This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Your Ultimate Collection Of Delicious Spring Recipes

Bring on the sunshine, the beach and vibrant food.
Bye, soups and stews. Hello, open-faced sandwiches.
Jacqueline Alwill for Australian Beef
Bye, soups and stews. Hello, open-faced sandwiches.

By now, you're probably completely sick of the same soups, stews and curries, and we don't blame you. There's only so much pumpkin (and freezing cold days) you can take.

Thankfully, it's only two days until spring (but who's counting?), which means we're all getting inspired to bring more colour, zeal and freshness into our days and meals.

To get into the spring spirit, we've rounded up every recipe you will need this spring -- they are easy, colourful, healthy and, most importantly, delicious.

From pizza and open-faced steak sandwiches, to feta meatballs and fish with beetroot and orange fennel salad, these spring recipes have got you sorted.

Jacqueline Alwill for Australian Beef, My Food Bag

1. Butterflied lamb leg with roast vegetable toss

Recipe and image courtesy of My Food Bag.

Serves 4-5.

INGREDIENTS

Roast vegetable toss:

  • 600g chat potatoes, quartered
  • 2 beetroots, peeled, cut into thin wedges
  • 2 carrots, cut into small chunks
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 120g baby spinach leaves

Butterflied lamb leg:

  • 500g butterflied leg of lamb (at room temperature)
  • 3 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C (fan). Line an oven tray with baking paper.

2. Toss potatoes, beetroot and carrot with oil and salt in the prepared tray. Cook for 25-30 minutes, turning once, until tender.

3. While vegetables are cooking, pat lamb dry with paper towels. Rub with rosemary, olive oil and salt. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, oven-proof fry pan on high heat. Brown lamb for two minutes each side, transfer to oven, cover with tinfoil and cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness, for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest for five minutes. Slice thinly.

3. Toss baby spinach with vegetables in the tray to wilt slightly.

4. To serve, divide lamb and vegetable toss between plates.

This easy lamb dish makes perfect leftovers for lunch.
My Food Bag
This easy lamb dish makes perfect leftovers for lunch.

2. Beetroot, kraut and feta meatballs

Recipe and image courtesy of Jacqueline Alwill for Australian Beef.

Serves four.

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g beef mince
  • ½ cup sauerkraut
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dill leaves
  • 1 tablespoon beetroot powder (optional)
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1 (150g) small brown onion, diced
  • ½ cup quinoa flakes
  • Sea salt and pepper
  • 100g Danish feta, crumbled
  • Black and white sesame seeds, to top
  • Green salad or baked vegetables, to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Place all of the ingredients except for the feta and sesame seeds in a mixing bowl.

3. Using clean hands, knead the mixture together until combined. Season with sea salt and pepper.

4. Roll the mixture into meatballs the size of gold balls and press the feta into the sides. Place on the lined tray and sprinkle with sesame seeds. The mixture should make approximately 20 meatballs.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve with green salad or baked vegetables.

Fill a bowl or lunch box with salad, toast and meatballs for a light, fresh lunch or dinner.
Jacqueline Alwill for Australian Beef
Fill a bowl or lunch box with salad, toast and meatballs for a light, fresh lunch or dinner.

3. Pan fried fish with warm beets and orange fennel salad

Recipe and image courtesy of My Food Bag.

Serves two.

INGREDIENTS

Warm beetroot:

  • 1 pack baby beets, quartered
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar (e.g. cider, white wine)
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of ground black pepper

Orange fennel salad:

  • 2 oranges
  • ½ fennel bulb
  • ½ red onion
  • 60g baby rocket mix
  • 1 tablespoon roughly chopped parsley

Fish:

  • 300g white fish fillets
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley

To serve:

  • 1 tablespoon roughly chopped parsley
  • ½ lemon, cut into wedges

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C (fan). Line an oven tray with baking paper. Toss beets with olive oil and salt in prepared tray and cook for 10-15 minutes until warmed though.

2. Prepare salad: peel oranges, halve and thinly slice. Trim fennel bulb, cut in half length ways and finely slice red onion. Add to a large bowl with rocket and parsley.

3. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

4. Pat fish dry with paper towels, removing any remaining scales or bones and season with salt. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium fry pan on medium to high heat. Fry fish for 1-2 minutes each side (depending on thickness) until just cooked through. Add lemon juice, butter and parsley to pan and gently toss to coat fish.

5. Toss salad and dressing together.

6. To serve: divide fish between plates and spoon over any pan juices. Serve salad and beets on the side. Garnish with parsley and serve with a lemon wedge to squeeze over just before eating.

This dish is a delicious balance of earthy and sweet.
My Food Bag
This dish is a delicious balance of earthy and sweet.

4. Cauliflower pizza with sirloin steak and Mediterranean vegetables

Recipe and image courtesy of Jacqueline Alwill for Australian Beef.

Serves four.

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower pizza base:

  • 800g cauliflower (½ head), cut into florets
  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds
  • ½ cup buckwheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • Sea salt

Homemade tomato sauce:

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 400g tin tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 small spanish onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • ½ teaspoon balsamic
  • ½ teaspoon tamari
  • Sea salt and pepper

Topping:

  • 600g sirloin, cut into 2cm thick steaks
  • 1 small (100g) zucchini, sliced round
  • 1 cup (100g) button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup (200g) cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 2 cups rocket leaves, loosely packed

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.

To make the base:

1. Mix the chia seeds with ¾ cup water in a small bowl, set for 10 minutes to create a gel and stir after five minutes to ensure seeds are evenly dispersed in water. Place cauliflower florets in food processor and blitz to create a fine crumb.

2. Pour the cauliflower onto a few sheets of paper towel, fold the paper towel and squeeze excess water from the cauliflower crumb.

3. Place cauliflower in a large mixing bowl, stir in buckwheat flour, sea salt, herbs, chia gel, olive oil and herbs, and mix well to combine. Divide the dough into four balls, and roll out between two pieces of baking paper until approximately 5mm thick.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden.

To make the tomato sauce:

1. Heat olive oil on low heat in a small saucepan, add spanish onion and sauté for four minutes.

2. Stir in tomatoes, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, parsley, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced.

3. Remove from heat and cool slightly before blitzing in food processor to form a paste.

To make the topping:

1. Once the bases are cooked remove from the oven and divide the tomato sauce between the four bases. Arrange the mushrooms, zucchini, olives and cherry tomatoes on top and return to the oven to cook for a further 10 minutes.

2. Whilst pizzas are in oven cook the steaks. Heat a drop of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat. Season the steaks with sea salt and pepper and cook for two minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, cover and rest for two minutes before slicing into strips.

3. Remove the pizzas from the oven, top with beef strips and rocket, and serve.

A cauliflower base gives these pizzas a nutritious boost.
Jacqueline Alwill for Australian Beef
A cauliflower base gives these pizzas a nutritious boost.

5. Fish with garlic parsley crumb, potato salad and vegetable medley

Recipe and image courtesy of My Food Bag.

Serves four.

INGREDIENTS

Fish:

  • 650g fish fillets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Pinch of salt

Garlic parsley crumb:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Warm potato salad:

  • 600g baby waxy potatoes, cut into quarters
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
  • 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
  • 50g baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 shallots, finely sliced

Green vegetable medley:

  • 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
  • 170g green beans, ends trimmed, cut in half
  • 2 teaspoons butter

METHOD

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Pat fish dry with paper towels and remove any remaining scales or bones. Toss with oil, garlic and salt in a shallow dish. Set aside.

2. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling water for 10-12 minutes, until just tender but not too soft. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Set aside.

3. While potatoes are cooking, prepare garlic-parsley crumb. Heat oil in a medium fry pan (preferably non-stick) on medium-low heat, add garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant. Add breadcrumbs and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly, until light golden. Remove from heat, transfer to a medium bowl, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

4. In the same pan, increase heat to medium-high, add a drizzle of oil and fry fish, in two batches, for 1-2 minutes each side (depending on thickness) until cooked through.

5. While fish is cooking, cook broccoli and beans in small pot of boiling water for 3-4 minutes until bright green and tender. Drain, return to pot, add butter and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Combine mayonnaise, oil, mustard and vinegar in a large bowl. Add potatoes, spinach and shallots to mayonnaise mixture and gently toss.

7. To serve: divide fish between plates and spoon over garlic-parsley crumb. Serve potato salad and vegetable medley on the side.

Fresh, light and tasty.
My Food Bag
Fresh, light and tasty.

6. Steak sangas six ways

Recipe and image courtesy of Jacqueline Alwill for Australian Beef.

Each topping serves four.

INGREDIENTS

Base:

  • 750g rump steak, cut 2-3cm thick
  • 4 slices thick sliced sourdough bread
  • Sea salt and pepper
  • Your choice of topping from below

Six toppings:

1. Hummus, Spanish onion and red cabbage:

  • ⅓ cup hummus
  • ½ Spanish onion, finely sliced
  • 1 cup pickled red cabbage (recipe below)

To make red cabbage pickle:

  • 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar

Place the shredded cabbage in a shallow bowl and cover with the apple cider vinegar. Leave to pickle for 20 minutes and serve.

2. Smoky tomato sauce, roast yellow capsicum and rocket:

  • ⅓ cup smoky tomato sauce (recipe below)
  • 1 yellow capsicum, roasted and sliced into strips
  • 1 cup packed rocket leaves

To make smoky tomato sauce:

Makes 250ml

  • 1 small Spanish onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 400g tinned tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Sea salt and black pepper

Place olive oil in a small saucepan on low heat, add Spanish onion and sauté for approximately four minutes. Add tomatoes, smoked paprika and season with sea salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly reduced. Add maple syrup and cook a further one minute. Remove from heat, transfer to food processor and blitz to create a smooth sauce. Store in the fridge for up to one week.

It's just a matter of picking your favourite topping.
Jacqueline Alwill for Australian Beef
It's just a matter of picking your favourite topping.

3. Feta, mint, kale:

  • 100g feta, crumbled
  • ½ cup picked mint leaves
  • 1 large kale leaf, shredded
  • Olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, to garnish

4. Broccoli tapenade and zucchini:

  • ⅓ cup broccoli tapenade (recipe below)
  • 1 large zucchini, sliced into strips and grilled

To make broccoli tapenade:

Makes 250ml

  • ½ cup (50g) broccoli florets
  • ½ cup (85g) olives
  • 1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Ground black pepper

Place broccoli florets in the food processor and blitz until a crumb or rice like consistency is formed. Add olives, garlic, capers, olive oil and black pepper and blend until uniform in texture. Store in an airtight container in fridge for 4-5 days.

5. Aioli, rocket and caramelised onion:

  • ⅓ cup aioli
  • ½ cup caramelised onion (recipe below)
  • 1 cup packed rocket leaves

To make caramelised onions:

  • 1 medium brown onion, peeled and finely sliced (180g)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a low heat. Add onion and sauté for five minutes. Add the coconut sugar and balsamic vinegar, stir well and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes stirring intermittently to ensure it does not stick to the base. Allow to cool, then transfer to airtight container and store in fridge for up to two weeks.

6. Dijon, cheddar, rocket and rosemary:

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 8 thick slices vintage cheddar
  • 1 cup packed rocket leaves
  • 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, chopped

METHOD

1. Season the rump steaks with salt and pepper and heat a large griddle pan over a medium high heat. Cook the steaks for 3-4 minutes on each side, remove from the pan and allow to rest before slicing into long strips.

2. Toast the bread slices in the griddle pan before topping with your choice from the above six toppings. Each serves four.

Toast never looked so good.
Jacqueline Alwill for Australian Beef
Toast never looked so good.
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