Cook your way through April with recipes inspired by the season

Want to know what’s in season in April? Looking for April recipe ideas? Use fresh seafood, jersey royal new potatoes and herbs from your fruit and veg boxes or local greengrocer to make these seasonal dishes and bakes. We’ve included plenty of tips for how to shop for particular varieties, prepping guides and useful ideas to use up leftovers.

After, check out our best May recipes, June recipes and July recipes.

What's in season in April?

In April, seasonal produce includes tart rhubarb, delicate cod, sweet peas, tender asparagus and firm new potatoes. Discover our recipes and tips for building a balanced spring plate.

Rhubarb

April is often the month (weather depending) when the rhubarb that is available in the shops changes from that grown indoors to outdoor-grown, which can vary in colour, texture and flavour. Some varieties are much redder, others are green much further down the stalk.

Pick from more rhubarb recipes, including this creamy rhubarb kefir smoothie or this aromatic pork and rhubarb traybake.

Rhubarb and custard cake

This rhubarb and custard cake recipe is soaked in vanilla milk syrup, filled with rhubarb jam and covered in mascarpone whipped cream.

White chocolate panna cotta with stewed rhubarb

This classic, creamy dessert is enriched with white chocolate, which provides a perfect contrast to the sharpness of the rhubarb.

Cod

Cod is a mild-flavoured, white fish with a firm, flaky texture that makes it a versatile choice for many dishes. It is often found in fillets or loins and is popular for its ability to hold its shape during cooking. Cod is a lean fish, low in fat but high in protein, making it a healthy option for a light meal.

Coconut fish curry

Enjoy the best of the season with perfectly caramelised onion and turmeric-coated cod, nestled in a rich coconut curry sauce. Sweet cherry tomatoes add a vibrant pop of colour, making this dish as visually stunning as it is flavourful.

Peas

If you’re serving peas as a side, it’s best not to boil them in a pan of water. Though quick to cook, the more water you use, the more nutrients are lost. Opt for steaming instead to make the most of those sweet little spheres.

Discover more of our pea recipes including this fresh pea risotto and colourful spiced grains with peas, spinach and jammy eggs.

Pea, coconut and lime ice cream

Fresh garden peas are the star ingredient in this spring-hued ice cream flavoured with coconut milk and a splash of vodka.

Pea and halloumi fritters with charred lemon dip

Use fresh or frozen peas to make these quick and easy halloumi fritters, flavoured with mint and chilli flakes for a little kick.

Radishes

This root vegetable is a member of the mustard family, which explains its peppery bite. It comes in red, white, green, purple and black, and a surprising variety of shapes and sizes. You may be used to seeing the round, cherry-like version but you can also get French Breakfast, which has an elongated shape, Watermelon radish, with its nubbly green exterior and a bright pink interior, and daikon, which is shaped similarly to a carrot, large, white and used mostly in East Asian cooking. When buying, look for leaves in good condition – the radish beneath will be equally as fresh.

Roast radish and peanut salad

A vibrant combination of radishes and cucumber is tossed in a soy, peanut and honey glaze to create this refreshing seasonal salad.

Pork fried rice

With garlic, chilli, soy and hoisin sauce, this easy pork dish is a flavour-packed dinner that can be ready in 30 minutes and uses leftover cooked rice.

Lamb

Lamb doesn’t have to be an expensive purchase. Buying lesser-used, cheaper cuts means you’ll get the most from your meat and even more flavour. Shoulder is a great alternative to leg, either whole or chopped up for a stew. The scrag, cut from the neck, is also a great cost-cutting option, best used in casseroles and soups.

Slow-cooker leg of lamb

This leg of lamb is slow-cooked with madeira, red onion, prunes and thyme, so it's rich and intense in flavour with a hint of sweetness.

Lamb cutlets with mustard and shallot sauce

Try our take on dibi, a Senegalese street food of roast lamb served with a piquant mustard dipping sauce on the side. It's perfect for sharing.

Crab

Any crab you eat in the UK will likely be brown crab, which is abundant on our coastlines. They have plenty of white and brown meat, and can weigh as much as 3kg. Try more crab recipes including our vibrant crab tostadas and easy crab cakes that make the perfect dinner party starter.

Coconut crab rice

Delicate white crab meat is uplifted with fresh, zingy Thai flavours. If you’re using a large tin of coconut milk, freeze the leftovers for another time.

Crab mac ’n’ cheese

This comforting crab mac 'n' cheese uses crème fraîche in the béchamel to make it lighter while also accentuating the mild, sweet flavour of crab.

New potatoes

New potatoes are precisely that – younger spuds with a thinner skin, waxy texture and a sweeter flavour as the sugars haven’t yet converted to starch. They are sometimes sold as young or baby potatoes, and Jersey Royals are a particularly prized variety. Unlike their older siblings, they hold their shape much better once cooked, making them perfect in salads.

New potato, raclette and spring onion galette

If you are new to pastry but still looking to impress your family and friends, look no further than this dish for a rustic and hearty bake.

Patatas bravas and chorizo salad

Bring sunny Spanish flavours to the table with our patatas bravas and chorizo salad, served with plenty of homemade aïoli.

Spinach

A leafy green veg that comes either in large bunches with a crunchy stem or as lots of small, baby leaves. When buying spinach it’s important to remember that its bought weight reduces hugely when cooked – so it may seem like a lot in the recipe but it will wilt down.

We have many more spinach recipes, including this creamy chicken one-pot with spinach and sundried tomatoes and lightly-spiced vegan spinach, chickpea and potato curry.

Florentine spinach poached eggs

Soft baby spinach in a creamy, nutmeg-infused sauce makes the perfect bed for crispy parma ham and runny-yolked eggs – dunk slices of toasted ciabatta in for brunch.

Saag paneer

This easy side dish, featuring spinach, crisp golden cubes of paneer and spiced with cumin and chilli, will go down a treat on curry night and only takes 30 minutes to prepare.

Sausage, spinach and chilli pasta

Have this speedy meal, made with spinach and crispy sausage, on the table in less than half an hour – with chilli, garlic and dijon mustard, it packs a punch in terms of flavour.

Asparagus

Thin, young asparagus shoots are packed with nutrients and are prized for their deep savoury flavour and tender texture once cooked. Not to be confused with white asparagus – which are cut before they breach the surface and become green – they have a short season in the UK, from spring to early summer.

Asparagus risotto

Make the most of seasonal asparagus in this vibrant springtime risotto, finished with lemon zest, chives and a mountain of parmesan.

Asparagus and anchovy pasta with fennel seed pangrattato

It’s the crunchy fennel seed pangrattato topper that really makes this dish sing. A simple yet delicious asparagus spaghetti recipe, it's ready and on the table in less than 30 minutes.§

Chives

Chives, part of the allium family, have a bright, fresh oniony flavour, a little like baby leeks or baby spring onions. They’re best very finely chopped and stirred through dishes at the end, sprinkled into dressings or used as a garnish just before serving.

Looking for more ways to make chives the star of your dish? Try our cheddar, chive and miso loaf or bacon and chive brioche buns next.

Rosemary roasted smashed new potatoes with mustardy chive aïoli

This side dish of golden, crispy roasted new potatoes are a spring dream with our cheat's aïoli elevated with dijon mustard, chives and lemon.

Boiled pork and chive dumplings

Make your own boiled pork and chive dumplings in just 45 minutes. Soft and pillowy, they're best served with soy sauce, chiu chow chilli oil and chopped chives.

Soured cream and chive potato scones

Tattie scones, a classic Scottish comfort food, are made using floury potatoes, soured cream and fresh chives. Serve with crispy bacon and roasted tomatoes.

Little Gem lettuce

A sweet, crunchy lettuce with a compact heart and vibrant green leaves. It’s smaller and more flavourful than its larger counterparts, with a crisp texture that holds up well in salads or as a garnish.

Explore more ways to cook these greens and try our grilled Little Gem lettuce with tosazu dressing or parmesan risotto.

Wedge salad with blue cheese dressing

Make the most of Little Gem lettuces in this gluten-free salad. It would be great served with a crispy skinned, soft-in-the-middle baked potato.

Lettuce wraps with sticky chicken

Serve succulent honeyed chicken thighs in crisp Little Gem lettuce cups, garnished with a scattering of sesame seeds and a hint of fresh red chilli. This vibrant starter is the perfect balance of flavour and lightness, making it an ideal choice for a dinner party without overfilling guests.

Carrot

A vibrant, crunchy root vegetable that comes in various colours, with orange being the most common. Carrots have a naturally sweet flavour, which becomes more pronounced when cooked. They can be eaten raw, roasted, steamed, or added to soups and stews. They’re a versatile addition to savoury and sweet dishes, whether sliced, grated or whole.

Carrot cake traybake

This cream cheese-frosted traybake is a showstopper for any Easter gathering, effortlessly feeding a crowd. With carrots in abundance, thanks to their early spring planting and late spring harvest, it’s the perfect time to showcase their sweetness in this indulgent, seasonal treat.

Carrot and coriander soup

Make this warming carrot and coriander soup for lunch and then jazz it up with ras el hanout-spiced crunchy flatbread croutons. A comforting vegan meal for four.