47 Best May Recipes for 2024
We’re trading scarves and superfluous layers for sunscreen and picnic blankets, heavy winter meals for fresh May recipes. This collection of spring favorites will help you get ready for the weeks ahead, when you’ll swap your hot morning coffee routine for something a little chillier, pack a bite to take to the park when it’s just too beautiful to eat dinner inside, and really need some quick meal ideas that’ll mesh with the hectic schedule of the school year’s end.
It’s time to cook green peas, asparagus, sweet carrots, and artichokes, not to mention as much rhubarb as you can lug home. We hope this list of our best May recipes—and your first sighting of good ripe strawberries—will help to get you out of that cold weather slump. Fire up the grill, get your pie pan ready, and scroll down for all of our spring recipe essentials.
Be sure to sign up for a free trial of our recipe subscription so you can save—and cook—them all.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone1/47Our Favorite Key Lime Pie
The best May recipes bring cheer to any barbecue or picnic—and this citrusy dessert is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. To make the best possible Key lime pie, though, you need to cheat a little. Hint: Key lime isn’t the only citrus you’ll find in this pie. The result is a balanced, perfectly sweet-and-sour flavor.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson2/47Simple One-Skillet Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Emilie Fosnocht3/47Rhubarb Cake
This rhubarb cake captures the flavor of spring in every slice. And with his new recipe, baking pro Jesse Szewczyk shares some tips for keeping the juicy rhubarb from turning your cake soggy.
Photo by Caleb Adams, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell4/47Cedar-Plank Salmon
When the weather gets nice, what are you even doing cooking indoors? This grilled salmon recipe will feed a crowd, so feel free to invite the neighbors. Serve with a crunchy salad and some fresh bread, plus the cake above.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert5/47The Ultimate Paloma
This extremely easy cocktail will be one you’ll reach for all month long. We punch up the grapefruit flavor by combining grapefruit soda and fresh grapefruit juice. Try it with tequila or swap in mezcal.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart6/47Fresh Strawberry Cake
Nothing says May like ruby-red strawberries, so we’re thrilled to share this strawberry dessert recipe. This cake uses the fresh berries and jam to create a glossy look and juicy flavor.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce7/47Citrus-Oil-Marinated Spring Vegetables
Prep fava beans once, eat them for days on ricotta-topped toast, with creamy polenta, or alongside a cheese plate. This spring vegetable has a short season, so check out your local farmers market and get some while you can.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow8/47Spicy Tamarind-Glazed Grilled Chicken Wings
If you haven’t fired up your grill yet this year, these tangy wings from Rachel Gurjar are reason enough to start. If you’re new to grilling, check out these grilling tips to learn the lay of the land and get inspired.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou9/47Tahini Chiffon Cake With Burnt Honey Cream and Poached Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a late-spring essential, and this dessert makes the most of those stalks. Tahini brings pure sesame flavor to the fluffy cake, and a lining of sesame seeds adds a bonus level of crunch. Poaching the rhubarb is a great way to retain that bright pink color while still breaking down tougher fibrous strands.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce10/47Broken Lasagna With Parmesan and All the Peas
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce11/47Coconut-Cardamom French Toast With Raspberry-Rhubarb Compote
Treat yourself extra special this weekend with this stuffed French toast. It has a rich coconut filling and a vibrant raspberry-rhubarb topping. Whipped cream or yogurt on top? Coconut or sprinkles? Your choice. Or maybe Mom’s choice, if you’re making this dish for Mother’s Day brunch.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow12/47Salmon Croquettes With Dill Sauce
Delicious? Check. Easy? Definitely. Budget-friendly? That too. These crispy salmon cakes are among the best pantry-focused meals around. If you’ve had sticker shock at the grocery store lately, save this one.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart13/47Strawberry Shortcakes
A classic marker that summer is rounding the corner, strawberry shortcake simply never disappoints. The right paring knife makes quick work of hulling these berries so you can get to dessert even faster.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell14/47One-Pot Spring Pasta With Smoked Salmon
It takes just 30 minutes to make this dish, which feels fancy enough for a May dinner party—but could absolutely be your Tuesday dinner. Sour cream and lemon zest combine for a sprightly sauce that complements rich smoked salmon.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad15/47Skillet Soufflé Pancake
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton16/47Brioche-Crusted Salmon
Though it’s a move perfected by chefs in fancy restaurants, this crispy salmon is easy and fun enough to pull off at home—even on a weeknight. The secret? A brioche slice on top.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell17/47Pasta With 15-Minute Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce
Larger varieties of tomatoes are not quite in season in May, but luckily, sweet cherry tomatoes are pretty good right now. Let them take center stage in this simple, 15-minute recipe that’s sure to become a weeknight favorite.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow18/47Iced Chai
Lots of iced chai is watery and bland, but not this version. Thanks to a method inspired by Japanese iced coffee, this boldly flavored iced chai will brighten your day. This works just as well with plant-based milk for a dairy-free option.
Johnny Miller19/47Cucumber Salad With Red Onion and Dill
Dill pickle salad, anyone? Well, sort of. This dish uses a mustardy brine to pickle red onions, which then becomes the vinaigrette over ribbons of fresh cucumber and dill fronds. Serve with grilled chicken slathered in barbecue sauce or pork spareribs.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson20/47Classic Seafood Boil With Lemon-Butter
Photo by Alana Kysar and Brooklyn Dombroski21/47Butter Mochi
Looking for an easy dessert to bring to a spring picnic? This chewy treat is a Hawaiian mainstay, flavored with both coconut milk and toasted coconut flakes.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne23/47Molten Double Chocolate Mug Cake
Need dessert now but don’t want to bake a whole cake? This delightful mug cake comes together in no time thanks to the unsung hero of the kitchen: the microwave.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce24/47Juiciest Grilled Chicken Breast With Citrus Marinade
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Pearl Jones26/47Young Carrots With Spring Onions, Sumac, and Anchovies
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell27/47Asparagus and Two-Cheese Quiche With Hash-Brown Crust
Having the right tools can make quick work of otherwise time-consuming tasks. Here, a good food processor will save you time (and maybe your fingertips) so you can enjoy this deluxe spring-y quiche as soon as possible.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad28/47Lemony Risotto With Asparagus and Shrimp
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart29/47Spring Sheet-Pan Salmon With Roasted Artichoke Hearts and Leeks
Just make sure to give those leeks a good cleaning before getting started with this fresh and springy meal.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert30/47Margarita
A mainstay in the warmer months, this simple drink needs no introduction. (Though the margarita’s origin story is fun to dig into.) With the right cocktail shaker and glass in hand, you’ll be ready to make these all summer long.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Kim32/47Buldak-Style Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks
We like drumsticks for this flavor-packed dish. They take awhile to cook through, which allows the sauce to reduce and get nice and sticky. But if chicken thighs or wings are more your thing, have at it.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova34/47Panna Cotta
You don’t need to fuss with pastry if you’re hosting friends. Just make this restaurant-quality dessert in advance and top with whatever fresh fruit you have on hand. It’s especially good with rhubarb compote or roasted strawberries.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich37/47Blueberry Scones
Grate frozen butter on a box grater to make these fluffy scones. Once you have the base down, you can mix in whatever you want, like raspberries, crystallized ginger, or citrus zest.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton38/47Easy Pasta Salad
Pasta salad season is finally here. Dress and toss the salad while the pasta is still warm to help it absorb maximum flavor.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht39/47Pimm’s Shandy
Combine two classic cocktails, the traditional Pimm’s cup and the simple shandy, to make the platonic ideal of an afternoon refresher.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich40/47Grilled Chicken Salad With Creamy Any-Pickle Dressing
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce41/47Ember-Roasted Strawberries
Don’t let those embers go to waste—use them to concentrate the flavor of fresh strawberries. The sugar in the berries and the added brown sugar caramelize and create a rich syrup, which is begging to be spooned over pound cake or the aforementioned panna cotta.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne42/47Roasted Asparagus With Garlic
On busy nights, prepare and serve this easy spring side dish as written. And when you have a little extra time to spare, whip up a simple aioli for easy dipping and even more garlic flavor.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell43/47Crispy Chicken Thighs With Spring Vegetables
In the spring, we love any excuse to show off fresh radishes. By roasting them, you gently temper their spicy bite.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell44/47Lemon-Roasted Salmon With Escarole, Asparagus, and Potatoes
This Greek-inspired salad brings together feta, salmon, and plenty of dill—it’s a dish we’ll be making at least once a week this month.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews45/47Spiced Lamb Burgers With Spring Slaw
A vegetable peeler turns asparagus spears into thin ribbons—perfect for topping a juicy lamb burger.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele46/47Rhubarb Crisp
Strawberries-rhubarb crisp is a classic, but when left alone, rhubarb shines as the star of the show.
