Best vegetables in season right now and how to cook them
Make the most of Australia’s freshest produce with our guide to seasonal vegetables. From crisp summer greens to hearty winter staples, here’s what’s in season right now—and the best ways to cook them.
Cooking with seasonal produce isn’t just about freshness—it’s about flavour. When vegetables are at their peak, they taste better, cost less, and require minimal effort to shine. Right now, markets are brimming with vibrant, in-season produce perfect for simple yet satisfying meals. Whether it’s smoky grilled mushrooms, fire-roasted eggplants with crispy chickpeas, or an effortless pantry pasta, these recipes celebrate the best of what’s available.
Embracing seasonal eating means letting quality ingredients do the heavy lifting. From quick midweek fixes to flavour-packed vegetable dishes, here’s what to cook with the best produce in Australia right now.
Vegetables in season in Australia
What vegetables and fruit are always in season
- Tomatoes: Thrive year-round in warmer regions such as QLD, NT, SA, and WA.
- Cucumber and Zucchini: Ideal for continuous planting in tropical areas like NT and parts of QLD.
- Spinach, Spring Onions, Herbs, and Lettuces: Adaptable crops that can be grown throughout the year in most climates.
- Kale: A hardy vegetable suited to year-round planting, particularly in cooler and temperate regions.
When to plant vegetables
Australia’s climate varies widely, so the best planting times depend on your region. Tropical and subtropical areas (QLD, NT) have warm, humid conditions, while temperate and coastal zones (NSW, VIC, TAS) experience mild seasons. Cooler temperate regions (VIC, TAS) have distinct winters, whereas Mediterranean and arid areas (SA, WA) face hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
Knowing your local climate helps you choose the right vegetables. In tropical zones, heat-tolerant crops thrive, while temperate regions suit seasonal planting. Coastal areas enjoy year-round growing, while arid regions need irrigation. Plan accordingly for a productive garden.
What vegetables are in season right now in Australia
Eating seasonally means fresher produce, better flavour, and often lower prices. Here’s what’s in peak season across Australia this month.
Tomatoes
Tomato is the definitive vegetable (or fruit as the great debate will have you believe) of the summer. While tomatoes may be available all year round in Australia, the varieties, colours and sizes are particularly special in the summer season. Serve tomatoes fresh and sliced or roasted to bring out their robust flavour.
Elizabeth Hewson’s rice-stuffed tomatoes
Stuffed tomatoes, like summer itself, invite endless possibilities. Elizabeth Hewson creates the base recipe and invites you to play around with what you already have in the fridge. The possibilities are endless.
Get the recipe for Elizabeth Hewson’s rice stuffed tomatoes here.
David Herbert’s tomato tarte tatin
While sun-ripe tomatoes are still abundant, make the most of them in this tarte tatin – it’s made easy by using ready-made puff pastry. The salad is delicious for a light lunch or side dish; try to find a few different types and sizes of tomato.
Get the recipe for David Herbert’s tomato tarte tatin here.
Lennox Hastie’s summer tomato salad
This tomato salad makes the most of the late-summer bounty. When Australian tomatoes are this good, it almost seems a shame to cook it, which makes this recipe ideal for those days when it’s too hot to even light the barbecue.
Get the recipe for Lennox Hastie’s summer tomato salad here.
Roasted tomato sauce with crunchy Italian topping
In Australia, tomatoes are available all year around but there is no mistaking when the season gets into full flight. Tossing pasta through this sauce is a must, but it can also be served alongside grilled meats and crusty bread.
Get the recipe for Elizabeth Hewson’s roasted tomato sauce here.
Elizabeth Hewson’s one tray fish, tomato and butter bean bake
Sweet, juicy, end-of-season tomatoes are roasted with capers and vinegar, their juices are soaked up by plump butter beans and firm white fish fillets. It’s a simple, elegant, one-tray recipe.
Get the recipe for Elizabeth Hewson’s fish and tomato tray bake here.
Beans
Beans are more than just a pantry staple—they’re packed with nutrients that support long-term health, from reducing the risk of chronic diseases to providing a powerful plant-based protein source.
Jamie Oliver’s spicy beans
Tinned beans are budget-friendly, full of fibre and have a wonderful ability to take on flavours from all over the world, like these South Asian-inspired beans, made with jarred curry paste and frozen leaf spinach.
Get the recipe for Jamie Oliver’s spiced beans here.
Elizabeth Hewson’s broad bean pasta
Elizabeth Hewson admits she gets excited whenever broad beans pop up at her local market. They capture the beauty and care of mother nature so beautifully. Tiny green beans are spaced thoughtfully apart, carefully wrapped in a cloud-like padding and enclosed in long pods. When paired with a long pasta like linguine or spaghetti, their freshness truly shines.
Get the recipe for Elizabeth Hewson’s broad bean and lemon mascarpone pasta here.
Barramundi with broad bean and zucchini salad
This light and fresh barramundi dish was created by the team at iconic Sydney restaurant Chiswick and was inspired by a 2020 Archibald prize finalist.
Get the recipe for Matt Moran and Tim Brindley’s barramundi and broad bean salad here.
Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the most nutritious vegetables. Some researchers believe that broccoli, alongside other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, could have properties to help battle fatty liver disease. Consuming broccoli once weekly is proven to lower and maintain blood sugar levels to cut the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Roasted broccoli
Once you start roasting vegetables like broccoli, brussel sprouts or cauliflower, you’ll never go back. Serve with roast beef, lamb or chicken.
Get the recipe for David Herbert’s roasted broccoli here.
Charred broccoli and pea pasta salad
This is a recipe that has a freshness and lightness to it – a spring in its step.
Get the recipe for charred broccoli and pea pasta here.
Capsicum
Capsicum adds a burst of colour and flavour to any dish, while also offering a wealth of health benefits with its rich vitamin content and antioxidants.
Stuffed capsicums
Stuffed peppers were always Lennox Hastie’s favourite when he was a child. This recipe mimics the intense heat of late summer when the many varieties and hues of peppers are blushing with ripeness and potential. Just wait for the sweet, fragrant smell of the peppers to fill your home – you’ll be salivating.
Get the recipe for Lennox Hastie’s stuffed capsicums here.
Chicken, capsicum and chorizo tray bake
Easy and satisfying, this chicken tray bake has a Spanish twist. It’s a low-effort, high-impact dish. Simply toss the chicken thighs in a tray with these fresh and summery vegetables.
Get the recipe for Elizabeth Hewson’s chicken, capsicum and chorizo tray bake here.
Eggplant
Eggplant is a versatile and flavourful vegetable that takes on a smoky richness when grilled or roasted, making it a perfect addition to a variety of dishes.
Smoky whole eggplants with crispy chickpeas, olives & tahini
No vegetable dish gets me more excited than charred eggplant – it’s a feast for the senses. Cooking vegetables whole this way is so often overlooked, but it’s a great technique for creating amazing flavours with minimum fuss.
Get the recipe for Tom Walton’s smoky whole eggplants here.
Yotam Ottolenghi’s stuffed eggplant in curry and coconut dal
You can make this whole dish a day ahead. Chill in the fridge and bring to room temperature before warming up. The coconut dal is a great recipe in its own right. Double it, if you like, and save some for another meal.
Get the recipe for Yotam Ottolenghi’s stuffed eggplant in curry and coconut dal here.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms bring an earthy, umami depth to meals, whether grilled, sautéed, or stuffed, offering both rich flavour and a boost of nutrients.
Grilled mushrooms
Mushrooms are made for grilling, with smoke imbuing their earthiness, natural sweetness and meaty texture.
Get the recipe for Lennox Hastie’s grilled mushrooms here.
Asian-style mushroom broth
They are versatile enough to make an Asian-style soup, a savoury side dish for meat eaters or a light vegetarian lunch.
Get the recipe for David Herber’s Asian-style broth here.
Zucchini
Zucchini is the perfect summer vegetable because it adds lightness and freshness to any meal. It’s a superstar ingredient that can be turned into a healthy snack or be used as the base for a full meal such as a pasta dish or salad.
Zucchini ribbon salad
Fresh and zingy, this raw ribbon salad will change your opinion of zucchini.
Get the recipe for Elizabeth Hewson’s zucchini ribbon salad here.
Chicken and zucchini piccata
With this recipe Bre Graham wanted to find a way to cook not just the chicken but the vegetable element of the dish too. Thinly sliced coins of zucchini simmer away with the tender pan-fried cutlets of chicken along with slices of lemon, which become divine and jammy over time.
Get the recipe for Bre Graham’s chicken piccata here.
Want more summer food ideas? Check out these showstopping BBQ recipes or be inspired by these healthy weeknight dinners. For more recipes, go to theaustralian.com.au/life/food-drink.
