Looking for Asian Spring Meals for 2026? These light, healthy easy recipes for a crowd work for both lunch and family dinners. Includes spring meal ideas to try with chicken, shrimp, pasta, and vegetarian options.
Appetizers
Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Thai Chicken Lettuce Wrap (20 min)
This Healthy Thai Chicken Lettuce Wrap is an easy appetiser, so flavourful, no dipping sauce is needed. One of my favorite Asian lettuce wraps thanks to the juicy chicken thighs (low carb) and fresh basil leaves. I show you how to make it spicy (or not)- better than pf Changs anyday!
Click here for the Asian chicken thigh lettuce wrap recipe.
Vietnamese Chicken Tacos
This easy Asian ground chicken recipe has refreshing flavors, and is on the dinner table in under 30 minutes! Perfect for adding more seasonal lettuce to your diet.
For more ways to use up a bunch of lemongrass, click here.
Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps (20 min)
This QUICK and EASY stir-fried lemongrass chicken makes delicious Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps in only 20 minutes!
Click here for the Asian Lemongrass Lettuce Cups recipe.
Korean Chicken Wraps
Korean Chicken Lettuce Wrap (30 min)
Korean chicken lettuce wraps are an easy, healthy, quick, and delicious Asian Appetizer, side dish, or low carb main. I've tested these Asian lettuce cups with both Korean Gochujang chicken thighs (stir fry) and ground chicken- scroll down to see which one works better! (short marinade.) Leftovers can be mixed with greens to make Gochujang Chicken Salad or chicken fried rice/ noodles.
Click here for the Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wrap.
Chinese Pork Lettuce Cups
And if you prefer fish, these Japanese salmon wraps also only need 30 minutes!
Pork Lettuce Wraps (San Choy Bow)
Authentic Chinese Pork Lettuce Wraps, or San Choy Bow, are a healthy(ish), delicious, and flexible dish. You can really make the recipe with any type of ground meat, or even leftover Peking duck! Better than PF Changs, anytime! (It will require a few Asian ingredients, but you can omit or substitute if you don't have them.)
Click here for how to make authentic Chinese lettuce wraps.
Salmon Wraps
Salads
Thai Mango Cucumber
Unlike the typical Thai mango salad, this dish uses ripe mangoes for their sweetness instead of green mango.
Mango Cucumber Salad (Asian)
This Mango Cucumber Salad (Asian recipe) is a light and refreshing side dish full of tropical flavor. Quick and easy, it's a sweet, savory and crunchy recipe perfect for camping or a summer barbecue. Plus, unlike many salads, there is no sour cream or olive oil used, so it's healthier and less heavy!
Click here for the Thai summer salad.
Watermelon Salad
Tip: toss the watermelon with sugar to remove extra water before making your salad- this prevents the salad from becoming soggy.
(The ratio is 4 Cups of watermelon to 1 teaspoon of sugar.)
Sweet & Spicy Watermelon Salad
This easy Asian Watermelon Salad is sweet, spicy and delicious! The cut fruit in the Thai-inspired dressing is so refreshing on hot days and the perfect picnic food idea for potlucks. One of our favorite healthy 4th of July party food ideas, you can make it in 15 minutes for summer lunches or dinner. (You can also add mint leaves or cucumber for crunch!)
Click here for the Vietnamese inspired fruit salad.
Spicy Cucumber
Tip: For best results, smash the cucumbers before marinating them in the spicy sauce- this helps them absorb the flavor better.
Cold cucumber salad recipe
The easy Chinese cold cucumber salad recipe is delicious and full of spicy flavor. Best of all, it only requires 4-ingredients and takes 5-10 minutes to make.
Click here for the chili cucumber salad recipe.
Japanese Spinach Salad
Japanese Summer Salad
This easy Japanese Summer Salad is a light and refreshing dish with the best delicious dressing sauce made from onions (玉ねぎドレッシング.) It can be made vegetarian or bulked up with crab sticks- I love the tangy, savory, and umamilicious sauce so much, we have this Asian salad dressing for dinner every week! It goes well with spinach, carrot, cucumbers, tomatoes, and more. (No Ginger, Garlic, Peanut, or Sesame.)
Click here for the spinach tomato salad recipe.
Thai Seafood Noodle Salad
Thai Vermicelli Noodle Salad with Abalone
Tangy, sweet, spicy, and savory, this light Thai Vermicelli with Abalone Salad is a great make-ahead recipe for your Chinese New Year 2023 celebration dinner. It can even be a no-cook recipe, and is the perfect dish for beginner home chefs!
Click here for the cold noodle salad.
Mains
Steamed Salmon
Chinese Steamed Salmon (25 min)
Chinese Steamed Fish with ginger and scallions and soy sauce is an easy, delicious, healthy fish recipe. I use salmon fillet- after a very quick marinade, the fish is steamed and drizzled with a flavourful sauce that is delicious with rice. This Chinese style steamed fish fillet is ready in only 20 minutes, making it one of my weeknight staple dishes.
Click here for the quick salmon recipe.
Lemongrass Chicken Stir Fry
15-Min Stir Fried Lemongrass Chicken
This is a QUICK and EASY stir-fried lemongrass chicken. By substituting the typical chicken thigh used for ground chicken mince, the cooking time is reduced to 10 minutes AND the cost of the recipe goes down BUT it's still super tasty!
Click here for the Vietnamese chicken recipe.
Teriyaki Shrimp
EASY Teriyaki Shrimp Stir Fry (20 min)
This easy Teriyaki Shrimp Stir Fry recipe is a delicious recipe on the dinner table in 20 minutes. Best enjoyed with a bowl of white rice! (It's Japanese-inspired so the sauce is a little spicy, but I also show you how to make authentic Japanese Teriyaki Sauce if that's what you prefer.)
Click here for the Japanese stir fried shrimp recipe.
Thai Basil Fried Rice (Vegetarian) (20 min)
This Vegan/ Vegetarian Thai Basil Fried Rice is a deliciously easy dish on the dinner table in under 20 minutes. It's the ultimate Asian comfort food: sweet, salty, savory, and budget-friendly! (Not including rice cooking time, if not using leftover rice.)
Click here for the vegetarian rice recipe.
Shrimp Fried Rice
Thai Basil Fried Rice with Shrimp (Khao Pad Goong)
This Thai Basil Fried Rice with Shrimp (Khao Pad Goong) is quick easy and delicious: it's on the table in under 30 minutes if you have leftover rice. Plus making it at home means you can save money and custmise it to your desired spice level!
Click here for the spicy shrimp rice recipe.
Spicy Tuna Fried Rice
EASY Canned Tuna Fried rice (30 min)
This easy Canned Tuna Fried Rice recipe is simple, nutritious, and delicious. Done in 30 minutes, it's a great pantry meal for a quick weeknight dinner. (I also show you how to make it spicy, or non-spicy.)
Click here for the canned tuna recipe.
Steamed Egg
Chinese Steamed Eggs (20 min)
This easy and healthy Chinese Steamed Eggs recipe is light, soft, and fluffy savory pudding. This silky egg custard is on the family dinner table in 20 minutes, making it perfect as a quick Asian breakfast. Serve with a drizzle of soy sauce or minced pork and it's a delicious Asian dinner meal.
Click here for the healthy egg recipe.
Soy Marinated Avocado
Mayak Avocado
Mayak Avocado is an addictively good Soy Sauce Avocado Recipe that only takes minutes to make and is great for meal prep! Paired with a plain bowl of white rice, this easy Korean side dish tastes incredible. As it's a no-cook recipe, it's the perfect summer recipe to stay cool and on the table in under 20 minutes.
Click here for the no cook Korean recipe.
Soy Marinated Eggs
Mayak Eggs
Mayak Eggs is a super simple but deliciously savory Korean side dish that can be made in minutes! It tastes phenomenal with just rice and lasts for 3-4 days in the fridge, so is a great Asian meal prep recipe!
Click here for the easy Korean egg recipe.
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