When the weather turns warm and the season shifts from winter to spring, it's only natural to search for a few new recipes that will refresh your kitchen repertoire. Creating memorable dishes and meals with the ones you love won’t break the bank — thanks to these fresh, simple dishes that are destined to become household favorites.
To stock your spring kitchen, ALDI has everything you need — from fresh and frozen ingredients to seafood and pantry staples that you’ll use all year long. These smart recipes, designed by lifestyle experts to perk up your menus, include a twist on picture-perfect pasta salad, simplified carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, a one-skillet dinner that will be ready in a flash and more.
Why wait? These creative, inexpensive recipes are sure to add a spring in your step this season!
1. Spring Vegetable Salad with Pistachios, Parmesan & Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
When spring hits, it’s fun to watch the produce section explode with in-season vegetables. This creative, yet simple, salad leverages the best of the season, including fresh raw asparagus, snap peas, radishes, green spring onions and baby spinach from the ALDI produce aisles.
It’s tossed with a simple, tangy vinaigrette made with fresh lemon juice, garlic, Simply Nature Organic Olive Oil, Burman’s Dijon Mustard and Simply Nature Wildflower Honey. Southern Grove Shelled Pistachios and shaved Emporium Selection Parmesan Cheese add extra texture and flavor.
As it is, it’s vegetarian and gluten-free, but it can be easily vegan and dairy-free if you omit the cheese. However you choose to serve it, this dish is a satisfying side at any meal (or add protein, such as grilled chicken or fish, to make it a hearty entree).
2. Berry French Toast Bake
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but whether you eat this Berry French Toast for breakfast, brunch or dessert, you’re sure to start the day off on a sweet note.
Perhaps best of all though, the finished product looks decadent, yet the ingredient list is surprisingly healthy. Simply Nature Organic Seedtastic Whole Grain Bread, Happy Farms Whipped Cream Cheese and Friendly Farms Whole Milk Plain Greek Yogurt provide the foundation, and unsweetened almond milk, Simply Nature Grade A Organic Cage Free Eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and Specially Selected 100% Pure Maple Syrup give this breakfast casserole that classic French toast texture.
A homemade jam, made with frozen Season’s Choice Mixed Berries, vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup and Simply Nature Chia Seeds amps up the springtime flavors for a crave-worthy breakfast. Bonus: You can make this easy dish ahead of time and freeze any leftovers for an easy meal on the go, saving you money on tomorrow’s breakfast!
3. Easy, Healthy Pasta Salad
When the weather warms, it’s only natural to want to indulge in al fresco meals with family and friends. If you’re looking for a cost-effective yet flavorful side dish, look no further than this tasty pasta salad made with al dente Reggano rotini that’s tossed with crunchy fresh red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, medley tomatoes and diced cucumbers.
Specially Selected Gourmet House Vinaigrette, fresh basil and Emporium Selection Shredded Parmesan round out the mix for a side dish that pairs perfectly with whatever you’re serving — from seafood skewers to seasoned chicken and so much more.
It’s also easy to customize with your favorite additional ALDI mix-ins, such as chopped pepperoni, olives, raw broccoli, feta cheese, mozzarella balls, scallions and more. You can make it your own and delight whomever finds themselves around your table this season.
4. Carrot Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Who doesn’t love carrot cake? It’s moist and decadent with loads of cream cheese frosting. This version, from the creator of Broma Bakery, makes it even easier to have your favorite spring dessert by turning it into a simple sheet cake.
The batter comes together using ALDI baking ingredients, including Baker’s Corner Sugar, Carlini Vegetable Oil, fresh eggs, milk and Baker’s Corner All Purpose Flour, while freshly shredded carrots, Southern Grove Raisins and Baker’s Corner Sweetened Coconut Flakes add texture. Ground cinnamon and ginger give the cake just the right amount of spice.
If you’re frosting obsessed, prepare to fall in love with this version, made up of Happy Farms Cream Cheese, butter, Baker’s Corner Powdered Sugar and vanilla. It’s loaded with carrots, so maybe you could justify calling this a vegetable dish instead of a dessert? We’ll let you be the judge!
5. Lemon Butter Citrus Shrimp and Broccoli Skillet
When the weather is beautiful and you just want to be outside, but you’re juggling multiple tasks, some spring nights you don’t want to spend a ton of time or money on dinner. This one-skillet meal is both healthy and tasty and, perhaps best of all, you can throw it together in 30 minutes or less.
Start by prepping one defrosted bag of Fremont Fish Market Jumbo EZ Peel Shrimp. Then you’ll toss fresh broccoli florets in a hot skillet with olive oil and cook to tender-crisp. Finally, the shrimp gets cooked with butter, garlic and salt and pepper before finishing with fresh lemon juice and red pepper flakes.
Serve the whole thing with ALDI Simply Nature Organic 90 Second Quinoa and Brown Rice. Don’t let this dish’s simplicity fool you — it’s so fresh and tasty, your family will likely request that it’s part of your regular dinner rotation.
Spring is the perfect time to reconnect with friends and family, recommit to healthy eating and leverage the gorgeous fresh produce available at great prices. Thanks to the affordable ingredients stocked at ALDI, planning meals and get-togethers doesn’t have to break the bank. ALDI is the one-stop-shop for everything you’ll need this spring — and beyond.
Find your nearest ALDI via the store locator to save every day, on every aisle. Need some extra convenience? ALDI offers curbside pickup and delivery options viashop.aldi.us. Find more expert advice and recipe inspiration atALDI.us.
