What to Cook This May
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on May 1, 2025
May is here! The trees are loaded with bright green leaves, and Iโm thriving on the abundant sunshine. The farmersโ markets will become more colorful each week this month. Below, youโll find some of my favorite spring recipes so we can make the most of our fresh produce.
Several holidays are coming up. For Cinco de Mayo, browse Mexican recipes here (start with the guacamole and margaritas). For the Kentucky Derby, try a maple-sweetened mint julep or strawberry-infused mint julep (start infusing the bourbon now). For Motherโs Day, check out this roundup.
Itโs been a while since Iโve shared some fun links, and I thought we could start that up again. (The products are affiliate links.)
- How lovely is Peter Yarrowโs Manhattan apartment (of Peter, Paul and Mary)?
- Grace loves splashing around in this floral windbreaker (Liberty London vibes at a Target price) and these flexible rain boots.
- This cotton gingham tablecloth was perfect for our Easter patio table, and Iโm looking forward to using it again for Motherโs Day and summer parties.
- I canโt stop sneezing right now, but this rattan tissue box is making allergy season a bit more bearable.
- More good news for coffee drinkers, not that anything could stop me.
Asparagus
Perfect Roasted Asparagus
Gluten free and easily vegan (skip the cheese)
โThis is an easy and very tasty way to prepare asparagus. I could eat it every day. My 8 year old loves it too. I add parmesan and lemon. I roast the asparagus in my oven for 9 minutes. Thank you for the recipe!โ โ Anna
Avocado
The Best Guacamole.
Gluten free and vegan
โIโve always done guac simply with lime juice, salt and cumin to rave reviews BUT after making this C&K-style last night, I can never go back. Wow! The tiny onion crunch and pop of salt and coriander is divine. Thanks for another winner! โบโ โ Janelle
Beets
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Pistachios
Gluten free and easily vegan (skip the cheese)
โ5 stars doesnโt cover it! This was so delicious! Brought it to a family get together and everyone loved it!โ โ Kaitlin
Broccoli
Cheesy Smashed Broccoli
Easily gluten free and easily vegan (see notes)
โI just made these and they were super-yummy and so easy. I didnโt measure anything, just eyeballed amounts, and tried two different types of cheddar and parmesan. The lemon makes all the difference, donโt skip it! Iโve nearly eaten the entire batch on my own in one sitting!โ โ Justine
Cauliflower
Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice
Gluten free and vegan
โIโve never had cauliflower rice before, but a Google search took me to this recipe, which I made tonight. It was absolutely delicious and I have enough leftovers to use as a side dish tomorrow night I highly recommend it!โ โ Deirdre
Greens
Spinach Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese
Gluten free
โHoo boy! This is a marvelous recipe! Great for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. I found that it was perfect fare for the latter during this hot summer weather when standing over a hot stove for any length of time just WASNโT an option! Itโs easy on the tummy but SO delicious and satisfyingโฆand healthy!โ โ Frances
More spinach recipes ยป (also arugula)
Herbs
Cilantro Lime Dressing
Gluten free and vegan
โI love this salad dressing. It has a nice sweet and sour balance. Itโs easy and quick to make. I added tahini to mine.โ โ Mary
More cilantro recipes ยป (also dill)
Kale
Greek Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing
Gluten free and easily vegan
โMy boyfriend and I are trying to turn over a new leaf (pun intended) when it comes to eating healthily and this recipe has genuinely blown our minds. Incredible flavours, filling, balanced nutritionally โ we will be making this again very soon Iโm sure! Thank you so much.โ โ Eva
Mango
Thai Mango Cabbage Wraps with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
Easily gluten free and easily vegan
โI made these tonight and they are so delicious. A perfect summer meal. I also mustvsay that this is the first time myself and my boyfriend have actually enjoyed (even, loved) tofu! Yay for soggy free perfectly crisp tofu.โ โ Deana
Mushrooms
Roasted Mushrooms with Herbed Quinoa
Gluten free and easily vegan
โKate, I wish I could show you how much I love this recipe! I am sitting here typing while scarfing down a bowl full. It is amazing, light and just what I needed! I used red quinoa instead and I paired the dish with butter-sauted Brussel Sprouts. Sooooo delish!โ โ Kecia
Peas
Green Goddess Tortellini Salad
Vegetarian like the rest!
โI made this last night and it was delicious! Iโve been a long-time fan of your recipes and this is another winner. I used some asparagus, green beans, and peas as those were the veggies I had on hand. Looking forward to making it again and taking it to parties throughout the summer. Thank you Kate!โ โ Erika
Radishes
Fresh Herbed Avocado Salad
Gluten free and vegan
โJust made this and I love this salad! The contrast between the smooth avocado and crunchy seeds is just fantastic. And a little bit a kick with the jalapenos, my favorite salad of yours so far!โ โ Max
Rhubarb
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Gluten free and easily vegan
โHey Kathryne, I made this for a potluck last night and it was a hit! I love how the rhubarb and strawberries shine through because thereโs not too much sweetness added in. I also love that the crisp isnโt too heavily laden with butter! This is a really lovely crisp and so pretty coming out of the oven too, especially when the filling is still gurgling at the sides!โ โ Margarita
More resources you might appreciate: 23 make-ahead breakfast recipes, 45 recipes that pack well for lunch and 20 simple weeknight dinners. You can shop my essential kitchen equipment here.
I havenโt seen good asparagus yet but Iโm excited for it!
I have totally been OD-ing on the cauliflower. I made this delicious cauliflower curry a few weeks ago, I ate some more last Friday along with a broccoli-cauliflower stir-fry for dinner throughout last week, and I just had cauliflower rice sushi yesterday. Hahaha! I cannot get enough of itโand donโt get me started on avocado. I just love May produce and I cannot be more excited!
Coconut Rice with Brussels Sprouts? Yeah, Iโll make that tonight. :D I love these roundups. Especially since we live in the same area-ishโI know whatโs peak for you is peak for me, too. :)
Thanks Lib! I hope you loved the sprouts, if you got a chance to try them. Glad to know youโre not too far away. :)
I love your monthly what to cook posts! These are a great replacement for the produce guides (that I still use as a resource!). Thanks!
Thanks, Megan! Iโm glad to hear that. Theyโre a fun way to feature old favorites, instead of just brand new recipes!
I canโt wait for your cookbook!!! I hope you get some well-deserved relaxation & rest. Thanks so much for sharing โ youโre an inspiration! xx
Thank you, Stephanie! Iโm still making up for lost sleep. :) Thanks again for featuring me on your lovely site!
Congrats on getting your manuscript submitted. Thatโs a huge step in book-land. Iโve never cooked with rhubarb before & Iโm looking forward to trying it. :)
Thank you so much, Louise! Rhubarb is delicious, especially when combined with strawberries. Yum.
I love the links youโve included! They cover a nice variety of topics and each is an interesting read on its own. Iโve already sent the dogs in bags link to a few friends and it has totally brightened their day!
Haha! How cute is that? Iโm so glad you liked them, too.
Lots of โsuper foodsโ here which I love to see. I never know what to do with kale, pizza idea is genius!
Great inspiration! I particularly like the Rhubarb Chia Jam and the Thai Mango wrap.
Yes! Itโs a total reader favorite (and mine, too!).
Wow! So many fabulous recipes! They all look delicious. I will try the asparagus and cauliflower recipes first. And, if I feel adventurous, your rhubarb recipe looks scrumptious! Love your pictures of all the tantalizing recipes, but I especially love your picture of your fur baby.
Thanks, Erin! I hope you do try some of these. Cookie says hello!
Congrats on the success of your cookbook! Itโs on my birthday wish list (next month), but if I donโt receive it as a gift I have it ready and waiting in my Amazon saved items!
Thanks, Jessie! I canโt wait for you to see it. :) I hope it arrives as a gift for you!
The Brooklinen pillowsโฆdid you get down or down alternative? Iโve been sleeping in inexpensive IKEA pillows for a while now and it is catching up with my neck. Iโve started looking into other options online (my pillow, for instance), but itโs tough for me to spend $50 a pillow without getting to feel it first! Anyway, Iโd love to hear more about your experience with Brooklinen.
Hey Becky! I totally know what you mean. Iโm a side sleeper and Iโm learning that side sleepers are especially prone to alignment issues. I feel like Brooklinenโs pillow does a much better job at keeping my neck in line than my old pillowโฆ Iโm not even sure where that pillow came from, to tell you the truth! I opted for the down pillow after reading about their sourcing, but I imagine the down alternative is just as good. Anyway, if you do decide to order one and donโt love it, they have a good 60-day return policy.
May looks great! I like the Internet round up and my favorite was the dog in the Ikea bag!
Haha! I loved that one, too. Brought a smile to my face. :)
Just wanted to comment that I am actually so freakinโ excited for your book!! Like actually so damn excited itโs silly! xx
Iโm glad Iโm not the only one!!! I canโt wait for everyone to see it. :)
You can always buy leeks, clean and chop them and then freeze them until you find a recipe.
Exactly!
In Sweden itโs very popular to eat a potato and leek soup. Maybe you could do a twist version of that? :) xoxo
Thanks, Rebecca! Iโve noted it. :)
I LOVE your seasonal eating guide! This is the first time Iโve seen one. I want to eat seasonal produce, but I never know exactly what is in season. This takes the guesswork out. Thank you so much! :D
Youโre welcome, Ailene!
Kate, I love the โBeet, Arugula and Feta Saladโ. Itโs such a refreshing, light and healthy option for a dinner! Love the others too, but I instantly got hungry from this one :)
Thank you, Ines!
Aww thank you so much for including me lady!
Of course! I saw myself in that post like crazy.
Hello, where can I read reviews on your recipes? I see the number of reviews attached to the recipe but I am unable to read them.
Hi Mary! Great question. There are reviews and comments under the notes section of each recipe. Depending on how many comments, it can take a moment to load. I hope this is helpful!
I have been eating an INSANE amount of greens this past week. I am stoked to start cooking more mushrooms, kale, herbs, broccoli, and cauliflower!
:) :)
So fresh and healthy! These recipes look so good! I HAVE to try the broccoli, chickpea, & avocado pitas.
Thank you! Let me know what you think, Becky.
Hi, Kate. Your blog is so beautiful and your photography is amazing! I love reading your posts, and- being vegan- I appreciate the โmake it veganโ options at the ends of recipes. Keep up the amazing work!
Thank you, Megan! So sweet. Iโm glad you find the variation notes helpful.
Thank you for sharing such a great blog.
Youโre welcome! Iโm happy you like it.
This is great!I really like your blogโฆjust discovered it
Welcome! Let me know what you think of recipes as you try them.
I saw a recipe yesterday for a dish with kale and peas and box chow and bought them yesterday, but cannot find the recipe.Could you please send it today? Thank you.
Iโm getting mail through Xfinity and not Apple as usual so everything is different.
Hi Valerie! Do you mean my lemony green pasta?
Kate, youโve done it again! These monthly posts are a HUGE timesaver and a helpful tool to shake up my cooking rotation. Thank you! Canโt wait to try some of these out!
Dear Kate,
Your wonderful blog makes my day. Thank you so much for the interesting linksโฆallostatic load and focus management were quite helpful. I have asparagus and kale in my fridge right now so Iโll be making the roasted asparagus and the strawberry kale salad this week! The strawberries in our community garden are just now ripening. Weโre getting lots of lettuce and greens right now so the green smoothies from your Love Real Food cookbook are easy and nourishing. Hope you are doing well and thank you again for all your wonderful blog. Deborah in NC.
Youโre welcome! Thank you for your comment, Deborah. I hope you enjoy the recipes!
You are the only food blogger I follow (and some of your recipes are in frequent rotation in our house AND I have hinted for some time that my fellas should get me your cook book- will they come through on Motherโs Day??) and this post (May 2, 2020) links to an article (allostatic load) that I am quoted in. I am unreasonably thrilled. Thanks for keeping it up Kate! Lots of crumbs for Cookie.
I hope they come through for you, Lynn! Itโs a great gift, if I do say so myself. :)
Hello Katheten. look on line Bakers Creek Heirloom Seed. great photographs unique produce I live in Texas so my Heirloom Garden is producing Kale Carrots 3 kinds. squash Italian is up corn at 12 inches snap peas at 6 feet pole and bush beans climbing. beets radishes tomatoes in flower garden salsa peppers is a must Chili peppers .com has great plants shipped to you hundreds of diff. kinds and great tomatoes. better than seeds. Bin growing for 65 years. know my stuff grew for nurseries and restaurants. โ Good Eating โ
Thank you, Joseph! Sounds like you have an amazing garden going. I will check out those seed sites, thank you for sharing!
How is Cookie?
Hi Brenda, thanks for asking! Sheโs doing really well and snoozing next to me as I type (snoring, actually). We finished her 25-week CHOP chemo protocol about a month ago. Unfortunately, she still has one swollen lymph node and weโve confirmed that it still contains cancer cells. So, weโve decided to carry on with chemo every three weeks (hopefully every four weeks in the future) since sheโs been tolerating it so well. Sheโs stable and weโve determined that these drugs are the most effective against her particular cancer cells. Itโs tough to make these decisions for her, but sheโs very much her usual ornery self, so I feel like Iโm doing right by her.
Glad to hear sheโs doing well. I love your recipes. I began with Bees Knees at the beginning. The cute picture of you and Cookie is what originally made me click on your site!
Brenda
Hi Kate, would it be possible for you to add โhalfโ to the scale options on the recipe? Sometimes I make food just for myself and that would be helpful. Thanks either way, I love your recipes!
Hey Natalie, thatโs a really good idea. That functionality comes through my recipe plugin so Iโll suggest it to them. Have a great day!
Your recipes make my month! Since it all started, donโt ask me why, but my husband has taken over the cooking that Iโve done daily since I was 11 years old (Iโm 69) but I do like to give him a break when heโll let me so I always turn to your recipes. Pretty painless, very healthy, and always so pretty!
(Iโm a dog lover too.)
Terry R
Thank you so much, Terry! Itโs great to hear from you. How fun that your husband is managing the cooking for a time! Have a great weekend!
Will you stop showing off and making me feel jealous..! This must-have tasted so delicious. Stop posting such tasty dishes.
Hi! Where can I get the recipe for the picture at the top of the page of the pita bread tacos with the broccoli and chickpeas?
Hi Vanessa!Lemony Broccoli, Chickpea & Avocado Pita Sandwiches
Looking for Best Restaurants South Bay Browse through South Bay Eater online and find the best Food in South Bay.
Hello. I like the round ups, but are we going to get back to new recipes again? Thanks
Hi Mike, Iโm working on new recipes, but they take some time to finalize and publish. Stay tuned!
How is Cookie? You havenโt mentioned her in a while.
Hi Sue, We recently had to say good bye to Cookie. Farewell to Cookie, 2008 โ 2023
Iโm trying to find the recipe for the May picture. The shell with broccoli and chickpeas? Maybe some avacado in there?
Lemony Broccoli, Chickpea & Avocado Pita Sandwiches