30 Light and Bright Spring Dinner Recipes

My all-time favorite spring dinner recipes: bright salads, fresh sandwiches for a crowd, herbed sauces, and lots of weeknight goodness.

Spring is in the air – I can feel it! My weekly dinner menus are slowly changing from soups and stews to salads and bowls filled with lots of color.

This is the only list you need as we head into warmer, sunnier weather! ☀️ Some of my all-time favorite dinner recipes for spring are here: bright salads, easy sandwiches for a crowd, herby sauces and dressings, and plenty of weeknight goodness (because spring is BUSY too!).

I hope you find a new favorite dinner!

Spring Dinner Recipes

Crunchy Kale Salad with Roasted Peanuts

OOOH BABY, this salad is so good! Crunchy kale and collards, fresh herbs and Fresno peppers, chopped peanuts and a perfect roasted peanut dressing that slips into every nook and cranny of the salad.

Turkey sandwich and sun-dried tomato focaccia

Soft sun-dried tomato focaccia is filled with pesto mayonnaise, turkey, juicy tomato slices and greens. This sandwich is a beauty and practically a lifestyle!

Spring Roll Bowls with Sweet Garlic-Lime Sauce

Spring Roll Bowls – basil, mint, rice noodles, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and whatever other proteins and veggies you have on hand! Easy to make without meat!

Salmon Tacos with Mango-Corn Salsa

Super easy salmon tacos loaded with a mango, sweet corn, and cucumber salsa!

Avocado, sweet potato and chicken mojo bowls

We’re living our best bowling life this week. Seasoned sweet potato wedges and chicken meatballs or roasted chicken, all piled on a plate with a little puddle of punchy green avocado mojo sauce. Yes, wow, repeat.

Crunchy miso salad

Shredded cabbage and kale, shrimp, avocado, cilantro and chili-flavored peanuts, and the perfect sweet miso dressing.

Orange-Cilantro Chicken with Rice and Beans

This Golden Orange Cilantro Chicken is so flavorful, crispy to perfection and browned to perfection, and just so finger licking good! Served with rice, beans and a quick homemade pineapple salsa.

Ginger Chicken Meatball Sandos

Golden chicken meatballs with toppings like cucumbers, shallots, kewpie mayonnaise, mint, a little chili crisp and fresh cilantro to make the ultimate chicken sando!

Liz’s Bistro Salad

Crunchy, light, bright and ultra fresh. This French-inspired bistro salad is an absolute star as a side to almost any dinner. Tender greens, fresh herbs, pickled onions and a delicate vinaigrette on top.

Chipotle Orange Shrimp and Cilantro Rice

Chipotle orange shrimp and cilantro rice! Tender shrimp in a sweet, smoky cream sauce, topped with cilantro-flecked rice and accompanied by tangy cucumbers.

Harissa Meatballs with Whipped Feta

These Harissa and Whipped Feta Meatballs are perfect for an easy SOS dinner! Store-bought meatballs, peppers, zucchini, harissa and whipped feta all in one bowl. DELICIOUS!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Lime Dip

These lettuce wraps are a SUMMER DREAM. Mountains of crispy, crumbled ground chicken, fluffy quinoa and/or rice for extra satisfaction, and vegetables sautéed with garlic and ginger in crispy butter lettuce leaves.

Elote-style quinoa salad

Elote Quinoa Salad made with velvety candied peppers, juicy sweet corn, homemade vinaigrette, cotija cheese, lime and spices. Perfect for summer and so, so good!

Shrimp Risotto with Pesto and Parmesan

Tender, juicy shrimp marinated in garlic, brushed with a bright pesto sauce and topped with a creamy Parmesan risotto with fresh tomatoes and herbs sprinkled all over. Wow wow wow! Dive in now!

Bucatini with garlic cream, peas and asparagus

It truly is a wonderful spring gem! Bucatini noodles in a creamy garlic-infused sauce and wrapped around pieces of buttered asparagus and peas. SO GOOD!

Spring salmon with leek cream, potatoes and asparagus

We’re bringing you a plate of sunshine for dinner! Perfectly browned salmon, accompanied by oven-roasted asparagus and a rich, creamy, buttery leek sauce, topped with crispy potatoes.

Red Chili Chicken and Creamy Corn Tacos

These red chile chicken tacos are always on our minds! Lightly pan-seared corn tortillas stuffed with tender chicken and a filling of red chili pinto bean sauce, heaps of creamy corn salsa and tangy house-pickled red onions. YUM!

Olivier’s salad

We offer you the most beautiful salad inspired by Oliver’s restaurant in Minnesota. Tender salmon, flavorful peppers and preserved garlic, buttery avocado chunks, fire-roasted corn, bacon bits and a river of house-smoked ranch dressing.

5-Ingredient Lemon Chicken and Asparagus

Juicy seared chicken with peppery flavors of lemon and tender bites of asparagus with a honey butter sauce. A bright, fresh 5-ingredient dinner on the table in 20 minutes!

Delicious salmon burgers with coleslaw

These salmon burgers are THE MOST DELICIOUS! and prepared with just five ingredients. Best for a quick and easy, protein-rich lunch or dinner.

Easy Slow Cooker Carnitas

These are the easiest slow cooker carnitas and simple enough for everyone to make! Juicy, flavorful and perfectly browned with a crispy crust.

Crispy chicken cutlets

Hot, crunchy, salty and requiring a little sauce! These crispy chicken cutlets are a winner at dinner time.

Chipotle Salmon with Orange Salsa and Aji Verde

Sweet and smoky chipotle salmon topped with fresh orange salsa and creamy aji verde! An easy and delicious, restaurant-style salmon dinner.

Crispy Smashed Potato Salad

Pickle salad, crispy potatoes, and creamy ranch – this smashed potato salad is the perfect summer combo!

Sheet pan shrimp and cabbage rice

This Sheet Pan Shrimp and Slaw Rice is the easiest sheet pan dinner! Shrimp, peas, cauliflower rice, seasonings and pesto Rosso sauce all come together in one pan for a delicious spring meal.

Spicy Peanut Soba Noodle Salad

This Spicy Peanut Soba Noodle Salad features red peppers, cabbage, chicken, soba noodles, and a quick homemade spicy peanut sauce. Salads don’t get much more delicious than this.

Rainbow Chicken Salad with Almond-Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

Tender chicken, plump grapes and berries, crisp lettuce, tangy feta cheese, crunchy almonds and the real star: the mustard-honey-almond vinaigrette! Eat the rainbow and be happy, my friends!

Pineapple Pork and Coconut Rice

Sticky pork, juicy pineapple, fresh herbs, jalapeño and crispy onions, all served on a bed of fluffy coconut rice. SO GOOD!

Amazing Mushroom Bowls with Kale Pesto

Amazing Mushroom Bowls with Kale Pesto! Smoky and sweet and savory mushrooms (or tempeh!), caramelized pineapple, peppers and a dollop of kale pesto, all served over rice.

The Best Tinga Chicken Tacos

These Chicken Tinga Tacos are THE BEST! Tasty, spicy sauce, true culinary perfection.