Spring Produce Guide: What’s in Season in New Zealand

Discover the best of New Zealand’s spring produce and simple ways to make the most of it in your kitchen.

After months of slow-cooked dinners, hearty soups and roasted root veggies, the arrival of spring brings a welcome change.

Asparagus makes an appearance, herbs become abundant, strawberries begin to pop up, and the first crisp new-season vegetables start finding their way into our kitchens.

It’s a season for lighter meals, brighter flavours, and letting good ingredients do more of the work.

And while modern supermarkets mean we can buy most fruit and vegetables year-round, choosing produce when it is naturally in season is a simple way to enjoy food at its freshest. Seasonal produce is often better value, has a shorter journey from garden to plate, and can be more flavourful too.

So, what’s actually in season in New Zealand this spring?

Here’s our guide to the produce worth looking out for, along with a few simple ideas for making the most of it!

Spring in Aotearoa runs from September to November, and it’s a season of change.

Winter favourites are still making an appearance, while new-season produce is gradually arriving. Exact availability varies depending on region, weather, variety and growing conditions, but some of the spring produce worth keeping an eye out for includes:

• Asparagus
• Spring carrots
• New-season potatoes
• Peas
• Snow peas
• Radishes
• Spring onions
• Rhubarb
• Lettuce and salad greens
• Broccoli and cauliflower
• Hass avocados
• Strawberries, particularly later in spring
• Kiwifruit
• Mandarins
• Navel oranges and grapefruit
• Tangelos, particularly later in spring
• Lemons
• Fresh herbs

You may also still find mandarins in early spring, depending on the season and region. Their main season is earlier in the year, so they’re best thought of as one of the last tastes of the cooler months rather than a new spring arrival. 

It’s worth remembering that seasonal doesn’t necessarily mean a food is available for just a few weeks. Some New Zealand-grown produce is available for much of the year, while individual varieties can have quite different harvest windows. One of the joys of eating seasonally in New Zealand is that the calendar isn’t quite the same everywhere. Cooler regions can see spring produce arrive a little later, while warmer growing regions may welcome new-season crops earlier.

Local farmers’ markets, roadside stalls and greengrocers are often the best guide to what’s fresh and plentiful in your area!

Asparagus

If there’s one vegetable that signals the arrival of spring, it has to be asparagus.

Fresh New Zealand asparagus begins appearing from September, with the main season extending through the warmer months.

Its delicate flavour means it doesn’t need much done to it. Steam it, grill it, roast it, sauté it, or simply blanch it and serve with a little butter, lemon and flaky salt.

Spring tip: Look for firm, straight spears with fresh-looking ends. Really fresh asparagus should have a slight squeak when the stems are rubbed together.

Spring Carrots

Carrots might not sound particularly exciting, but spring brings a particularly lovely version of this everyday favourite.

New-season spring carrots are available from around October, and smaller carrots tend to be sweeter and more tender. If you find carrots with their green tops still attached, even better. They look beautiful piled onto a platter and can be roasted whole for a simple side dish.

No need to automatically throw away the carrot tops. Fresh, leafy tops are great in pesto, chimichurri or herb sauces.

New-Season Potatoes

Spring brings the arrival of new-season potatoes, with their thin skins and naturally creamy texture. They’re the kind of ingredient that makes you wonder why we ever overcomplicate dinner. Boil them until tender, toss with butter and fresh herbs, roast until golden, or use them as the base of a spring potato salad.

A quality saucepan or Dutch oven is ideal for boiling potatoes, while a sturdy roasting dish will give you deliciously crisp edges when you want to take them into the oven.

Peas & Snow Peas

Fresh peas and snow peas bring some serious colour to the spring kitchen.

New Zealand-grown peas are generally at their best from late spring, while snow peas begin appearing earlier. Fresh peas are wonderful simply cooked with butter, but they also work beautifully in salads, pasta, risotto, soups and dips.

Snow peas, meanwhile, are at their best when they retain some crunch.

The rule: Don’t overcook them. Spring vegetables are at their best when they still have a little bite.

Radishes

Radishes are one of those vegetables that can completely change a dish with almost no effort.

Their crisp texture and peppery flavour bring contrast to creamy dips, rich cheeses and soft vegetables. Slice them paper-thin for salads, halve and roast them for something sweeter, or simply serve them raw with butter and salt.

Simple, colourful, light and sure to impress.

Rhubarb

While technically a vegetable, rhubarb is most often treated like fruit, and spring is its moment to shine.

New Zealand rhubarb is available from around September, making it one of the first fresh ingredients to bring colour to spring baking. Its naturally tart flavour works particularly well with sweeter ingredients.

Rhubarb also loves a little spice. Ginger, cinnamon and cardamom all work beautifully with its sharpness.

And keep an eye out for our Spring Baking guide for more ways to put it to good use.

Spring is also the perfect time to start thinking beyond individual vegetables.

Lettuce, spinach, salad greens, microgreens, spring onions and fresh herbs can turn a simple meal into something that feels considerably more special. Instead of building meals around heavy sauces and rich sides, let fresh greens bring colour, texture and flavour.

A handful of fresh herbs can be just as transformative as a complicated dressing.

Build a Better Spring Salad

1. Something leafy

Lettuce, spinach, rocket or mixed salad greens.

2. Something crisp

Radishes, cucumber, snow peas or spring onions.

3. Something sweet

Carrot, peas or fruit.

4. Something creamy

Avocado, feta, goat’s cheese or mozzarella.

5. Something crunchy

Toasted seeds, nuts or croutons.

6. Something bright

Lemon, herbs, and a simple vinaigrette.

There’s no need to overthink it. Start with what sounds good to you, then build around it.

Spring fruit in New Zealand is less about one big wave of new arrivals and more about the gradual transition from winter into summer.

Some cooler-season fruit is still around, while later-season varieties and the first sweeter flavours of the warmer months begin to appear. Exact timing varies by variety, region and growing conditions, so it’s always worth keeping an eye on what’s looking particularly good at your local market or greengrocer.

Kiwifruit

Gold and green kiwifruit are part of the spring crossover, with both varieties featuring in New Zealand’s seasonal fruit calendar.

Their bright colour and refreshing acidity make them an easy addition to breakfast, fruit salads and smoothies, while they also work beautifully in desserts and baking.

Spring Citrus

Spring is a season of crossover for New Zealand citrus. Winter favourites are still around while later-season varieties begin to appear.

Navel oranges and grapefruit are both worth enjoying as spring gets underway. Sweet and juicy, navel oranges are lovely eaten fresh, added to salads or used in baking, while grapefruit brings a sharper, refreshing flavour to breakfast, salads and juices. Both remain available well into spring. Citrus NZ lists navel oranges through to December and grapefruit through to January.

As spring progresses, tangelos are another bright, juicy option, available from September through December. Enjoy them fresh, in juices or added to salads and desserts.

And then there’s lemon. Available year-round, it’s the easiest way to add a little brightness to spring produce. Try a squeeze over asparagus, peas or a fresh salad.

Hass Avocados

Creamy, versatile and naturally suited to lighter spring meals, Hass avocados are a particularly good variety to look out for from around August through April. Add them to salads, toast, dressings and dips, or pair creamy avocado with crisp radishes, spring onions, fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon.

Strawberries Are Coming

The arrival of strawberries is one of the great signs that summer isn’t far away.

Fresh strawberries begin to appear in some places during spring, with late spring bringing more of that unmistakable sweet, summery flavour. When they’re good, you don’t need much more than a bowl and a little cream. They’re equally at home in salads, yoghurt, pavlova and baking.

Spring baking tip: Keep strawberries fresh for longer by avoiding washing them until you’re ready to use them.

Stay tuned for our Spring Baking Blog for more sweet inspiration!

One of the best things about seasonal cooking is that it naturally encourages simpler meals.

You don’t need to build an elaborate recipe around every ingredient. Sometimes the best way to enjoy spring produce is to cook it simply and serve it alongside something you already have in the fridge.

Think…

This is where having the right kitchen equipment makes seasonal cooking even easier.

A good knife makes short work of all that chopping and trimming. A quality saucepan is perfect for blanching vegetables and cooking new potatoes, while a reliable roasting dish takes spring carrots and asparagus from fresh to beautifully caramelised.

And for salads? A good chopping board, salad bowl and set of serving tools are essentials for a spring kitchen.

Seasonal produce is at its best when you actually use it. If you find yourself with more vegetables than you can eat, don’t let them sit forgotten in the crisper drawer.

Roast it

Almost anything can become more delicious with a little olive oil, salt, and a hot oven.

Try roasting carrots, radishes, asparagus or cauliflower and serving them warm with a simple dressing.

Pickle it

Quick pickling is an easy way to extend the life of vegetables such as radishes, carrots and onions.

A jar of quick-pickled vegetables can transform sandwiches, tacos, salads and grain bowls.

Preserve it

Spring is also a good time to get back into preserving. Make chutneys, relishes, jams or sauces with whatever is abundant.

A little effort now means you can enjoy the flavours of the season later.

Freeze it

Blanch peas, beans and some leafy greens before freezing to help retain their colour and texture.

And don’t forget herbs. Chop fresh herbs and freeze them in ice cube trays with a little water or olive oil for an easy flavour boost later.

Spring isn’t only a reason to change what’s on your plate. It’s also a good excuse to give the kitchen a little spruce-up and make it work better for you.

Give Your Kitchen a Spring Reset

If you’re giving your kitchen a proper spring clean, it’s also a great time to rethink what you’re using to clean it. For a more considered approach to everyday housekeeping, explore our Eco-Friendly Housekeeping range, with practical alternatives for keeping your kitchen and home clean.

You don’t have to completely overhaul the way you shop to eat seasonally.

Starting small is better than not starting at all.

Next time you’re at the market or grocery shop, look for what’s overflowing. Buy a bunch of asparagus while it’s around. Pick up some new-season carrots. Add a bunch of radishes to the trolley. Try a different citrus fruit. Bring home some kiwifruit while it’s still in season. Or wait for the first really good strawberries to appear.

Seasonal eating isn’t about following rules. It’s about paying a little more attention to what’s abundant around us and making the most of it while it’s here.

After winter, everything feels a little brighter. The produce is greener. The meals are lighter. The days are longer.

So sharpen your knives, clear some space on the chopping board, and put the kettle on. Spring is blooming.

Shop the Spring Kitchen

Make the most of the season with kitchen essentials designed for chopping, cooking, serving, and preserving fresh New Zealand produce.

Explore our Spring Kitchen Pinterest Board →

For a little spring-inspired colour in the kitchen, shop our top picks from the stunning Le Creuset Petal Collection below.