{"id":641325,"date":"2026-04-30T21:00:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T21:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/641325\/"},"modified":"2026-04-30T21:00:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T21:00:22","slug":"seasonal-produce-for-all-your-autumn-soups-roasts-and-salads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/641325\/","title":{"rendered":"Seasonal produce for all your autumn soups, roasts and salads"},"content":{"rendered":"

“It’s better from a nutrient perspective to eat locally and seasonally as much as possible,” says Prue Mynard.<\/p>\n

The accredited practising dietitian and cookbook author from Naarm\/Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula says there’s a lot of autumn produce to love at the moment.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Sellers say autumn produce lends itself to hearty salads, soups and roasts. (ABC News: Anna Chisholm)<\/p>\n

“There are so many great vegetables and fruits that are coming into season.”<\/p>\n

Fabienne Reilly, general manager of Adelaide Central Market, says May produce is perfect for roasting, cooking into soups or making into autumnal salads.<\/p>\n

She recommends checking for specials when shopping.<\/p>\n

Seasonal options should be in high supply and are often discounted, she says.<\/p>\n

“If you’re shopping at a market or an independent greengrocer then you can really ask the staff what is new in season, where the items are sourced from and how to cook them.”<\/p>\n

So, what can you look for?Vegetables:PumpkinCarrotsParsnipsSweet potatoesCauliflowerBrussels sproutsLeeksLeafy greens, such as silverbeet and spinachFennelFruit:OrangesMandarinsLemonsApplesPearsKiwifruitPersimmonsDragon fruitCustard applesHearty vegetables reign supreme<\/p>\n

Autumn favourites such as pumpkins, carrots and parsnips can be slow cooked, made into curries or Moroccan-style dishes, Ms Mynard says.<\/p>\n

“I love those ingredients and they’re just so versatile.”<\/p>\n

Recipes to try:<\/p>\n

Root vegetables such as carrots and parsnips can be available all year, but Ms Reilly says they are sweeter in May.<\/p>\n

“They get sweetened by the cool nights and are really great at the moment.”<\/p>\n

A lot of pumpkins are harvested in April and as a result, Ms Reilly expects there to be “really good value” varieties available into July.<\/p>\n

Rohith Dsouza from Footscray Market Fruit and Veg in Naarm\/Melbourne says gold or orange sweet potatoes are very affordable right now.<\/p>\n

He says other varieties are likely to become more abundant as May continues.<\/p>\n

\"Boxes<\/p>\n

Jap (also known as Kent) and butternut pumpkin varieties at Footscray Market. (ABC News: Anna Chisholm)<\/p>\n

Cruciferous favourites<\/p>\n

“Cauliflower will be great,” Ms Reilly says.<\/p>\n

If you grew up on steamed cauliflower, Ms Mynard suggests trying roasted cauliflower with olive oil, cumin and paprika instead because its flavour “really shines through” when roasted.<\/p>\n

Whole roasted cheesy cauliflower<\/a><\/p>\n

This whole roasted cauliflower uses the simplest of ingredients, resulting in a side dish that is full of flavour and oozing with melted, gooey cheese.<\/p>\n

“The caramelisation that happens when a cauliflower is roasted just completely transforms it.”<\/p>\n

Ms Reilly says she is “a big fan of autumn because of all the soup and roasts you can do with those beautiful veggies like pumpkin, potatoes and cauliflower”.<\/p>\n

Keeping with the cruciferous family, she also suggests looking out for brussels sprouts during May.<\/p>\n

Ms Mynard says brussels sprouts are a “polarising vegetable” but are delicious when cooked well.<\/p>\n

“I love making them with bacon, lemon, garlic and butter.”<\/p>\n

\"Heads<\/p>\n

Prue Mynard says roasting cauliflower unlocks its flavour. (ABC News: Anna Chisholm)<\/p>\n

Leeks and fennel<\/p>\n

“[Leeks] are probably at their best now and will continue [throughout] May,” Ms Reilly says.<\/p>\n

She says silverbeet (Swiss chard) and spinach also thrive in autumn conditions.<\/p>\n

Fennel is also currently in season, and Ms Reilly believes “the secret” is to slice it thinly and eat it fresh.<\/p>\n

\"Crowded<\/p>\n

Fabienne Reilly\u00a0says fennel can be delicious, but it was often “badly cooked” when she was growing up. (ABC News: Anna Chisholm\u00a0)<\/p>\n

For many of us, Ms Mynard says fennel is a “forgotten vegetable”.<\/p>\n

However, it makes a fresh and crunchy addition to a salad and can also caramelise beautifully when roasted, she adds.<\/p>\n

Ms Mynard also suggests using fennel fronds as a garnish or in a salad.<\/p>\n

If a recipe calls for fresh dill you can often get away with using fennel fronds instead, she says.<\/p>\n

Oranges, mandarins and lemons<\/p>\n

Ms Mynard says the fruits on the citrus trees in her garden are just beginning to turn in colour.<\/p>\n

\"Gloved<\/p>\n

Rohith Dsouza says mandarins and oranges are plentiful at the moment. (ABC News: Anna Chisholm)<\/p>\n

Citrus fruits are a good source of vitamin C and fibre, and the juice and zest can add flavour to baking, dressings and other dishes, she says.<\/p>\n

“Lemon blueberry overnight oats are a favourite in our family.”<\/p>\n

Ms Reilly says oranges, mandarins and lemons will be excellent in May, and Mr Dzousa says we will see more citrus fruits and varieties as winter begins.<\/p>\n

Kiwifruit, custard apples and dragon fruit<\/p>\n

While you may associate them with warmer weather, Mr Dsouza says kiwifruit and dragon fruit are available in autumn.<\/p>\n

Exotic fruits are prioritised at Footscray Market because of the Vietnamese diaspora that shops there, he says.<\/p>\n

Mr Dsouza recommends trying out fresh produce that you might not be familiar with, such as custard apples, when they are in season and cheap.<\/p>\n

Ms Mynard says she often recommends kiwifruit to her clients.<\/p>\n

“They’re a great source of vitamin C that they’re also a really good source of fibre,” she explains.<\/p>\n

\"Gloved<\/p>\n

Rohith Dsouza urges shoppers to give fresh produce they haven’t tried a chance. (ABC News: Anna Chisholm)<\/p>\n

Apples and pears<\/p>\n

The “star” of autumn and winter fruit is the apple, according to Ms Reilly.<\/p>\n

“My mother-in-law makes an amazing apple crumble \u2026 it’s a really affordable way to impress with dessert.”<\/p>\n

Apple crisp with chai spices<\/a><\/p>\n

This is a classic cool weather dessert. Similar to an apple crumble, an apple crisp is topped with a crunchy, nutty topping.<\/p>\n

Pears are also delicious and versatile at this time of year, Ms Reilly says, naming Packham and Beurre Bosc varieties.<\/p>\n

Ms Mynard also suggests new season apples and pears for their adaptability.<\/p>\n

They can be turned into crumbles, stewed and served with breakfast or just eaten as they are, she says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"“It’s better from a nutrient perspective to eat locally and seasonally as much as possible,” says Prue Mynard.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":641326,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[64,63,126457,134,37466,14942,171,20664,170268,29510,310468],"class_list":["post-641325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-autumn","tag-entertainment","tag-fresh","tag-fruit","tag-markets","tag-produce","tag-seasonal","tag-vegetables","tag-what-is-in-season"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=641325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/641326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=641325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=641325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=641325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}