When one thinks of springtime, many people turn to fresh peas, spring onions, arugula, and fennel greens, but the best vegetable of them all is asparagus. Sure, you can get this vegetable any time of year, but nothing compares to the thick stocks and substantial bite of the springtime crop. And while you can thinly slice a bunch into a salad or blanch the whole lot of it, these tried and true methods sometimes come off as boring. Here to spruce up your veggies are five recipes that give a new take on asparagus.

Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart

This Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart looks beyond posh but it is deceptively easy to make. Straight from the freezer section, puff pastry acts as the base for a creamy goat cheese and crème fraîche filling. Whole spears of asparagus are baked into the custard-cheesy filling giving it a fancy continental cafe vibe (who needs a plane ticket now?). Served with a salad or as the starter to a dinner, this tart covers all of the bases, to check out the recipe click the link here!

Creamy Italian Baked Asparagus

Who needs a side dish? With this Creamy Italian Baked Asparagus, you won’t because this luxurious Cadillac of a sauce makes all of the other dishes at the dinner table look dull. When folding, wrapping, and cutting aren’t your cup of tea try this creamy hot-from-the-oven casserole bake. Everything is prepped right in the casserole dish — no fussing with the stovetop. A slap of cream here, sprinkle in cheese there, give a dash of dried seasoning, and you have a sauce that is addictive within itself. Get the recipe by clicking the link here.

Asparagus Puff Pastry Bundles

Asparagus and prosciutto are a classic pairing, they taste even better when they invite cheese and puff pastry to the party. With these Asparagus Puff Pastry Bundles, you’re taking asparagus to the next level. Use any hard-melting cheese you have on hand, it pairs perfectly with the vegetal brightness of the asparagus and the mellow saltiness of the prosciutto. These are technically an appetizer, but you won’t have room for dinner because you will find yourself polishing off a plate of them! Find the recipe here!

Asparagus With Feta

Give this classic springtime vegetable a Grecian twist. Broiled Asparagus With Feta gives you textures with a crispy boiled exterior and a snappy salty bite with the addition of the feta. A bit of lemon juice and a dash of dill finish this dish. It has such a fresh taste, you’d think you were lounging near the Mediterranean Sea. Get the recipe here.

Asparagus Pie

On an evening when the weather is warm, it’s hard to fathom a heavy meal, to the rescue is this Asparagus Pie. An unconventional crust of two different kinds of cheese and spring onion sits beneath a bed of asparagus spears and a creamy quiche-like filling. The result is far from the boring steamed asparagus of our childhoods! Intrigued? To get your hands on this versatile recipe, click the link here!