30 Best Spring Side Dishes (+ Easy Recipes)

When the weather gets warmer and the trees start blooming, it’s time to think about spring side dishes.

After all, spring is a time for fresh produce and lighter fare. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of delicious and healthy options to choose from.

There are crisp salads, roasted veggies, and light soups. In short, there are endless possibilities. 

You can easily find spring side dishes that complement the season.

(No matter your skill or lack thereof in the kitchen.)

It doesn’t matter if you’re hosting a brunch, a family gathering, or just making dinner.

These quick and easy side dishes are sure to satisfy. Let’s dive in. 

1. Spring Panzanella Salad

In the mood for a super-filling salad with loads of delicious flavors?

Try the spring panzanella salad. It has a little bit of everything. 

Thanks to the prosciutto and eggs, there’s plenty of protein.

There’s also a lot of good green stuff, such as asparagus, greens, chives, and peas. 

Top it off with a spicy, tangy dressing, and you’re all set.

2. Broccoli Casserole

Broccoli casserole is one of my favorite spring and summer side dishes.

It’s creamy and cheesy with a crunchy and buttery Ritz cracker topping. 

It’s like cheese-covered broccoli dialed up to 11. If you haven’t tried it, you’ve been missing out. 

3. Butter Lettuce Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Don’t you love the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture of butter lettuce? I know I do.

And it’s even better when combined with other summer veggies and a lemon vinaigrette. 

This fresh, colorful salad is a must-try for anyone who loves salads.

Like most, it’s an easy-to-make and versatile side dish for most main courses. 

4. Creamy Lemon Chicken and Asparagus Soup

Do you have a family on several different diets? Try this soup at your next potluck. 

It’s keto- and paleo-friendly, Whole-30 approved, and dairy-free. It’s not outrageously high in calories, either.

All these things make it the perfect side dish or starter for any occasion. 

5. Dressed Up Ribbon Carrots

Rainbow carrots are always a fun and colorful addition to any meal.

If you really want to wow your guests, turn them into rainbow ribbon carrots. 

This fresh and tangy side dish looks absolutely phenomenal. It’s pretty enough to be on the cover of a food magazine.

With the right tool, it isn’t hard to make either. 

(Spoiler alert: The right tool is a mandoline slicer. It works miracles.)

6. Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Spring, summer, winter, or fall, there’s never a bad time for roasted potatoes.

These have crisp skins, tender insides, and loads of garlic. 

You can have this simple side dish ready in less than an hour.

And you only need six ingredients to make it happen. 

7. Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

Whether appetizers or side dishes, stuffed mushrooms are always a big hit.

Unfortunately for vegetarians, they usually contain bacon, sausage, or ground beef. 

Not these stuffed mushrooms, though! They’re 100% vegetarian-friendly.

They’re cheesy, garlicky, earthy, and herby. With a few substitutions, you can even make them vegan. 

8. Zucchini Frittata

Here’s another fresh and fun springtime side dish.

It’s a simple, oven-baked recipe with a spectacular texture and an even better taste.

It’s also really versatile. You can use it as a filling side dish or make it the main course for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. 

Want to jazz it up and make it more elegant? Try serving it with a tall glass of Champagne or another sparkling wine.  

9. Pea and Pancetta Risotto

Pea and pancetta risotto is a mish-mash of everything. It’s sweet and salty, creamy and crunchy, and light and filling.

It’s hard to believe a nine-ingredient dish could be so complex. 

Luckily, you don’t have to believe it for that to be the truth. Try it for yourself and you’ll see what I mean. 

10. Fresh Fava Beans

I can never whip up a batch of fava beans without thinking of The Silence of the Lambs.

Don’t worry, though. You don’t have to break out a liver and nice Chianti to enjoy these beans. 

Add a little garlic, dill, salt, and sugar instead.

That’s really all it takes to make these delicious side dish that even Dr. Lecter would enjoy. 

11. Scalloped Potatoes and Carrots

My family members have always loved scalloped potatoes. It wasn’t until recently that I tried to mix the recipe up a little.

How, you ask? Why, by adding carrots, of course! 

When you think about it, scalloped potatoes and carrots go hand in hand.

The carrots take absolutely nothing away from the creamy cheesiness of the potatoes. 

On the contrary, they add texture, nutrients, color, and flavor. 

12. White Bean and Garlic Scape Dip

Do you love French onion dip? How about ranch or green onions and chives?

This white bean and garlic scape dip blows all those out of the water. And I love French onion dip. 

It requires only five ingredients plus salt and pepper and tastes out-of-this-world amazing.

Serve it with chips, crackers, baguettes, or veggies. It’s totally addictive either way. 

13. Spring Gratitude Salad

This simple salad may not look like much, but it tastes incredible.

It’s fresh, tangy, and earthy, and the mustard vinaigrette is lip-smackingly good.

14. Spicy Dandelion Greens with Garlic and Capicola

Quick, name one of your favorite spring memories from your childhood!

Did your memory involve blowing the little white puffs off dandelion heads?

If so, you aren’t alone. I’m sure we all have fond memories of blowing dandelions away in the wind.

But did you know you could eat them, too? It’s true!

Not the puffy white heads, of course, but the green bits? Absolutely!

This spicy, 30-minute recipe is a great place to start if you want to try them. 

15. Green Beans and Mushrooms

People have added many things to green beans through the years. Crispy or pearl onions, bacon, cheese, almonds, garlic, and more. 

Have you ever tried adding mushrooms to your green beans? It’s a hearty, healthy way to enjoy two veggies in one.

And they’re still just as buttery and garlicky as ever. 

16. Broccoli Cheese Soup

I’ll never forget the first time I tried broccoli cheese soup. I was about 15 and ordered it as my side dish at Chili’s.

I have no idea what the main course was because the soup stole the show. 

For years, I looked for a canned version, restaurant version, or recipe that tasted as good. I never thought I would find it.

But honestly, this recipe gets broccoli cheese soup right. 

It’s thick but not too thick, creamy, cheesy, and wonderfully rich. It flawlessly combines the flavors of garlic, cheese, broccoli, and onions.

Every bite is like a little taste of Heaven. 

If you’re a broccoli cheese soup lover like me, you’ll appreciate this recipe. 

17. Parmesan Roasted Carrots

Slightly sweet, caramelized roasted carrots are always welcome at our dinner table.

So are these totally savory, garlicky, and cheesy versions. 

These aren’t the classic, subtly sweet roasted carrots you’re used to eating.

If you like Parmesan and garlic, though, you’ll like these even more. 

18. Arugula Salad

Arugula salad is a quick and easy side salad even a kid could make.

It requires no cooking, uses few ingredients, and has a bright, zingy taste. It pairs well with just about anything. 

19. Oven-Roasted Cauliflower

Need a healthy, low-carb alternative to roasted potatoes? Check out this recipe for oven-roasted cauliflower.

It doesn’t taste like roasted potatoes, but it’s excellent in its own way. 

Plus, it’s effortless to pull together. All you’ll need is the cauliflower, some salt, pepper, paprika, and a little oil.

You can have it on the table in 35 minutes. 

20. Tomato and Cheese Stuffed Artichokes

I’ve always enjoyed artichokes. Unfortunately, other than spinach and artichoke dip, I never really knew how to cook them.

This recipe changed all of that. 

If you think stuffed peppers are good, wait until you try stuffed artichokes.

They have a robust, tomato, Italian flavor and are vegetarian and Weight Watchers-friendly. 

They’re an excellent low-calorie side dish for any occasion. 

21. Creamy Sugar Snap Peas with Bacon

Green, green, and more green! That’s what you get with this yummy, 25-minute side dish.

It’s a creamy mix of green peas, snap peas, bacon, and herbs. 

The flavor is extraordinary, and all that green has to be good for you.  

22. Gluten-Free Wild Ramp Fritters

These crunchy fritters are low in calories and carbs and perfect for snacking on the go.

They’re cheesy, gluten-free, flavorful, and fun. 

They have a fresh, wild taste that’s impossible to resist.

And you can whip them up in just 10 minutes. It’s hard to argue with a description like that. 

23. Spring Vegetable Stir-Fry

You can prepare this zesty, savory vegetable stir-fry in one pain in 20 minutes or less.

It tastes great by itself, as a side dish, or as a bed for lean protein. 

It has a saucy, garlicky, distinctly Asian flavor that’ll have you coming back for more.

Fortunately, it’s pretty healthy, so you can have seconds without feeling guilty. 

24. All Things Green and Herb Salad

This gorgeous green salad almost looks too pretty to be real.

It is, though, and it tastes as good as it looks. Stick to the recipe or tweak it to suit your tastes. 

Just be sure to throw as much green stuff into the mix as possible.

The zesty Champagne and mustard vinaigrette will do all the rest. 

25. Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Do you prefer your salads to be on the sweet and savory side?

If so, give this strawberry spinach salad a try. It’s light, fresh, juicy, and full of flavor. 

It runs the gamut of flavor profiles: sweet, tangy, earthy, savory, nutty, and more.

It has a little something for everyone who tries it. 

26. Crispy Artichoke Salad

Here’s another great recipe if you want to incorporate more artichokes into your diet.

It’s packed with fresh garden veggies, crispy, cheesy artichokes, and a bright, tangy dressing. 

It has crunch, texture, color, and flavor. Use it as a side dish or a quick and easy lunch or light dinner option. 

27. Braised Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic, Shallots, and Fresh Herbs

These herby potatoes will brighten up any meal.

They’re fun and colorful, with plenty of fresh, herby flavor and crisp skins. 

Prep work takes about 5 minutes; they’ll need another 30 to cook.

If you want a simple side dish that’s not much trouble, these potatoes are the way to go. 

28. Roasted Radishes

My whole life, I’ve eaten radishes one way: raw. I had no idea you could roast them until I discovered this recipe.

Trust me when I say you’ll want to try roasting them ASAP. 

The result is a bright red side dish that smells, looks, and tastes terrific. 

29. Buttered Sautéed Leeks

Are you a sucker for bold umami flavor? These buttered sauteed leeks are right up your alley.

They have a wonderful, earthy flavor made even better by garlic and butter. 

Plus, you can have them ready in less than 20 minutes. Talk about a quick, simple side dish! 

30. Spring Asparagus Couscous Salad

I always say I’m going to eat more couscous, and then I never do.

I think it’s because most recipes I’ve found for couscous are kind of plain. 

That’s definitely not the case with this spring asparagus couscous salad.

It’s colorful and full of garden-fresh veggies like tomatoes, asparagus, and onions. 

Crumble some feta cheese on top for extra zinginess, and voila! It’s a couscous recipe that just about anyone can enjoy.