You can finally say goodbye to the long, cold night of winter and get ready to see the sun again. The spring equinox officially marks the start of the season, and with it brings a chance to create colorful, veggie-filled meals that will help you shake off those Winter blues. Break out the carrots and try this stunning tart, or go green with a soup and salad. Morels are another good way to celebrate the melting snow. Find your sunglasses, and try out our favorite spring-ready recipes.
Piles of colorful carrot ribbons—which skew more savory than sweet, thanks to a lemony coriander-flecked dressing—come out of the oven glistening and retaining some of their bite. The keys to the couldn't-be-flakier crust beneath: keeping the ingredients as cold as possible, and not overhandling the dough. Leftovers of the tart can be refrigerated and recrisped in the oven the next day. Get the recipe for Shaved Carrot Tart with Ricotta »
Ramp and Wild Greens Pesto
Fermentation revivalist Sandor Katz makes this punchy pesto to capture the essence of spring. Chickweed, a spicy herb, is his green of choice to pair with ramps, to which he adds mild herbs and sunflower seeds, but you can replace chickweed with watercress, arugula, or any other peppery green. The same goes for the ramps—this pesto works just as well with spring onions or garlic. It will keep in the fridge for a few weeks, and Katz uses it throughout the day: on grits or eggs for breakfast, slathered on sandwiches for lunch, and tossed with potatoes or pasta for dinner. Get the recipe for Ramp and Wild Greens Pesto »
Fermentation revivalist Sandor Katz makes this punchy pesto to capture the essence of spring. Chickweed, a spicy herb, is his green of choice to pair with ramps, to which he adds mild herbs and sunflower seeds, but you can replace chickweed with watercress, arugula, or any other peppery green. The same goes for the ramps—this pesto works just as well with spring onions or garlic. It will keep in the fridge for a few weeks, and Katz uses it throughout the day: on grits or eggs for breakfast, slathered on sandwiches for lunch, and tossed with potatoes or pasta for dinner. Get the recipe for Ramp and Wild Greens Pesto »
As ethereal as its origins, this unusual, chilled summer soup is a specialty at the Singular Patagonia, an otherworldly hotel that borders Sena Última Esperanza (or Last Hope Sound). It's made velvety and rich by the local avocados, which are called paltas. Get the recipe for Avocado Soup »
This grilled chicken dish is the Holy Trinity of weeknight cooking: delicious, quick, and made from easy-to-find ingredients. Get the recipe for Honey-Grilled Chicken with Citrus Salad »
Sliced, grilled vegetables served in a simple marinade or vinaigrette are a fixture at many Tuscan meals. Get the recipe for Grilled Eggplant With Basil Vinaigrette »
As is true in much of northern Europe, pickles are very traditional in Danish cooking. "In many classic dishes, cucumbers are thinly sliced and pickled in a sweet-sour brine, then served as a side to fried meats like chicken," says Copenhagen chef Niclas Grønhøj Møller. Instead of using a brine to season his cucumbers, he salts them heavily and squeezes them with lemon, giving them a pickly saltiness and slight acidity. Get the recipe for Salted Cucumber Salad »
Richard Kuo of New York City's Pearl & Ash uses preserved lemon, a Moroccan staple, to brighten this simple spring dish. Get the recipe for Morels with Mint, Peas, and Shallot »
Grilled Calçots and Asparagus with Romesco Sauce
These tender Spanish green onions, always served with Romesco sauce, are a classic springtime treat. Get the recipe for Grilled Calçots and Asparagus with Romesco Sauce »
Chef José Andrés likes to cook these calçots, here served with asparagus, in the traditional manner: in a newspaper. The newspaper traps in steam from the cooling calçots, making them more tender and soaking up any excess oil. These tender Spanish green onions, always served with Romesco sauce, are a classic springtime treat. Get the recipe for Grilled Calçots and Asparagus with Romesco Sauce »
Homemade ravioli is a great weekend project recipe. Make them on a Sunday and freeze them for the week ahead; you can pop them directly in the boiling water from the freezer—they'll just need an extra minute or so to cook. Get the recipe for Spring Pea Ravioli with Prosciutto & Pea Shoots »
Brilliantly green and vibrantly flavored, this simple parsley soup--garnished with fiery fresh-grated horseradish--is the perfect first course for a Passover seder feast. Get the recipe for Cream of Parsley Soup with Fresh Horseradish »
The sweetness of cherries balances the saltiness of halloumi in this simple summer salad, perfect for a side or a main dish. Get the recipe for Grilled Halloumi and Cherry Salad »
Spinach, Chive, and Yogurt Soup with Grilled Scallions
Spinach, Chive, and Yogurt Soup with Grilled Scallions
This tangy chilled soup is topped with charred scallions. Get the recipe for Spinach, Chive, and Yogurt Soup with Grilled Scallions »
These floral, buttery noodles from chef Antonia Klugmann at L'Argine a Vencò can be infused using either fresh or dried flowers. Steep the flowers in the butter and pasta cooking water in advance if desired, and reheat when ready to use. Any tubular pasta like bucatini or spaghetti, cooked al dente, will work. Get the recipe for Spaghettoni with Jasmine, Saffron, and Chamomile »
A fragrant mix of oyster sauce, cilantro, and ginger pulls double duty here as both a marinade and dipping sauce for lamb rib chops. Get the recipe for Grilled Lamb Chops with Ginger Sauce »
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