Bowls of couscous in chicken broth on a tabletop

18 spring greens recipes

Janine Ratcliffe

loading...

Get 5 months for £5 when you subscribe today

Make the most of these nutritious greens with our easy recipes, from simple side dishes and stir-fries to warming one-pots you can make in minutes

Try our salads, stir-fries and pasta bake ideas for spring greens, plus a couple of recipes that combine spring veg, then check out our cabbage recipes, asparagus recipes, wild garlic recipes and vegetarian risotto recipes for even more dishes brimming with goodness. Or how about the best vegetable traybake recipes? For more inspiration see our best spring recipes collection.

Want expert advice for growing your own crop? Learn how to grow your own spring greens from our friends at Gardeners’ World.

Why we love spring greens

Spring greens are cabbages which are ready for harvest in the early part of the year. Sliced into ribbons and gently fried with garlic, they make a wonderful side for slow roast lamb or roast chicken. However, their peppery flavour and firm texture mean they hold up well to bold Asian flavours too.

Health benefits of spring greens

You'll get a healthy hit of vitamins C and K, calcium and fibre when you eat spring greens, contributing to a healthy gut, immune system and bones.

Easy spring green recipes

Spring veg and lemon broth

This is a quick, easy and healthy meal to make midweek – plus it's under 300 calories.

Serve up a bowlful of our healthy soup recipes.

Spring Veg and Lemon Broth Recipe

Mac 'n' greens pie

Put a twist on a classic pasta dish with this easy crowd-pleaser. With creamy pasta, garlicky spring greens and a crispy parmesan topping, our mac 'n' greens pie makes a comforting dinner for chilly nights.

Or you might prefer our classic macaroni cheese.

Macaroni Cheese Pie Recipe

Baked orzo with harissa prawns

Flavour prawns with harissa, dill, garlic and lemon, then serve swirled through orzo pasta for a speedy but sophisticated midweek dinner.

Next time, try healthy salmon pasta.

Baked orzo with harissa prawns on a blue plate with a wedge of lemon and fork

White bean and spring green one-pot

One-pot dishes aren't just for the colder autumn and winter months. This recipe is light and packed full of fresh spring flavours. What's more, it's ready in just 30 minutes and under 300 calories.

See more easy, low-calorie meals.

White bean and spring green one-pot

Chicken, giant couscous and harissa broth

Check out this wholesome chicken broth, packed with plenty of fresh spring greens and a kick of harissa.

Use up the rest of the jar with our harissa recipes.

Chicken Broth Recipe with Couscous and Harissa

Hearty greens and meatball soup

Whether it’s for lunch or dinner, this warming meatball soup with nutritious spring greens is guaranteed to keep hunger at bay.

You've got to try our creamy orzo risotto with cavolo nero, peas and chilli.

Hearty greens and meatball soup_preview

Spring greens curry

Make the most of seasonal spring greens for a bowl of green goodness - the quick and easy homemade curry paste with fresh aromatics really lifts the dish.

Two bowls of spring greens coconut curry with wedges of lime on the side

Spring green udon noodles

This nourishing bowl features udon noodles, spring greens and shiitake mushrooms, flavoured with oyster sauce and a kick of ginger and chilli.

See all our spicy, fresh and fragrant ways with noodles.

Spring green udon noodles

Chilli spring greens

Spring greens wilted in groundnut oil with chopped chillies makes a lovely accompaniment to lamb or grilled chicken, and is ready just in 10 minutes.

Check out more vegetable sides.

Chilli spring greens

Spring chicken pie

Make this comforting pie for your next Sunday lunch – it's creamy, rich and filled with the freshness of spring.

Also learn how to achieve the perfect flaky pie crust.

A golden-crusted pie with a creamy chicken filling in a pie dish, with a pink napkin and cutlery

Green spring soup

This recipe is perfect for using up slightly wilted bags of leaves and salad that may be lurking in the fridge.

Two bowls of green spring clean soup with toasted seeds on top

Spring greens shakshuka

If you like traditional shakshuka, you’ll love this spring greens version, with asparagus, broad beans, baby leeks and peas. It makes a wonderful spring brunch dish.

See all our sweet and savoury brunch recipes.

Green shakshuka in a white pan

Freekeh risotto with spring greens

Swap rice for freekeh in this vibrant risotto, featuring asparagus, baby spinach and peas.

Check out more risotto recipes.

Risotto Recipe With Freekeh and Spring Greens

Spring risotto

Celebrate spring with this veg-packed risotto, loaded with asparagus, peas, broad beans and mint.

If you're not veggie, you've got to try our chorizo and pea risotto.

Two plates of spring risotto topped with an egg yolk

Jersey Royals, spring greens and prawn fritteda

A fritteda is a light Italian stew of spring vegetables. Our version uses Jersey Royals, spring greens and prawns for a quick and easy supper.

Make the most of Jersey Royals with our seasonal recipes.

A bowl of Jersey Royals Spring Soup with prawns

Linguine with prawns, spring greens and chilli

This easy prawn linguine with spring greens and a chilli kick is ready in just 20 minutes, making it ideal for an after-work supper.

We have more prawn pasta recipes to satisfy your cravings.

Prawn Linguine Recipe With Spring Onions and Chilli

Lemon sole with miso lemon butter and spring greens

This sweet-fleshed flat fish is perfect with miso lemon butter and can be on the table in 15 minutes. Choose sustainably sourced sole and buy it filleted so the hard work is done for you.

Browse more healthy fish recipes.

Broccoli, spring greens and chilli stir-fry

An easy, healthy side dish. To make it into a main meal, cut a large steak into strips and fry with the ginger and chilli, then stir though 2 tbsp oyster sauce with the greens.

We have more more vegetarian stir-fry recipes.

Broccoli, spring greens and chilli stir-fry

Authors

Janine Ratcliffe in a short sleeved long dress sitting on a chair beneath palm trees on a balcony

Janine RatcliffeFood director

Comments, questions and tips

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

CommentQuestionTip

Want to see this content?

This page contains olivemagazine content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.

Accept and continue