What to Cook in September in Australia: A Practical Guide to Early Spring Produce and Meals

# What to Cook in September (Australia)

September is the start of spring in Australia and New Zealand, but the weather can still feel mixed. The kitchen shift for this month is practical: keep a handful of soups and roast-based dinners for cooler days, and start prioritising quick, green, bright recipes when the market shows asparagus, peas and new potatoes.

What's in season in September

Expect early-spring produce that cooks fast and tastes fresh:

• Asparagus and peas (including snow peas and broad beans)
• Radishes and spring onions
• Silverbeet, rocket and other leafy greens
• Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage
• Artichokes

Asparagus: build meals around it

• Chicken risotto with asparagus and feta: a comforting, protein-rich risotto that still feels right as temperatures rise.

• Asparagus salad with feta and cherry tomatoes: char the asparagus for extra depth before tossing with cheese and tomatoes.

Treat asparagus as a season-defining ingredient while it's at its best.

Peas, radishes and spring greens: salads and light dinners

September is a good month to make salads that feel like full meals. Combine sweet peas, peppery radish, herbs and a creamy element for texture and balance. Suggested dishes:

• Spring salad with asparagus, peas and goat cheese: add pistachios for crunch and a lemony dressing for lift.
• Radish salad with peas and avocado: quick, crisp, and finished with a lemon-mint dressing.
• Pan-fried salmon with pea salad: a proper dinner that pairs crispy-skin fish with a creamy pea-and-radish base.

These recipes work as light lunches or weeknight mains.

New potatoes: rethink potato salad

New potatoes appear in markets this month and are worth showcasing in lighter formats rather than heavy mayo-based versions. Options to try:

• No-mayo potato salad with green beans and romesco dressing: smoky, Mediterranean-leaning and more robust than standard mayo salads.
• Green bean and potato salad, Greek-style: a lighter, olive-and-herb-forward take.
• Crispy potato salad: smash and roast rather than boil, toss with a creamy Parmesan dressing and crunchy veg.

Half-mayo, half-yoghurt dressings or vinaigrette-based versions keep potato salads spring-friendly.

Keep a few winter holdovers

Some winter produce lingers and is useful when the weather dips: butternut and other winter squash, pumpkin, beetroot and root veg. Practical recipes to use up those odds and ends:

• Easy pumpkin chicken curry and chickpea-butternut curry for weeknight comfort.
• High-protein butternut squash soup: creamy without cream, useful for freezing.
• Roast pumpkin and beetroot salad with maple walnuts or butternut squash and pomegranate salad as transition dishes between seasons.

How to shop and plan this month

Buy asparagus and peas while they're local and cheap. Choose new potatoes for texture and quicker cooking. Keep one or two winter-friendly staples in the freezer or pantry (stock, canned tomatoes, legumes) so you can flip between warm and light meals depending on the day.

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