What’s in Season in April: Your Essential Guide to Fresh Spring Produce & Recipes
April marks the enthusiastic embrace of spring, transforming our kitchens with a bounty of fresh, vibrant flavors. This month is a true celebration for food lovers, offering an incredible array of fruits and vegetables that are at their peak. From the crisp snap of asparagus to the juicy sweetness of strawberries, understanding what’s in season in April is your secret weapon for elevating everyday meals and creating truly memorable dishes.
April truly is a delicious and highly anticipated month for produce! After the long stretch of winter, the arrival of abundant spring options feels like a breath of fresh air. This guide is the first in a series of monthly features dedicated to helping you discover what’s in season all year round, ensuring your cooking is always packed with the freshest ingredients.
These comprehensive guides serve as your go-to resource for a complete list of seasonal delights available each month. While the very beginning of April might see local spring produce slowly emerging, by mid-month, you’ll find your local grocery store shelves and farmers’ markets overflowing with an incredible variety. Shopping seasonally means enjoying produce at its most flavorful, nutritious, and often, most affordable.
It’s worth noting that in our modern world, many fruits and vegetables are available year-round due to global sourcing. However, this guide focuses on peak season—the time when produce offers the best flavor, highest nutritional value, and often, a better price. By choosing seasonal ingredients, you’re not only enhancing your culinary creations but also supporting local farmers and reducing your carbon footprint.
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Vegetables in Season in April
April is a prime month for a spectacular variety of fresh, crisp, and nutrient-dense vegetables. The ground thaws and spring rains bring forth an abundance of greens and root vegetables perfect for lighter, more vibrant meals. Think delicate asparagus spears, peppery arugula, earthy beets, and vibrant peas. This comprehensive list is your ultimate guide for exploring the produce section or your local farmers market to find the best of what April has to offer.
- Arugula: A peppery green perfect for salads and garnishes.
- Artichokes: Versatile and tender, ideal for steaming or grilling.
- Asparagus: The quintessential spring vegetable, delicious roasted, steamed, or grilled.
- Avocados: Creamy and rich, perfect for guacamole or adding to salads.
- Beets: Earthy and sweet, great roasted, pickled, or in salads.
- Bok Choy: A mild, crunchy Asian green perfect for stir-fries.
- Broccoli: A cruciferous powerhouse, excellent steamed, roasted, or in casseroles.
- Cabbage: Crisp and versatile, suitable for slaws, stir-fries, or braising.
- Carrots: Sweet and crunchy, enjoy raw, roasted, or in soups.
- Cauliflower: A flexible vegetable, great as a rice substitute, roasted, or in curries.
- Celery: Crisp and refreshing, adds crunch to salads and flavor to stocks.
- Celery Root (Celeriac): A nutty, earthy root vegetable, wonderful roasted or pureed.
- Chicory: Slightly bitter, often used in salads or braised.
- Cucumbers: Hydrating and refreshing, perfect for salads and snacks.
- Endive: Crisp and bitter, great for salads or as edible scoops for appetizers.
- Fava Beans: Sweet and buttery, enjoy fresh or blanched.
- Fennel: Anise-flavored, crunchy, and refreshing, good in salads or roasted.
- Horseradish: Pungent and spicy, ideal for sauces and relishes.
- Kale: A nutrient-dense leafy green, excellent in salads, smoothies, or sautéed.
- Leeks: Mild onion flavor, perfect for soups, stews, and gratins.
- Lettuce: Various types like butter, romaine, and loose-leaf, forming the base of many salads.
- New Potatoes: Tender and delicate, fantastic boiled, roasted, or in potato salads.
- Parsnips: Sweet and earthy root vegetable, delicious roasted or pureed.
- Peas: Sweet and tender, a true taste of spring, wonderful fresh or in risottos.
- Purple Sprouting Broccoli: Similar to regular broccoli but with a sweeter, more delicate flavor.
- Radicchio: A vibrant, bitter leafy chicory, excellent grilled or in salads.
- Radishes: Crisp and peppery, adds a refreshing bite to salads.
- Rhubarb: Tart and tangy, a fruit-like vegetable perfect for pies, crumbles, and jams.
- Shallots: A milder, sweeter alternative to onions, great for dressings and sautéing.
- Spinach: A versatile leafy green, great in salads, sautéed, or in pasta dishes.
- Spring Garlic: Young, tender garlic with a milder flavor, used like green onions.
- Spring Onions (Scallions): Crisp and mild, perfect as a garnish or in salads.
- Sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes): Nutty and sweet, delicious roasted or sliced thin in salads.
- Turnips: Earthy and slightly peppery, excellent roasted, mashed, or in stews.
- Watercress: Peppery and slightly bitter, great in salads or sandwiches.
Fruits in Season in April
As the weather warms up and longer days arrive, I cannot express how excited I am to see a greater variety of sweet and juicy fruits making their way onto our seasonal list! April brings a wonderful transition, with the last of the winter citrus overlapping with the delightful emergence of spring berries. This means an exciting array of flavors for everything from refreshing drinks to sweet desserts.
- Apple: Many varieties still available from storage, offering crispness and versatility.
- Blueberries: Early season blueberries begin to appear, sweet and antioxidant-rich.
- Cherries: Depending on your region, early varieties might start showing up late in the month.
- Grapefruit: Juicy and tangy, a refreshing citrus fruit.
- Kiwi: Sweet and tart with a unique texture, excellent in fruit salads.
- Kumquats: Tiny citrus fruits with edible skin, offering a sweet-tart burst.
- Limes: Essential for cocktails, marinades, and fresh, bright flavors.
- Mangos: Tropical sweetness begins to hit its stride, perfect for smoothies or salsas.
- Oranges: Many varieties are still abundant, offering essential vitamin C.
- Papayas: Exotic and sweet, great for tropical fruit salads or smoothies.
- Pineapple: Juicy and vibrant, a taste of the tropics that pairs well with many dishes.
- Strawberries: The first sweet, ruby-red berries of spring are truly a highlight!
April Seasonal Recipes
With springtime being a time for new beginnings and fresh growth, I absolutely love to make sure I’m incorporating these amazing seasonal ingredients into new, vibrant recipes as much as I can throughout April. Cooking with what’s in season not only guarantees the freshest taste but also inspires creativity in the kitchen.
Below, I’m thrilled to share some of my favorite April seasonal recipes. These festive eats and sips are perfectly suited for spring gatherings, Easter brunches, or Cinco de Mayo celebrations, yet they are simple and straightforward enough to prepare any night of the week for your friends and family. Don’t just save these recipes for later – make a plan to try one next week or this coming weekend! Life is too short to merely dream of making delicious recipes; make them and enjoy every delightful bite!
As a bonus, be sure to scroll to the very bottom of this post for a handy graphic you can save. It’s a quick visual reminder so you always know what’s in season in April at a glance!
Need more inspiration for spring cooking/baking? Check out my spring recipes page!
Strawberry Mimosa
This Strawberry Mimosa offers a delightful and simple twist on the classic orange mimosa, infusing it with an exciting burst of fruity goodness. It’s an ideal choice for any spring brunch or festive celebration. You can effortlessly prepare the vibrant strawberry orange mixture using either fresh, peak-season strawberries or convenient frozen ones, making this refreshing cocktail a breeze to whip up. Serves 6 for a perfect gathering.
Easter Charcuterie Board
An Easter Charcuterie Board is the quintessential spring-inspired spread to serve at your upcoming holiday gathering. This visually stunning board is generously filled with a delightful variety of gourmet meats and cheeses, fresh spring berries, crisp vegetables, festive jelly beans, indulgent chocolates, and even classic deviled eggs. Its simple yet elegant design makes this board straightforward to assemble and absolutely perfect for any spring celebration you have planned, impressing all your guests.
Strawberry Margarita Mimosa
A Strawberry Margarita Mimosa is precisely what your Cinco de Mayo celebration, or any festive spring occasion, truly needs! This inventive cocktail offers the perfect fusion, blending the delightful fruitiness of a classic strawberry mimosa with the zesty, refreshing kick of a traditional margarita. It’s incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed for brunch, happy hour, or even dinner. Honestly, with such a delicious drink in hand, who’s keeping track of the clock?
Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Filling
Indulge in this truly exquisite Fresh Strawberry Cake, featuring a luscious strawberry filling that delivers an explosion of real berry flavor in every single bite. From the incredibly moist and fluffy cake layers to the velvety, creamy strawberry buttercream, this dessert is a masterpiece of springtime indulgence. It’s an easy-to-make yet impressively elegant dessert, perfectly suited for spring, summer, or any special occasion where berry lovers gather.
Strawberry Basil Margarita
Elevate your cocktail game with this herbaceous twist on a classic: the Strawberry Basil Margarita, served elegantly on the rocks. The vibrant flavors of sweet strawberries and aromatic basil create a cocktail that is perfectly balanced – sweet, tart, and incredibly refreshing. It’s truly the ideal drink for leisurely sipping on the patio throughout the warmer spring evenings and all summer long, making every moment feel like a mini-vacation.
Asparagus Prosciutto Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tart
This Asparagus Prosciutto Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tart is truly the ideal appetizer to celebrate the arrival of spring. The harmonious combination of creamy, tangy goat cheese, thinly sliced savory prosciutto, and crisp-tender asparagus spears creates a dish that is bright, light, and a simply delightful opener for any meal or gathering. You’ll be amazed at just how incredibly easy it is to whip up this impressive tart, making it a perfect choice for effortless entertaining.
Roasted Asparagus Herb Ricotta Crostini
This Roasted Asparagus Herb Ricotta Crostini is an incredibly easy and elegant appetizer that unmistakably signals the arrival of spring. Each golden-toasted baguette slice is generously topped with a velvety, creamy lemon and herb ricotta, whipped to absolute perfection. Crowned with beautifully roasted asparagus, this dish is simple, fresh, and utterly ideal for large gatherings or a sophisticated springtime snack, offering a burst of fresh flavors in every bite.
Blueberry Mojito
Bright, bursting with flavor, and oh-so-refreshing, this Blueberry Mojito stands as the ultimate cocktail for all your spring and summer gatherings. With its absolutely gorgeous purple-blue hue and an irresistible sweet-tart flavor profile, this vibrant twist on the classic mojito is genuinely impossible to resist. It’s the perfect way to add a touch of elegance and a whole lot of deliciousness to any warm-weather celebration.
Brown Butter Gnocchi With Asparagus & Peas
Savor the pure joy of Brown Butter Gnocchi With Asparagus & Peas, a warm and inviting skillet meal perfect for spring. This dish combines crisp, vibrant green vegetables with soft, pillowy gnocchi, all tossed in a rich brown butter sauce and complemented by crispy prosciutto for an added layer of savory depth. It’s truly the ideal springtime meal that you’ll find yourself wanting to make again and again, offering comfort and freshness in every forkful.
Easy Risotto with Asparagus and Peas
This Easy Risotto with Asparagus and Peas is a simple yet incredibly flavorful recipe, designed to effortlessly elevate any springtime meal. The tender and creamy Arborio rice is richly packed with fresh, crisp asparagus and plump, sweet peas, creating a delightful texture and taste. It pairs beautifully with your favorite protein, or can be proudly served as a satisfying side dish, a refined starter, or even a wholesome vegetarian main course for a truly versatile meal.
Bucatini Cacio e Pepe with Broccoli
This Bucatini Cacio e Pepe with Broccoli takes the beloved classic Italian “cheese and pepper” minimalist pasta and elevates it with the addition of fresh, vibrant broccoli. The creamy, luscious sauce is expertly crafted from just a few simple ingredients, resulting in a dish that is wonderfully peppery, incredibly rich, and absolutely out of this world. It’s a quick, easy, and satisfying dinner that everyone at your table is guaranteed to adore.
Nutella Rhubarb Puff Pastry Croissants
Yes, you absolutely can treat yourself to delightful homemade pastries without spending hours in the kitchen! These Nutella Rhubarb Puff Pastry Croissants are poised to become your new favorite breakfast or brunch indulgence. Combining the tartness of seasonal rhubarb with the creamy sweetness of Nutella, all encased in flaky puff pastry, these treats are unbelievably easy to make and utterly irresistible, proving that gourmet baking can be both simple and delicious.
Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse
This Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse is a heavenly dessert that is wonderfully light, incredibly fluffy, and absolutely bursting with the fresh, vibrant flavor of ripe strawberries. The delicate, smooth mousse is perfectly complemented by a delightful crunchy crumble layer at the bottom, providing a lovely textural contrast. It’s the ideal sweet ending to any spring or summer meal, offering a refreshing and satisfying treat that’s both elegant and easy to love.
Blueberry Galette with Thyme Honey
A Blueberry Galette is a classic summer dessert that combines simplicity with an explosion of flavor! As I often say, it’s my “lazy pie” – offering all the rustic charm and deliciousness of a pie without the fuss. Filled with juicy blueberries and finished with a delicate drizzle of thyme honey, this dessert is an absolute crowd-pleaser that everyone will eagerly devour. It’s perfect for casual gatherings or a delightful family treat.
Apple Blackberry Crumble
This Apple Blackberry Crumble is a wonderfully simple, flavorful dessert that can easily be made any night of the week, perfect for a cozy spring evening. Ready in less than an hour, this sweet and comforting treat is ideal for any occasion, from casual family dinners to more festive gatherings. For the ultimate indulgence, top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy it warm, letting the melting cream blend with the sweet fruit and crunchy topping.
One Skillet Lemon Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken and Spring Orzo
Leveraging just a couple of fresh seasonal ingredients, this One Skillet Lemon Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken and Spring Orzo presents a truly fantastic blend of fresh flavors and convenient pantry staples. The succulent and juicy poultry, beautifully stuffed with tangy goat cheese and bright lemon, comes together in just over 30 minutes, all cooked in a single pan. After all, less cleanup is always a welcome goal in any busy kitchen, making this dish both delicious and incredibly practical. Serves 4 generously.
Want More Seasonal Produce Guides?
If you’re eager to continue your journey through seasonal eating and discover the freshest ingredients available year-round, be sure to explore our other monthly guides. These resources are designed to help you make the most of nature’s bounty, no matter the time of year.
- March Produce Guide: Transitioning into spring with early greens and root vegetables.
- February Produce Guide: Hearty winter produce to keep you warm and nourished.
- January Produce Guide: Discovering delicious and nutritious options for the start of the new year.
What’s in Season in April? A Quick Reference Guide
To help you remember all the wonderful produce available this month, here’s a handy visual guide summarizing everything that’s in season in April. Pin it, save it, or print it out to keep it close by for your next trip to the grocery store or farmers’ market!
