Alongside its plentiful spring blooms and warmer days, the month of May brings a lot of small culinary delights to get excited about, like lighting up your grill after a long winter season or simply getting an early preview of all the gorgeous produce that awaits us in the summer months.
For all your May cooking adventures, we rounded up all the spring and early summer-approved dishes that have caught our eyes lately — all so you can cook your way through the month day by day.
1.Thai Green Curry With Spring Vegetables
Fresh carrots and asparagus cook until they’re tender and tangy in this green coconut milk-based curry. It’s easy enough for a laid-back weeknight dinner and so much easier on the wallet than takeout.
Cookie and Kate / Via cookieandkate.com
2.Shortcut TJ’s Tikka Masala Meatballs
“On my last Trader Joe’s run, I was inspired by fellow BuzzFeeder Hannah Loewentheil’s genius “no-recipe” recipe for Tikka Masala Meatballs, with a little help from TJ’s surprisingly delicious tikka masala simmer sauce.
It’s as simple as making your favorite go-to meatballs (Hannah loves Pinch of Yum’s Anytime Baked Meatballs) and simmering them in the pre-made sauce. Paired with a springy vegetable of your choosing, like sautéed haricot verts, it’s a vibrant, springy dinner that certainly doesn’t taste like your standard “shortcut” meal.”
—Ross Yoder
Ross Yoder
Sipping on this Mangonada will give you a head start on summer if you’re eagerly anticipating those warm beach days. Also called a Mango Chamoyada, this Mexican blended mango drink balances sweet, spicy, and tart for something incredibly refreshing.
Recipe: Mangonada
Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com
A bit of tahini adds nutty creaminess to the sauce, while a coating of cornstarch makes the extra-firm tofu in this dish cook up to be nice and crispy. Serve with fluffy white rice or the grain of your choice, and enjoy!
Recipe: Sesame Tofu With Broccoli
Note: This recipe comes from Bon Appétit, which may require a subscription. If you can’t access the link above, you can find a similar recipe here.
Bon Appétit / Via bonappetit.com
A clear standout recipe from Alyse Whitney’s brand-new cookbook Big Dip Energy, this Caesar salad dip might just win the award for Most Genius Use of Lettuce: one head of romaine gets blitzed up in the cool and creamy dip, and the other gets chopped up into handheld pieces for lettuce “chips.” I’ve never met a soul who didn’t love Caesar salad and party dips; combine the two, and you’ve got culinary magic worth serving any dinner guests this spring.
Recipe: Caesar Salad Dip
Andrew Bui / Styling: Nick Torres / Props: Casha Doemland / Via harpercollins.com
Grab pork tenderloin, prosciutto, and whatever spring veggies you like best (like zucchini and asparagus) to whip up this colorful main dish in no time.
Recipe: Primavera Pork Tenderloin
The Endless Meal / Via theendlessmeal.com
8.Arugula and Pea Pasta with Burrata
“I was a die-hard pea hater before I came across Hailee Catalano’s arugula and pea pasta. Not only is it wildly delicious, but unlike most meat-free pasta sauces, it actually keeps you full. I’ll even swap the arugula for spinach if it’s wilting in the back of my fridge. Serving with burrata is definitely optional, but I wouldn’t skip it if I were you.”
—Claudia Santos
Claudia Santos
Not one but two kinds of radishes add delightful pops of color to this vibrant spring salad. Serve it as a side at Mother’s Day brunch, or make it to offset a more decadent main course for dinner.
Recipe: Bright Spring Salad
Love and Lemons / Via loveandlemons.com
10.Spinach And Artichoke Pan Pizza
Tender artichokes and spinach pesto go so well with melty mozzarella, all atop a Foccacia-inspired dough. It bakes up in a cast iron pan for a crust that’s soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Recipe: Spinach And Artichoke Pan Pizza
Smitten Kitchen / Via smittenkitchen.com
Rhubarb season is officially here, and this upside-down rye cake helps bring out all those deliciously tart flavors with some added sweetness. Trim your rhubarb to create a fun pattern for a truly showstopping dessert.
Recipe: Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
A Cozy Kitchen / Via acozykitchen.com
12.Spring Chicken Parmesan with Tuscan Kale Pesto
13.Falafel & Feta Stuffed Peppers
Filled to the brim with a falafel-inspired mixture of chickpeas, fresh herbs, and spices (and creamy feta, for good measure), these stuffed peppers are anything but ordinary. Once baked, any leftovers will keep well in the fridge for tomorrow’s lunch; after a quick spin in the microwave, toaster oven, or air fryer, you’ll have a filling and flavorful lunch ready in no time.
Recipe: Falafel & Feta Stuffed Peppers
Nosh with Micah / Via noshwithmicah.com
14.Brown Butter Blueberry Crumble with Pistachios
Fresh herbs and veggies make a gorgeous green base for this springtime take on shakshuka. Add crushed red peppers or Aleppo pepper flakes if you like it spicy, and serve with crusty bread and feta cheese.
Recipe: Green Shakshuka
Feel Good Foodie / Via feelgoodfoodie.net
This ain’t your average pesto. With plenty of bright, citrusy goodness from both lemon juice and zest, I’d argue that this is the zingiest, springiest pesto you’ve ever tried. Frankly, it’s an A+ meal on its own, but you can go the extra mile by serving it alongside some grilled chicken or shrimp with a crisp green salad.
Recipe: Creamy Lemon Pesto Pasta
Home Cooking Collective / Via homecookingcollective.com
Serve this coconut curry shrimp over vermicelli noodles or rice or alongside a big green salad. You might even prefer it to your usual Thai take-out.
Recipe: Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry
Skinny Taste / Via skinnytaste.com
“Earlier this week, on our first warm evening here in NYC, I had some friends over for takeout pizza and homemade strawberry spoon cake with ice cream…AKA the only dessert that I genuinely enjoy making. With its custardy center, crackly edges, and abundance of succulent strawberry goodness, it’s the one dessert that’s practically synonymous with spring and summer for me, and it also just so happens to be ridiculously simple to whip together.”
—Ross Yoder
Recipe: Strawberry Spoon Cake
Note: This recipe comes from NYT Cooking, which requires a subscription to access. If you don’t have one, you can find a similar recipe here.
Ross Yoder
19.Crispy Falafel Bowls With Beets And Arugula
This cheesy, creamy, and spicy dish is sure to be a hit at your next barbecue or potluck; plus, it’s pretty simple to whip up any time you’re craving some comfort food. The recipe calls for scotch bonnet peppers, but you can swap in jalapeños instead to make it a little milder.
Recipe: Trinidad Corn Pie
African Bites / Via africanbites.com
Nothing screams spring like a big bowl of seafood pasta. Use whatever shellfish you can get your hands on, like shrimp, scallops, mussels, or clams — or all of them!
Recipe: Seafood Pasta
Well Plated / Via wellplated.com
23.One-Pot Brothy Beans with Parmesan, Peas, and Lemon
Soup season might be coming to an end, but no one’s saying you can’t explore “brothy” dishes. This vegetarian-friendly meal packs in creamy white beans and plenty of spring veggies (like peas and asparagus) for a one-pot dinner that’s warm and soothing — and best served with a hunk of crusty bread.
Home Cooking Collective / Via homecookingcollective.com
This herbaceous floral cocktail has everything you love about spring in a glass. If you end up with extra lavender syrup, use it in lemonade or a latte, or keep it simple and top it with soda water for a refreshing mocktail.
Recipe: Lavender Collins Cocktail
A Couple Cooks / Via acouplecooks.com
25.Pastelitos de Guayaba (Guava Pastelitos)
26.Baked Sage Chicken Meatballs with Parmesan Orzo
27.Halibut With Salsa Verde and Grapefruit
These small but decadent Egyptian butter cookies use only three ingredients and no fancy equipment. The secret here is ghee to achieve that soft, delicate texture.
Recipe: Egyptian Ghorayebah
The Mediterranean Dish / Via themediterraneandish.com
29.Seared Scallops and Lemon Parmesan Risotto
30.Vegan Lentil Burgers With Avocado Sauce
If you cook your red lentils ahead of time, then you can have these vegan patties ready in just 20 minutes. Sriracha and paprika give them a little kick, while cilantro and scallions add herby freshness. Smother it all in a creamy avocado sauce, and you’ve got yourself a delicious and nourishing veggie burger.
Vegan Blueberry / Via veganblueberry.com
Tell us which recipes you’re excited to cook this month in the comments below! 👇
Signup bonus from
