salad.

Ramps

It’s very likely that you’ve heard the buzz about ramps right as winter is coming to an end. They are small, leafy alliums that grow wild and are foraged rather than farmed. They have a garlicky, pungent onion-like flavor. Because they require such specific conditions to grow, their season is super short—they’re typically available for just a few weeks in April and May from Tennessee to Canada and as far west as Missouri.

How to Use Ramps

Extend ramp season by making a ramp compound butter with the leaves or bulbs or a use the leaves for ramp pesto or to flavor salt. Cook them for just a few seconds on a hot grill to enjoy a lightly charred flavor. 

Radishes

Radishes are jewels of late spring and early summer. There are plenty of varieties to explore beyond the usual you'll find in every grocery store, from Easter radishes to breakfast radishes, all are a little spicy and plenty crunchy. The best radishes are firm, with smooth skin and ideally their greens are still attached. Smaller radishes tend to be milder, while larger ones have more of a kick.

How to Use Radishes

Enjoy them sliced in salads, try them pickled, or simply dip them in butter and sprinkle with salt for a very French snack or horse d'oeuvres.

Rhubarb

It's usually treated like a fruit in desserts and pies, but rhubarb is actually a vegetable. Its long, thin red and pink stalks are the edible part, while the large, dark green leaves contain oxalic acid and should not be consumed. Rhubarb thrives in cooler climates, so it’s one of the first crops to emerge in early spring. Look for firm, crisp stalks that are deep red to pale pink. Avoid limp stalks, as they are old, and greenish stalks—they can be overly tart.

How to Use Rhubarb

You’ll often see rhubarb paired with sweeter fruits like strawberries, which balance rhubarb’s natural tartness. We also like it sweetened, but not sharing the spotlight in a simple rhubarb crisp, or poaching or baking it and serving with ice cream. Explore rhubarb's savory side by turning it into a sweet-tart chutney to serve with meats or cheeses.

Spinach

Like potatoes, spinach is available year round but spring spinach is worth seeking out. Like dandelion greens, it is packed with vitamins and nutrients. In the spring spinach has a higher water content than more mature summer spinach, so it’s perfect for refreshing salads. Choose bright green, perky leaves without yellowing or wilting.

How to Use Spinach

Make the most of spring spinach by using it in salads. Steam or saute it quickly to preserve in-season spinach past spring, just enough to allow it to wilt. Squeeze it with a clean tea towel, and spread it out to dry more. Then, store transfer to a freezer-safe bag, remove all the air, and seal. It can be frozen for up to four months, add it to stir-fries, soups, dips, and smoothies.

Watercress

This peppery green is great raw or lightly sauteed with some salt and sesame oil. Look for dark green, crisp leaves with no signs of yellowing.

How to Use Watercress

Use watercress similarly to how you would use arugula. It's a perfect addition to salads, or simply toss it with a mild dressing for a simple all-watercress salad. It's also stellar in sandwiches. Pulse it in a food processor with some cream cheese for a spread on bagels or toast points.