There's always room for a new twist on roast chicken and this is perfect for a lighter springtime meal. The recipe uses a warming paprika rub on the chicken, and the bird is served with zingy ginger, garlic and watercress mayo. It's guaranteed to have everyone coming back for seconds.
Get the recipe for roast chicken with ginger mayonnaise here
When that spring sunshine is hiding behind a cloud, bring a bit of brightness indoors with this colourful carrot soup. A mixture of carrots, potatoes, sweet paprika and stock, this is a quick and easy soup that's brought to life with a dash of lemon juice, a sprinkling of grated Parmesan and fragrant basil.
Give traditional shakshuka a spring update by swapping tomatoes and peppers for greens like asparagus and pointed cabbage. While you might think of shakshuka as a breakfast or brunch dish, it makes for an incredible dinner too.
Elevate a sausage bake with the addition of new season asparagus and juicy vine tomatoes. You can easily adapt this dish for different dietary requirements – swap out the sausages for meaty portobello mushrooms for a vegetarian or vegan option.
Inspired by Indian street food aloo chaat (fried, spiced potatoes), this baby new potato dish sings with flavour. Beautiful to look at, it also packs a punch when it comes to flavour – there's the slightly tangy chaat masala spice mix, heat from green chilli, sweet-sour tamarind dressing and a refreshing coriander chutney.
Bright and zingy, the combination of fish, coriander and lemon is a classic, but this recipe takes it a step further and incorporates an irresistible tahini sauce. Super quick for a midweek dinner, the fish dish takes just 20 minutes to make from start to finish. You could use any other meaty white fish like sea bass, halibut or salmon.
The delicate, sweet and nutty taste of artichokes, combined with a fragrant honey and rosemary glaze, complements the meat perfectly. It's an excellent dish for when you want to show off a little without too much effort – just make sure to use good-quality artichokes in oil.
Get the recipe for lamb steaks with artichokes and cabbage here
Packing plenty of flavour with minimal effort, a good risotto should be in every home cook's repertoire. This springtime dish combines peas, prawns and courgette for an irresistible dinner classic, and it's on the table in just over half an hour. It freezes well and requires minimal washing up too.
Get the recipe for prawn, pea and courgette risotto here
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Salty bacon and meaty white fish is an age-old combination that always works. Here, the bacon-wrapped cod is paired with the sweet burst of garden peas and leeks, and earthy potatoes. A squeeze of lemon lifts the whole dish. You could use new potatoes in this recipe to make it even more seasonal.
Get the recipe for bacon-wrapped cod with peas, leeks and potatoes here
A zingy chicken recipe that doesn't require hours of marinating, this dish combines a sour tang from the citrus, a good thwack of jalapeño for heat and honey for stickiness. It's important to baste the chicken while cooking so it develops the sticky glaze and stays moist.
Grilled avocados taste terrific, especially when combined with other spring vegetables in a light salad. We love them paired with crunchy broccoli, charred carrots, roasted tomatoes, wild rice and a creamy tahini dressing. It's a great way of using avocados that are not quite soft enough to mash onto toast and any leftovers will do nicely for lunch the next day.
We can't imagine a better meal to enjoy on a cool spring day than this herby broth with lamb meatballs. And unlike a lot of soups, this one doesn't need hours to cook and reduce. Studded with sweet sugar snap peas, the broth is best served alongside savoury and nutty grains such as quinoa or pearl barley. It works well with pasta such as orzo or linguine too.
Get the recipe for lamb meatballs in pea and herb broth here
As we approach tomato season, there are many ways to showcase this beautiful ingredient other than a garden salad. This elegant tart combines heirloom tomatoes and courgettes in a colourful spectacle. Be generous with the salt and pepper as proper seasoning really brings out the bold flavour of tomatoes.
Have a forgotten jar of horseradish lying around the fridge? While plenty of people will have it to hand for their roast meats, horseradish sauce is also a great flavour match with smoked fish – try the combination in this smoked salmon fish cakes recipe. Make a double batch and freeze the rest for later.
An excellent way to use up stale bread and leftover herbs, this take on schnitzel uses chicken, though you could easily substitute it for turkey, lamb or pork. The dish pairs perfectly with a fresh green salad – or new potatoes if you fancy something more substantial.
Butterflied leg of lamb is a great option for a roast joint on a smaller scale, especially if you pick a smaller leg. The rich lamb is complemented by a zingy salsa verde made with anchovies, capers and herbs.
An explosion of flavour and colour, this wonderful wild rice, kale and pistachio salad will add extra oomph to the dinner table. The occasional sweetness from raisins and piquant saltiness from the sun-dried tomatoes adds interest to a base of grains and greens. It's a filling dish on its own or great served alongside chicken or turkey.
Our riff on a takeaway classic, this fried rice recipe incorporates sweet, crunchy cabbage, succulent tiger prawns and heady, fragrant garlic. It's also an excellent way to use up leftover rice and it won’t take longer than 20 minutes to make.
This speedy pasta recipe is a winning midweek dinner. The dish uses frozen spinach, which offers a much greater depth of flavour than fresh, and orecchiette is the perfect vessel for catching the creamy sauce. For a final flourish, drizzle the dish with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle over grated Parmesan.
A spicy hot smoked salmon filling complements cream cheese pastry perfectly in this quiche recipe. The secret to a perfectly smooth texture is to beat the double cream and the eggs until they foam and don't over-bake – there should still be a little wobble in the centre when you take it out of the oven.
Marinated chicken skewers and zingy apple chutney are a match made in culinary heaven. Using Greek yogurt in the marinade gives the meat a lovely crust when cooked and the chutney is a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your meal.
Get the recipe for chicken skewers with apple and pea chutney here
Spanish tortilla with new potatoes, courgette, peas and broad beans is perfect for a light supper on a warm evening, served with green salad. The leftovers (if there are any) will keep well in the fridge for lunch the next day.
Get the recipe for courgette, pea and broad bean tortilla here
For these grown-up seafood tacos, prawns are cooked in a spicy bloody mary-inspired sauce with vodka, tomato juice, celery salt and Tabasco. The mixture brings out the natural sweetness of the prawns and balances the crispness of the celeriac slaw, which is also piled into soft flour tortillas. Perfect for a fun Friday night dinner with plenty of kick.
A simple and light salad for warm days, the peanut butter, fish sauce and lime dressing is irresistible. Plus shop-bought crispy fried onions add a pleasing contrasting texture to the crunchy lettuce leaves and soft-boiled eggs.
Everyone needs a go-to recipe for fritters that can be served on their own, with a green salad or maybe even with pan-fried bacon, smoked salmon or a poached egg. This zingy recipe incorporates springtime favourites like garden peas and can be kept in the fridge for up to two days.
Get the recipe for mint, pea, spinach and chia fritters here
If the weather permits, fire up the grill and take your cooking outside. Meaty tuna is an especially great fish for putting on the barbecue and tastes incredible when paired with a refreshing vegetable vinaigrette. Don't have outdoor space? You can still cook it in the oven or pan-fry, but the final flavour won't be as charred and smoky.
Colourful and nutrient-rich, this salad is fantastic for brightening up the dinner table. If you're short on time, use ready-cooked beetroot. Its earthy flavour pairs fantastically well with zingy orange segments and oily smoked mackerel.
Get the recipe for smoked mackerel, orange and beetroot salad here
This chuck-it-all-in kind of recipe might seem a little heavy for spring but courgettes and aubergines offer plenty of balance to hearty lentils. Ideal when you're craving something warm and a bit more nourishing, it's great to have up your sleeve for easy midweek dinners.
There is much debate over the correct way to make a salade Niçoise, but it should always be crunchy and vibrant. This version definitely delivers with juicy tomatoes, perfectly gooey egg yolks and salty anchovy fillets. It's also a lot more filling than you might think.
Get the recipe for classic salade Niçoise here
A delicious combo of warm seared steak atop a cool salad, this Vietnamese dish is bursting with flavour. The meat is cut into smaller pieces to properly soak up the flavours of the marinade, made with garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and pepper. Once flash-fried, the cubed steak is immediately added to the salad greens so the leaves wilt slightly and the meat juices mix with the dressing to make a tangy sauce.
This easy, flavourful dish is perfect for a quick midweek dinner. Sticky, sweet salmon is roasted with four types of spring greens: Tenderstem broccoli, asparagus, sugar snap peas and frozen peas. Even if you're cooking for two, make the full quantity and enjoy any leftovers for lunch the next day. Serve with rice or quick-cook noodles.
The perfect springtime roast, this recipe uses just five ingredients and although there's little preparation and cooking time, it seriously delivers on flavour. Got any leftovers? Slice the lamb and create a warm salad with asparagus, peas and new potatoes.
Potato salad gets a makeover with pea shoots, radishes, sugar snap peas and asparagus in this refreshing recipe. The vegetables are tossed in a creamy dressing which has a lovely kick of horseradish, a little tang from vinegar and the sweetness of honey. Add a can of rinsed cannellini beans to make it more substantial or serve as a side to grilled meat.
Get the recipe for asparagus, new potato and radish salad here
A quick and easy meal, this recipe combines crowd-pleasing salmon with a creative pine nut, caper and saffron salsa. It's ready in less than an hour but make sure you properly crisp up the salmon skin as it'll add extra texture and flavour to the dish.
Get the recipe for pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa here
A lighter-than-usual fish pie is well-suited for spring evenings when you fancy something comforting. The sauce uses semi-skimmed milk but is still creamy and silky, proving you don't always need loads of butter and full-fat milk. The filling combines sweet prawns and peas, and it's topped with crispy, crunchy filo pastry.