40 Fresh and Healthy Spring Recipes Recipe
These delicious Spring Recipes are vibrant and healthy and feature the best of spring produce! (Creamy Polenta with Spring Veggies)
How to Make the Best 40 Fresh and Healthy Spring Recipes
Spring is the perfect time to celebrate fresh, seasonal produce with this vibrant and healthy creamy polenta topped with spring vegetables. This dish showcases the best of what the season has to offer—tender asparagus, earthy morel and porcini mushrooms, and delicate fiddlehead ferns all come together over a bed of silky, creamy polenta.
What makes this recipe so special is its versatility. You can easily swap in whatever spring vegetables you have on hand, from English peas and snow peas to green beans and edamame. The key is to cook the vegetables just until they’re al dente, preserving their beautiful colors and fresh flavors.
The finishing touch of gremolata—a bright, herby condiment—brings everything together with a burst of freshness. This is the kind of wholesome, satisfying meal that makes you feel good about eating well while truly enjoying every bite.
40 Fresh and Healthy Spring Recipes
These delicious Spring Recipes are vibrant and healthy and feature the best of spring produce! (Creamy Polenta with Spring Veggies)
Ingredients
Polenta
Spring Vegetables
Sauté
Instructions
Polenta
- Bring water to boil in a medium pot. Season with salt, pepper and spices. Once it's boiling gradually whisk in the corn meal, bring to a simmer, cover and turn heat to low.
- Mix again in 10 minutes. Then cook for another 10 minutes (20-25 minutes total). Stir in the olive oil, butter or goat cheese. Turn the heat off.
Spring Vegetables
- While the polenta is cooking make the Gremolata. Set it aside.
- Cut veggies into bite-sized pieces. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms first, and sauté until just tender, 4-5 minutes.
- Add shallot and other veggies. Season with salt and pepper and stir often. Lower heat and take your time, cook about 5 minutes until al dente, or just fork tender.
- Give a splash of wine or water, turn heat up to medium to help cook off the wine. Taste, adjust salt, remembering the gremolata will add a lot of flavor, so keep the veggies simple.
- If you have very thick asparagus, or larger pieces of veggies, you could cover the pan for a few minutes to lightly steam them, being careful not to overcook or you may lose their lovely color. If using pea shoots as the garnish, make a well in the center of the pan and lightly sauté them (keeping them separate).
Assembly
- Make one large beautiful platter or bowl and serve it from there. If polenta has thickened too much, reheat it, whisking in a little splash of water, until loose and creamy again. Re-taste for salt.
- Pour polenta into bowls, top with a mound of the veggies, then top with optional pea shoots.
- Spoon the flavorful gremolata around the veggies, over the polenta. Enjoy!
Notes
- Other vegetable options include cremini mushrooms, spring peas, snow peas, english peas, edamame, or green beans.
- Brush mushrooms clean instead of washing them to maintain their texture.
- The gremolata adds a lot of flavor, so keep the seasoning on the veggies simple.
