Need some meatless meal ideas this season? Here’s a 7-day vegetarian meal plan for early spring including prep tips and serving suggestions!
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Hello, Rhubarbarians! Here's your vegetarian meal plan for early spring. A full weeks worth of dinner ideas for you that use early spring produce.
Jump to:
Late March and early April are here! This time of year can be really exciting as spring is finally here and just getting started.
The days are getting longer a bit each day, but you still need meals that are simple for busy weeknights, as well as a mix of cold weather meals and vibrant produce while you enjoy the first days of spring.
All of these recipes are beginner vegetarian friendly and quick enough for weeknights if you prep ahead just a bit (I'll show you how).
Need more ideas?
What to eat in early spring
Your vegetarian meal plan for early spring is packed full of seasonal fruits and vegetables!
Enjoy the last of the vibrant citrus and winter greens along with early asparagus, artichokes, and possibly peas and herbs.
Now is the time for lemony, herby, and green dishes! Grab a cup of tea, some freshly baked banana bread, and open up those windows for some fresh air.
Here's our April seasonal produce and recipes guide for you.
Meal plan
- Monday: avocado grapefruit salad with strawberry and mint
- Tuesday: veggie enchiladas with sour cream sauce
- Wednesday: creamy vegan asparagus soup
- Thursday: spinach artichoke cottage cheese frittata
- Friday: teriyaki vegetable stir fry with pineapple
- Saturday: roasted spring veggie toast with goat cheese
- Sunday: spicy carrot soup with coconut milk
Each recipe below includes a quick description, recipe tips, side dishes to serve, and a link to a printable pdf of the recipe.
Prep ahead tips
Let's set you up for success for the week! If you'd like to, you can pre-chop all of your veggies for the week and have them ready to minimize prep time later on (chop the veggies for the soups and the stir fry).
While Monday's salad is quick and fresh, Tuesday's enchiladas are more labor intensive. I recommend making the filling and the sauce ahead of time so that you just have to put the enchiladas together and bake on Tuesday night.
Wednesday's soup is simple, but there is a cream sauce that can be made ahead of time. You can also make some rice/noodles and the teriyaki sauce for Friday.
Monday
Avocado grapefruit salad with strawberry and mint
Tart ruby grapefruit, sweet strawberries, creamy and nutty avocado, herby mint, and salty cheese make for a fabulous flavor combo! There's a simple vinaigrette with the fresh grapefruit juice and everything comes together in just about 15 minutes.
Pro tip: Make sure you choose a grapefruit that is sweet enough without any added sugar. I like ruby grapefruit!
Recipe tips:
- If you can't find manchego cheese, go ahead and swap for pecorino romano or even crumbled goat cheese.
- There's a lot of juice in this salad, so you'll want to choose greens that can stand up to the grapefruit and the dressing. Spinach, baby kale, or arugula are great choices!
- Add some beans, lentils, nuts, or a protein of your choice to make it more filling.
Serve with:
- sauteed chickpeas with lemon and rosemary on top
- Warm crusty bread and butter
- cooked green lentils
Print this avocado grapefruit salad recipe including ingredient list here.
Tuesday
Veggie enchiladas with sour cream sauce
Instead of red sauce, these are made with a green chile sour cream sauce. You'll want to lick the sour cream sauce with a spoon, it's that good! This family favorite recipe makes a whole casserole dish full so it's great for a large family meal with leftovers for the week.
Pro tip: Heating the tortillas up a bit in a pan will make them more pliable and easier to roll! This will also keep them from getting soggy while cooking.
Recipe tips:
- When choosing your canned green chiles at the grocery store, pay attention to whether they are mild or spicy and choose the one that you prefer.
- You can leave out the beans if you need to or swap them for pinto beans.
- If you can't find colby jack cheese, swap it for monterey jack cheese or pepper jack cheese.
Serve with:
- Your favorite toppings like avocado, tomato, cilantro, hot sauce, etc.
- Strawberry pico de gallo
- Extra sour cream enchilada sauce
Print this enchilada recipe including ingredient list here.
Wednesday
This is the best asparagus soup I've ever had, made with an incredible dairy free pistachio cream. The pistachio cream and potato in the soup make it hearty, but not heavy.
Pro tip: If you're pressed for time, you can make the pistachio cream ahead.
Recipe tips:
- If you can't find roasted salted pistachios, swap for raw. You might need to add a bit more salt at the end.
- If you don't like pistachios, you can swap for cashews.
- If you can't find leeks, substitute thinly sliced shallots or sweet onion.
Serve with:
- Olive rosemary focaccia bread
- Steamed artichokes
- Warm crusty bread for dipping
Print this asparagus soup recipe including ingredient list here.
Thursday
Spinach artichoke cottage cheese frittata
The cottage cheese curds melt right into the eggs in this frittata, so it really gives it a light and fluffy texture and a creamy, cheesy taste. Combined with the spinach, artichoke, herbs, and feta, this will be a spring go-to meal for you!
Pro tip: make two while you're doing the work and freeze one for later!
Recipe tips:
- If you prefer non-fat or full-fat cottage cheese to low-fat, go ahead and swap it for your fave!
- If you don't like feta cheese, swap for goat cheese or omit the extra cheese.
- Feel free to use either canned/jarred artichoke hearts or thawed frozen. Make sure they are patted dry before using. Do not use artichokes that are marinated or stored in oil.
Serve with:
- Hash browns and fruit for a breakfast dinner
- Crispy baked potato
- Honey butter roasted radishes
Print this frittata recipe including ingredient list here.
Friday
Teriyaki vegetable stir fry with pineapple
Skip the take out and make your own veggie teriyaki! This has been a dinner staple in our house for a looooong time. We eat it all year long through every season.
Pro tip: if you don't have time to make the homemade teriyaki sauce, go ahead and use your favorite store bought sauce.
Recipe tips:
- Toss in some tofu, tempeh, vegan meat crumbles, or even some chickpeas for added protein.
- Swap any of the veggies for your favorite stir fry veggies.
- Add fresh garlic and ginger to your stir fried veggies and leave the dried garlic and ginger out of the sauce.
Serve with:
- Crispy tofu
- Steamed rice or stir fried noodles
- Sriracha or hot sauce
Print this veggie teriyaki recipe including ingredient list here.
Saturday
Roasted spring veggie toast with goat cheese
The flavor of spring green veggies with goat cheese is an amazing flavor combo like no other. Add some fresh spring herbs and it all marries together beautifully. The crunchiness of the toast, creaminess of the goat cheese spread, and crispness of the vegetables create an awesome texture.
Pro tip: If you can't find fresh peas quite yet, frozen peas are great! Just increase the cook time 1-2 minutes.
Recipe tips:
- If goat cheese is too tangy for you, try using ricotta cheese! Or swap it out for this amazing green olive sauce.
- You can substitute any of your favorite herbs! If you don't like dill and chives, we recommend parsley, tarragon, or even cilantro.
- Any of your favorite rustic bread will work in this recipe. Try dark rye toast, it's fabulous!
Serve with:
- Crispy burnt onions on top
- Leftover asparagus soup from Wednesday
- Garlic butter baby potatoes or french fries
Print this veggie toast recipe including ingredient list here.
Sunday
Spicy carrot soup with coconut milk
If you're looking for an easy soup recipe without a ton of ingredients, you have found it! There are only 6 ingredients if you don't count salt and pepper. It's easy, comforting, and full of carrot flavor. It takes a bit of time to caramelize the onions, but it's mostly hands off.
Pro tip: Let the onions brown thoroughly before moving on to the next step. The flavor of the onions is essential to this carrot soup.
Recipe tips:
- Use a high speed blender for the velvety smooth soup. An immersion blender is handy, but a high speed blender like a Vitamix will make for the best texture.
- Be sure to use full fat coconut milk. It will give you the richest flavor and texture.
- If your soup is too thick for you liking, thin it out with water or vegetable stock a little at a time until you get your desired consistency.
Serve with:
- Flat bread or naan bread
- Side salad. Go for something light and refreshing like cucumber to contrast the thick soup.
- Crispy chickpeas or croutons. Load these on top of your soup for some crunch.
Print this carrot soup recipe including ingredient list here.
Recommended products and resources
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Here are some of the products that I recommend for prepping and cooking these recipes this week!
Products:
- These produce saver tupperware containers are perfect for prepped fruits and veggies. I love ours for chopped greens!
- I like to use 8 ounce mason jars to make salad dressing. Just screw on the lid and shake!
- An immersion blender
- Soup pot or dutch oven. We love our Lodge dutch oven!
- Food processor. We have Ninja food processor attachment.
- Souper cubes for freezing leftover soup.
Resources:
- Here is a list of all of the vegetarian meal plans on the site.
- Here are all of our spring recipes.
- And all of our dinner recipes!
If you make any of these recipes, let us know on social media or in the comments below. Don't forget to tag us on Instagram with #Rhubarbarians!
LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? GET FREE WEEKLY RECIPES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX! SIGN UP HERE!
Comments
No Comments