83 garden recipes

Pickled nasturtium seeds: the frugal gardener's homemade caper substitute, brined in spiced white wine vinegar with shallots, tarragon, and horseradish. Peppery, briny, and completely free.

Curried cucumber and tomato soup, a chilled summer puree of garden produce blended with curry powder, garlic, and hot sauce. No-cook, vegan, and ready after a quick chill.

This recipe, though fussy to make, is attractive and tasty. Cheryl Kaufenberg of Darien said it came from a very old Better Homes & Gardens magazine

Tender buttermilk muffins bursting with tart rhubarb and topped with cinnamon-brown sugar crumble. A spring breakfast treat that makes the most of garden-fresh stalks.

Cinnamon zucchini muffins with grated zucchini baked into a tender crumb. A quick 30-minute recipe that uses up garden zucchini in the best way possible.

Sweet corn fritters studded with edible marigold petals, fried until golden with lacy, crispy edges. A stunning appetizer that brings the garden straight to the plate.

Pineapple zucchini cake loaded with crushed pineapple, grated zucchini, pecans, and raisins. A moist, oil-based sheet cake with tropical-garden flavor that uses up summer zucchini.

Moist chocolate zucchini bread with cinnamon, cloves, and chocolate chips sprinkled on top. Makes 2 loaves and is the best way to sneak garden zucchini into a chocolatey treat.

Wild green salad tossing bittersweet escarole, lemony sorrel, and fresh mint with toasted sunflower seeds in a light herb vinegar dressing. A bright, garden-fresh bowl ready in minutes.

Rose petal jam from fragrant red cabbage roses, sugar syrup, and a squeeze of lemon. An old-world floral preserve with the perfume of a summer garden in every spoonful.

Grilled salmon with minted tomato salsa: pink fillets seared over fire and topped with a half-pureed warm salsa of tomato, mint, jalapeño, and green onion. A bright, garden-fresh dinner.

Stuffed monster zucchini is the answer to a giant garden zucchini: halved, hollowed, and packed with a savory cumin-thyme rice and lentil pilaf, then baked until tender. A hearty, frugal vegan main.

Bread-and-butter pickled zucchini turns a garden glut into 36 sweet-tart jars. Mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric build the classic bread-and-butter spice profile around sliced zucchini and onion.

Hearty low-fat vegetable soup with potatoes, zucchini, squash, carrots, pureed tomatoes, and kidney beans. Oil-free and loaded with garden veggies, this make-ahead soup tastes even better the next day.

Wild herb tart is a green-packed vegetarian custard pie stuffed with spinach, leek, green onion, and fresh parsley, bound in eggs and cream. A springtime garden-forward cousin of the classic quiche.

Honey glazed grilled chicken with pea-mint sauce pairs sticky-sweet balsamic-honey bone-in breasts with a vibrant spring sauce of fresh peas and mint. A bright, garden-forward dinner off the grill.