Melbourne Seasonal Vegetable and Fruit Guide

Summer (December – February)

Fresh, colourful and perfect for no-cook meals and BBQs

Fruits:

Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) – Add to yoghurt, smoothies, pavlova or bake into muffins.
Cherries – Snack on fresh, use in cherry clafoutis or reduce into a sauce for duck.
Mangoes – Dice for salsa, blend into lassi or freeze for refreshing mango sorbet.
Peaches & Nectarines – Slice into salads, grill with honey, or bake into cobblers.
Watermelon & Rockmelon – Cube into fruit salads, serve with feta, or freeze as ice pops.
Grapes – Roast with rosemary for a savoury side, or eat fresh with cheese.

Vegetables:

Zucchini – Grill, spiralise for noodles, or bake into zucchini slice.
Tomatoes – Use fresh in bruschetta or Caprese salad; roast for pasta sauces.
Cucumbers – Add to Vietnamese noodle bowls, tzatziki, or summer pickles.
Capsicum – Roast and peel for antipasto, stuff with rice or grill for tacos.
Corn – Chargrill on the BBQ, add to salsa or toss into salads.
Green beans – Blanch for salads, stir-fry with garlic or use in Thai-style sides.

Tip: Summer is all about keeping it simple—try raw salads, chilled soups like gazpacho, or lightly grilled dishes with fresh herbs.

Autumn (March – May)

Warming dishes and comfort food begin to take centre stage

Fruits:

Apples – Stew with cinnamon for porridge, bake in pies, or slice into slaws.
Pears – Poach in red wine, add to blue cheese salads, or roast for dessert.
Figs – Slice onto toast with ricotta and honey, or wrap with prosciutto.
Quinces – Slow-cook into jelly or paste, perfect with cheese.
Grapes – Still sweet in early autumn; add to roasted veg or eat fresh.

Vegetables:

Pumpkin – Roast for soups, blend into gnocchi dough, or cube for risottos.
Sweet Potato – Bake into chips, mash for pies, or curry with coconut milk.
Leek – Use in creamy tarts, potato-leek soup, or sautéed in risottos.
Beetroot – Roast for salad, blend into dips like beet hummus, or grate for burgers.
Cauliflower – Roast whole with spices, mash as a potato alternative or add to curry.

Tip: Start roasting vegetables in batches—you’ll have ready-made ingredients for salads, soups, and grain bowls during the week.

Winter (June – August)

Hearty, slow-cooked meals, root veg, and immune-boosting citrus

Fruits:

Oranges & Mandarins – Eat fresh, squeeze for juice, or use zest in baking.
Lemons & Limes – Add brightness to soups, dressings and desserts.
Kiwifruit – Scoop and eat raw, add to green smoothies or slice into pavlova.
Rhubarb – Stew for compote, bake into crumbles or simmer with apple for pie filling.

Vegetables:

Brussels Sprouts – Roast with garlic and bacon, shred into slaw or stir-fry Asian-style.
Cabbage – Slice for slaws, kimchi or stir-fry with noodles.
Kale & Silverbeet – Sauté with garlic, add to soups or bake into chips.
Parsnips & Turnips – Roast with rosemary, mash with butter or add to stews.
Broccoli & Cauliflower – Steam, roast, or blend into creamy soups.

Tip: Use a slow cooker or large pot for soups, stews, and braises. Add root vegetables for body and leafy greens for colour and nutrition.

Spring (September – November)

Fresh greens and light flavours return to the plate

Fruits:

Strawberries – Top breakfast bowls, blend into daiquiris or dip in chocolate.
Lemons & Limes – Perfect for lemon tarts, marinades and vinaigrettes.
Early Stone Fruits (late spring) – Grill peaches, make compotes, or preserve.

Vegetables:

Asparagus – Char on the BBQ, add to risottos or serve with poached eggs.
Peas & Broad Beans – Blanch and toss into pastas, crush on toast or mix into dips.
Artichokes – Steam and dip in aioli, bake into Mediterranean-style dishes.
Spring Onions – Slice into stir-fries, noodle salads or fritters.
Radishes – Slice raw into salads, roast whole, or pickle for tacos.
Baby Spinach – Use fresh in salads, blend into smoothies or stir through hot dishes last minute.

Tip: Spring is great for getting back into quick, vibrant meals—green omelettes, stir-fried veg, or lemony pastas with fresh herbs.

Why Seasonal Eating Works

Better Flavour – Picked at peak ripeness = tastier food
More Nutrition – Fresher and closer to harvest
Lower Cost – Local, in-season produce is cheaper and more plentiful
Sustainable – Reduces food miles and supports Aussie farmers

At Otao Kitchen, We Cook with the Seasons

Our classes and cooking experiences highlight the best of every season. Whether it's Vietnamese rolls bursting with herbs in spring or a fragrant winter curry, our menus reflect what’s fresh and flavourful at the market.

Book into one of our seasonal cooking classes or grab one of our Cooking Hampers to make the most of the current harvest.