Brighten-Up Your Spring Menu with These Healthy Dinner Recipes (2024)

Chickpea Alfredo with Spring Veggies

You'd never guess this homemade sauce that tastes remarkably like the cheesy Alfredo at your favorite Italian spot is entirely vegan. That's all thanks to the blend of cashews and chickpea flour. The seasonal asparagus, pea, and spinach fettuccine are also smart when you opt for gluten-free noodles. That way, it's completely dairy-, meat-, and wheat-free.

Paleo Pork-Rhubarb Skillet

Pep up the popular combo of pork and apples with slices of rhubarb and fresh sage leaves for this healthy spring dinner idea. This 30-minute meal kicks calories and gluten to the curb with a side of cauliflower "couscous" instead of its pasta cousin.

Chicken, Macaroni, and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese that's healthy? Count us in! Spinach season hits its stride in April, so make the most of the cool-weather green plus cherry tomatoes in this protein-packed healthy spring dinner idea. A small serving satisfies when you mix the multigrain noodles with chicken breast and reduced-fat cheese sauce.

Chicken Andouille-Stuffed Peppers with Roasted Green Beans

May through September, fresh green beans are ripe for the picking (and roasting!). Celebrate spring's first bean harvest with this sausage and rice-stuffed pepper meal that comes together on the same baking pan.

Deviled Egg Salad

Bacon and eggs go beyond breakfast in this healthy spring dinner idea that gets an extra seasonal spin from the homemade tarragon and dill vinaigrette. It's the perfect partner for the dill-seasoned deviled egg filling.

Soy-Glazed Flank Steak with Blistered Green Beans

Green beans get an Asian-inspired treatment in this wok-made wonder that's loaded with flavor from ginger, garlic, soy, chili paste, and more. Pile the seared steak and sautéed beans on a bed of brown rice to complete the takeout-inspired healthy spring dinner idea.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Here's a fancy, yet simple way to use canned tuna at home for a delicious, healthy spring dinner. Haricot verts (those long and skinny green beans) and shaved radishes give this quick and easy tuna salad a springtime makeover. Instead of croutons, try olives and capers for a briny bonus.

Three Onion Alphabet Soup

Leeks, green onions, peas, and Vidalia onions. All these delightful in-season veggies help this chicken broth alphabet soup scream, "spring!" Top each bowl with a cheesy toast for a French onion soup-inspired crown.

Roasted Asparagus, Fish, and Bay Leaves

With just 200 calories for a substantial serving of fish, asparagus, and tomatoes, this easy sheet-pan dinner is as light and refreshing as a spring sunrise. Even better news? You'll have enough room for a slice of strawberry-rhubarb cheesecake for dessert.

Buy It: Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet Pan ($13, Target)

Spring Green Fried Rice

Fried rice that helps hit the veggie quota for the day? Absolutely! Peas, edamame, and cabbage (along with brown rice instead of white rice) make this spring meal way more nutritious than takeout.

Creamy Spring Vegetables & Smoked Trout

If you thought seafood recipes with the word "creamy" in the title couldn't be healthy, think again. This mouthwatering healthy spring dinner recipe features seasonal carrots, mushrooms, and peas in a buttery sauce for less than 300 calories per serving. Not a fan of trout? Simply swap it out for smoked salmon or high-quality tuna.

Crispy Tofu "Stir-Fry"

The beautiful thing about tofu is that it can take on the flavor of anything you add. In this case, the plant-based protein gets seasoned with a sweet-and-tangy combo of honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and ginger. Then it gets nice and crispy in your air fryer with fresh veggies for an impressive healthy spring dinner idea

Pizza Primavera

Yes, you can still eat pizza as part of a heart-healthy diet. Showcase all the fresh produce that spring has to offer with these skinny vegetable pizzas. Bell peppers, mushrooms, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and asparagus top whole wheat flatbreads for a satisfying dinner that is ready in minutes.

Test Kitchen Tip: Tortillas will work just as well if you don't have any flatbreads on hand.

Rosemary and Ravioli Chicken Soup

Fresh rosemary begins to sprout in spring and contributes light, aromatic life to poultry dishes. Use it to flavor this fast and filling soup recipe packed with shortcut ingredients like purchased roasted chicken and refrigerated spinach ravioli. (Translation: Those sped-up steps leave more time for you to enjoy the beautiful weather!)

Spaghetti with Seared Asparagus

Wait! Don't drain off all the pasta cooking water. Instead, save a cup to thicken the sauce for this garlicky healthy vegetarian spring dinner idea. Snag a stash of whatever color asparagus looks best at your market (verdant green, mild white, or sweet purple stalks all work well here).

Succotash Salad with Buttermilk-Avocado Dressing

If you have the pleasure of finding fresh lima beans while they're in peak season, make this delicious healthy spring recipe. Avocado and buttermilk combine in a super-creamy dressing to drizzle on this spring salad. A small amount of high-impact ingredients like bacon and crumbled blue cheese makes a big difference and provides restaurant-worthy results.

White Bean Tuna Salad

Pearly cannellini beans and delicate shreds of tuna make a protein-packed duo in this leafy spring salad. Shake up your own dressing using vinegar, oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. A squeeze of lemon adds extra spring freshness to this 20-minute, no-cooking-required meal.

Lemon-Thyme Roasted Chicken with Fingerlings

Two spring favorites (fresh thyme and tiny new potatoes) come together in this healthy spring dinner that's one of our top-rated chicken dinner recipes. The herb assists small slices of lemon in flavoring juicy seared chicken breasts.

Chops and Pineapple with Chili Slaw

With vitamin-rich chili slaw and in-season pineapple, this grilled pork dinner offers a lot to love. Look for the candy-sweet fruit at its peak March through July.

Tarragon Shrimp with Easiest-Ever Risotto

Skip the dried stuff and flavor the marinade in this healthy spring meal with a tablespoon of fresh tarragon. The in-season herb adds brightness to grilled shrimp and pairs well with a simple side of creamy rice and peas.

Garlicky Asparagus Flatbread

With asparagus and yellow squash as the toppings for this vegetarian pizza, it's the ideal cheesy dinner recipe to serve during that transition from spring to summer. Celebrate the sweet arrival of even more daylight by drizzling a bit of honey (or hot honey) on top of each slice.

Buy It: Mike's Hot Honey ($10, Target)

Roasted Beet Salad with Shredded Greens, Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

Rosemary-seasoned beets are tender and full of antioxidants. Mix in golden raisins and Manchego cheese for a mouthwatering health spring dinner idea.

Tip: Add slices of grilled steak, pork, or chicken to please heartier appetites.