Taste the season: simple and delicious spring recipes

Spring is the perfect season to bring freshness, color and lightness into your meals.

Asparagus, artichokes, radishes, spinach, fava beans, and peas are just a few of the seasonal vegetables that lend themselves beautifully to tasty, nourishing dishes.

To help you make the most of these ingredients in a simple and balanced way, our nutritionists have created four easy-to-follow recipes. They’re designed to highlight the natural goodness of these spring veggies and give you a boost of energy.

Chilled barley salad with chickpeas, asparagus and cherry tomatoes

Ingredients for 4 persons:

240 g pearl barley

• 250 g fresh chickpeas
• 300 g asparagus
• 20 cherry or date tomatoes
• 1 lemon
• A few mint or lemon balm leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Preparation:

Wash the asparagus and trim the woody ends. Steam them for 2–3 minutes to soften, then cook briefly in a pan until lightly golden. Halve the tomatoes and sear them cut-side down to bring out their flavor.

Rinse the barley under running water until the water runs clear. Boil in salted water for about 20 minutes, or follow the instructions on the package. Drain, drizzle with a little olive oil, and let it cool.

In a large bowl, combine the barley, chickpeas, chopped asparagus, and seared tomatoes. Season with salt, lemon juice, and fresh mint leaves. Mix everything well and chill for at least an hour to let the flavors meld.

Want extra creaminess? Add a drizzle of tahini dressing thinned with a bit of water.

Bucatini with fava beans, pancetta and pecorino

Ingredients for 4 persons:
 

• 320 g bucatini pasta
• 400 g fava beans (shelled or frozen)
• 100 g diced pancetta
• 200 g grated pecorino cheese
• 1 small onion
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Preparation:

Heat a large skillet and cook the pancetta with the finely chopped onion. Let it cook until the pancetta turns crispy and the onion becomes soft and fragrant. Add the fava beans and continue cooking for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little water as needed to keep the mixture from drying out.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the bucatini according to the package instructions. Grate the pecorino and set it aside. Drain the pasta about 2 minutes before the end of the cooking time and transfer it directly into the pan with the beans and pancetta. Reserve a bit of the pasta cooking water.

Add the grated pecorino and a ladle of the cooking water. Stir vigorously over high heat until the cheese melts and forms a smooth, creamy sauce that coats the pasta.

Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of black pepper.

Spring soup with fava beans and asparagus

Ingredients for 4 persons:
 

• 12–16 thick asparagus spears
• 300 g fresh fava beans (shelled or frozen)
• 2 spring onions
• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• 2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon granules
• Black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Shell the fava beans and rinse them under cold water. Trim the asparagus and cut them into pieces about 3–4 cm long, setting the tips aside to be added later in the cooking process.

Thinly slice the spring onions and place them in a pot along with the fava beans and the asparagus stems. Cover everything with water, add the vegetable bouillon, and adjust the amount based on your taste and the type of bouillon used.

Cover with a lid and let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Halfway through, add the asparagus tips so they stay slightly firmer.

Once cooked, finish the soup with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of black pepper. If you like, you can also top it with a bit of freshly chopped spring onion.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Savory tart with artichokes, spinach and feta cheese

Ingredients for 6 persons:
 

• 1 sheet rectangular puff pastry
• 2 artichokes
• 70 g fresh spinach or 80–100 g frozen (approx. 4 cubes)
• 50 g feta cheese
• 50 mL white wine
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Preparation:

Start by preparing the artichokes. Trim the stems, remove the tough outer leaves and the tips, then cut them in half and remove the fuzzy core. Slice into wedges and place them in a bowl of water with lemon juice to prevent browning. Next, clean the spinach thoroughly. Remove the root ends and rinse well in cold water to get rid of any dirt or grit.

Heat a spoonful of olive oil in a pan and add the garlic clove. Let it cook until it becomes fragrant, then remove it. Add the artichokes with a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they begin to soften and take on color, pour in the white wine and continue cooking until tender. Add a little water if needed to prevent drying out.

Remove the artichokes from the pan and set them aside. In the same pan, add the spinach. Season with a bit of salt, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat for 6–7 minutes, stirring now and then, until wilted. If you're using frozen spinach, follow the package instructions instead.

Unroll the puff pastry on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Distribute the cooked spinach and artichokes evenly over the surface, leaving a margin around the edges. Crumble the feta cheese over the top.

Bake in a static oven preheated to 180°C for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry edges are golden and crisp. Let it cool slightly and serve warm.

Enjoy!