Okay, Posse — can we talk about May for a second?
Because May is honestly one of the MOST underrated months in the kitchen. You’ve got asparagus still going strong, snap peas that are ridiculously sweet, fresh radishes, tender baby spinach, spring onions, and strawberries just starting to show up at the farmers market. And if you don’t cook with them NOW — like, this week. summer rolls in and suddenly everything shifts. The window is short. Let’s use it.
These are 9 of my favorite May spring dinner recipes using fresh produce, all built to be light, fast, and genuinely delicious. Each one includes ingredients, how to make it, and nutrition facts at the end. Let’s get cooking.
1. Lemon Asparagus Pasta with Parmesan
Ingredients: 8 oz linguine, 1 bunch asparagus (trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces), 3 garlic cloves (minced), 2 tbsp olive oil, zest and juice of 1 lemon, ½ cup grated Parmesan, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes.
Directions: Boil pasta until al dente. In the last 2 minutes, toss asparagus into the boiling water. Drain both together. In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté garlic for 1 minute. Add pasta and asparagus, toss with lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Season generously.
Nutrition (per serving, serves 4): 390 calories | 14g protein | 58g carbs | 11g fat
2. Spring Pea and Mint Risotto
Ingredients: 1½ cups Arborio rice, 4 cups vegetable broth (warm), 1½ cups fresh or frozen peas, ½ cup dry white wine, 1 shallot (diced), 2 tbsp butter, ½ cup Parmesan, handful fresh mint, salt, pepper.
Directions: Sauté shallot in butter until soft. Add rice, stir 2 minutes. Pour in wine and stir until absorbed. Add broth one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until rice is creamy, about 20 minutes. Stir in peas, Parmesan, and torn mint leaves right at the end.
Nutrition (per serving, serves 4): 420 calories | 13g protein | 65g carbs | 10g fat
3. Grilled Snap Pea and Chicken Stir-Fry
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts (thinly sliced), 2 cups snap peas, 1 red bell pepper (sliced), 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp honey, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp fresh ginger, cooked rice for serving.
Directions: Whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, and ginger into a sauce. Sear chicken in a hot wok until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Toss in snap peas and bell pepper and stir-fry 3 minutes. Pour sauce over everything and cook another 2 minutes. Serve over rice.
Nutrition (per serving, serves 4): 350 calories | 30g protein | 38g carbs | 8g fat
4. Radish and Butter Lettuce Tacos with Avocado Crema
Ingredients: 8 small corn tortillas, 1 lb ground turkey, 1 cup sliced radishes, 1 head butter lettuce (leaves separated), 2 avocados, juice of 1 lime, ¼ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tsp cumin, salt, pepper.
Directions: Cook turkey with cumin, salt, and pepper until browned. Blend avocado, lime juice, and Greek yogurt into a smooth crema. Build tacos: tortilla, turkey, butter lettuce, sliced radishes, crema on top. That’s it. Genuinely SO fast.
Nutrition (per serving, serves 4): 430 calories | 28g protein | 32g carbs | 19g fat
5. Spring Onion and Goat Cheese Frittata
Ingredients: 8 large eggs, 4 spring onions (sliced), ¾ cup crumbled goat cheese, 1 cup baby spinach, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper.
Directions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet and sauté spring onions 2 minutes. Add spinach until wilted. Pour in eggs, scatter goat cheese on top, and cook on stovetop 3 minutes until edges set. Transfer to oven and bake 10 minutes until fully set.
Nutrition (per serving, serves 4): 290 calories | 20g protein | 4g carbs | 21g fat
6. Strawberry Spinach Salad with Grilled Salmon
Ingredients: 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each), 4 cups baby spinach, 1 cup sliced strawberries, ¼ cup sliced almonds, 2 tbsp balsamic glaze, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper.
Directions: Season salmon with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Grill 4 minutes per side. Layer spinach, strawberries, and almonds on a plate. Place salmon on top and drizzle with balsamic glaze. And yes. this one looks way fancier than the effort involved.
Nutrition (per serving, serves 4): 410 calories | 38g protein | 12g carbs | 22g fat
7. Baby Artichoke and White Bean Stew
Ingredients: 1 can (15 oz) white beans (drained), 6 baby artichoke hearts (halved), 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 2 cups vegetable broth, 2 tbsp olive oil, fresh parsley, crusty bread for serving.
Directions: Sauté garlic in olive oil 1 minute. Add artichoke hearts and cook 5 minutes until golden. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, and paprika. Simmer 20 minutes. Top with fresh parsley and serve with thick slices of crusty bread for dunking.
Nutrition (per serving, serves 4): 310 calories | 14g protein | 47g carbs | 7g fat
8. Pea Shoot and Shrimp Noodle Bowl
Ingredients: 8 oz rice noodles, 1 lb large shrimp (peeled), 2 cups pea shoots, 3 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 2 garlic cloves, 1 red chili (sliced), fresh cilantro.
Directions: Cook rice noodles per package. Whisk fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and garlic into a dressing. Pan-fry shrimp in a hot skillet 2 minutes per side. Toss noodles and pea shoots with dressing. Top with shrimp, chili slices, and cilantro.
Nutrition (per serving, serves 4): 370 calories | 29g protein | 51g carbs | 4g fat
9. Herb-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables
Ingredients: 4 bone-in chicken thighs, 1 cup snap peas, 1 bunch asparagus (trimmed), 1 cup radishes (halved), 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp fresh thyme, 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, 4 garlic cloves, salt, pepper.
Directions: Preheat oven to 425°F. Rub chicken with olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Arrange chicken and vegetables on one sheet pan. Roast 35 minutes until chicken skin is crispy and vegetables are slightly charred at the edges. One pan. Done.
Nutrition (per serving, serves 4): 480 calories | 35g protein | 14g carbs | 30g fat
What I’d Do With These Right Now
Honestly? If you’re only making ONE of these this week, go with the sheet pan chicken thighs. The vegetables roast right alongside everything and you’re done in under 40 minutes. But the frittata is a CLOSE second, it reheats beautifully, so you can make it Sunday and eat it for dinner two nights running without feeling like you’re recycling leftovers.
The real thing most spring recipe guides won’t tell you is this: don’t wait for the “perfect” farmers market haul to cook with seasonal produce. Grab whatever looks brightest at your regular grocery store RIGHT NOW. May produce doesn’t need much. a little olive oil, a little acid, real heat. That’s the whole secret.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels
