A change of seasons means a fresh lineup of produce, and with warm weather on the horizon, we’re so eager to hit our local farmers market again. Dig your giant tote bag out of storage and lace up your comfiest sneakers: We’re buying all the in-season fruits and vegetables we can find and putting them on display with the following seven spring dinners. Read on for ideas, ranging from an unexpected noodle salad to potato chip-crusted chicken.
Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (March 27 – April 2)
Shopping List
Produce
6 cloves garlic
2 lemons
2 ounces sugar snap peas
1 pound baby new potatoes
2 Meyer lemons
2 red chiles
4 ounces shishito or poblano peppers
2 Persian cucumbers
8 ounces strawberries
1 pint wild mushrooms
14 ounces green peas
1 ounce watercress
2 ounces arugula
1 large leek
14 ounces broccolini
3½ ounces baby spinach
2 bunches dill
2 bunches parsley
2 bunches scallions
3 bunches mint
1 bunch cilantro
2 bunches asparagus
1 large bunch dandelion greens
1 bunch thyme
Meat
4 ounces prosciutto
4 skin-on salmon fillets (about 8 ounces each)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
Dairy
2 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese
6 ounces burrata cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
3 ounces Parmesan cheese
34 ounces whole milk
8 thick slices fresh mozzarella, unsalted
5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
9 ounces ricotta cheese
Grains
Crostini or crackers, for serving
8 ounces soba noodles
1 loaf whole-wheat sourdough bread
16 ounces dried macaroni
Canned and Packaged Goods
10 ounces frozen peas
3 ounces hazelnuts
3 ounces kettle-style potato chips
1¾ ounces slivered almonds
2 sheets store-bought puff pastry
White miso
Pantry Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic salt, paprika, onion powder, rice wine vinegar, sugar, toasted sesame oil, mustard, all-purpose flour, cayenne, garlic powder
Tuesday: Joanna Gaines’s Weeknight Salmon with Baby New Potatoes and Dill
Speaking of dill, the herb totally transforms this easy-as-pie sheet pan meal. Each serving of salmon and spuds contains a whopping 49 grams of protein, so you’ll stay full until dessert. (There’s always room for that, no?)
Wednesday: Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Strawberries
A make-ahead dish for eight, ready in 20 minutes flat? Believe it, friend. Once the noodles are cooked and the shishitos are grilled, all that’s left to do is make the pantry staple-filled dressing and toss everything together.
Thursday: Spring Panzanella Salad
Friday: Potato Chip-Crusted Chicken with Arugula Pesto
Once your picky kid finds out this dinner stars crushed kettle-cooked potato chips and melty mozzarella cheese, they’ll suddenly have an appetite. Pro tip: Turn the leftover cutlets into sandwiches, served on pretzel buns with extra arugula pesto.
Saturday: Greens Mac and Cheese
Sunday: Asparagus, Pea and Ricotta Tarts
Thanks to store-bought puff pastry, these handhelds are a breeze to prepare, despite their fancy appearance. Serve them with a side salad or spring soup. (Might we suggest pea soup with fresh mint?)
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.