Strolling through a farmers market and filling your basket with fresh, seasonal produce is a wonderful weekend activity. Especially in spring and summer when vegetables are at their peak freshness. You’ll find tables bursting with ingredients like asparagus, spinach, peas, mushrooms, leeks, broccoli, and more. From fresh vegetable side dish recipes to fresh salad recipes and main dishes, we’ve gathered an assortment of recipes using farmers market vegetables, all perfect for whipping up a fresh and flavorful meal.
Creamy Spring Peas
“These spring peas have a nice, fresh taste. They are a good complement to any meal.” – Tamara
Bow Ties With Chicken and Asparagus
“This is an awesome meal. It makes a lot of food. I live alone, but I love to have the leftovers to take for a healthy lunch at work during the week. The best part is, it’s really quick to make!” – Robyn
Spring Rolls
“These spring rolls are easy to make and so good.” – Melissa
Parmesan Asparagus
“This is the only way to eat asparagus! This is asparagus tossed in a garlic butter sauce and then topped with freshly grated Parmesan.” – A
Chinese Style Broccoli and Zucchini Stir-Fry
“This is another one of my favorite sides to make. The original recipe doesn’t call for zucchini, but I decided to add it in. You can omit the zucchini and just use the broccoli, and I’m sure other veggies could be thrown in, too. In place of soy sauce, I use Braggs Liquid Aminos. You can also buy broccoli florets already chopped up at the store, saving a lot of time!” – Jessica
Mandarin Orange Strawberry Spinach Salad
“This is a true crowd-pleaser!” – Marie
Roasted Asparagus With Tomatoes and Gorgonzola
“This recipe came from a friend who, after eating it in a restaurant in Key West, described this dish to me. From the description, I created this recipe, and it works. My friend said it tasted identical to the restaurant version.” – Marjorie
Marry Me Chicken Soup
“Marry Me Chicken Soup is creamy, comforting, and packed with flavor. Made chicken, gnocchi, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan, a one-pot meal.” – Debbie
Greek Spinach and Orzo Salad
“Learning to prepare Mediterranean, healthy food. Tried this recipe on my family, and now it is a huge hit. The pine nuts add crunch and protein, and orzo completes it as a meal salad.” – Peggy
Lemon Broccoli Florets
“Great served warm with chicken or pork.” – Fredia
Sweet Red Potato Salad
“I created this by combining two other recipes and giving it my own spin. I served it to rave reviews on the menu in the deli I managed.” – Teressa
Creamy Chicken Rigatoni
“A meal enjoyed so much by my family that we can hardly put our forks down!” – Catherine
Asian Vegetable Pasta Salad
“This is a variation of a recipe I created years ago that gave me an opportunity to participate in a cook off for Cooking Light magazine. I didn’t win, but the recipe is still a winner in my book. Any vegetables you like should work in this recipe. Try green beans, broccoli, or carrots.” – Linda
Asparagus Chicken Wraps
“Super easy and yummy. Did them while camping, and they were a hit!” – Paula
Chicken Zucchini Skillet Bake
“This is an easy, skillet meal that is healthy and chock-full of flavor.” – Tommy
Shaved Carrot and Zucchini Salad
“Use a mandoline or vegetable peeler to make the shaved carrot and zucchini pieces.” – Lynette
Tomatoes Stuffed With Creamed Spinach
“The other day, we bought spinach for a salad, and found ourselves with so much extra spinach that I had to figure something out for it. I couldn’t find a stuffed tomato recipe with spinach that I liked and that had all the ingredients already sitting in my pantry and fridge, so I came up with this one, and it was a big hit at my house.” – Naomi
Minted Pea Spring Potato Salad
“I feel like I’m waking up after a long winter’s sleep! The sun is shining, and my cooking is moving toward lighter, fresher flavors again. Peas and mint always pair well together. Added with some small new potatoes, lemon, and olive oil, this dish becomes a perfect side.” – Sandra
Apple Slaw Salad
“This is my variation on an old family recipe. It’s good on a sandwich or on its own. Toss into a green salad, add cooked and diced chicken and you have a wonderful meal. It’s delicious!” – Teresa
Easy Roasted Ratatouille
“This is my simple, cheap, and easy version of ratatouille. I wanted to try it and found many recipes loaded with odd creamy ingredients, and so many flavors you wouldn’t be able to taste anything. Mine may not be classic, but it’s good.” – April
Spring Pasta Primavera
“Happy spring! After all the ham, kielbasa, and candy from Easter, I needed a light meal. Asparagus is in season and one of my favorites. I got a bunch and made this light meal.” – Judy
Caprese Spinach Pasta Salad
“I ate this for a late afternoon lunch and thought it was good. Later on, when my husband got home and was very hungry, this is what I fed him until dinner was done. He loved this, and I did not expect him to like it.” – Glenda
Zucchini Mushrooms Boats
“I love mushrooms and zucchini, and I bought too many of them. What do I do with all these zucchini and mushrooms? I decided to put my two favorite recipes together, and this is what I came up with.” – Elizabeth
Turnip Leek Gruyere Cheese Bake
“If you’ve been hesitant about trying turnips, give this yummy, creamy, and cheesy dish a try. The ingredients work perfectly together. I also like the fact that it’s a one-pot dish.” – Sherry
Kitty’s Spinach Quiche
“This is the best spinach quiche I have ever had. This is incredibly good even warmed in the microwave as leftovers.” – Katrina
Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Piccata
“Chicken in a lemon, butter, and caper sauce with spinach and artichokes!” – Kevin