Recipes to Celebrate Beltane

Beltane is a celebration of the height of spring filled with fire and passion. Create a feast to honor that energy with these 75 recipes to celebrate Beltane. Give thanks for the bright half of the year. It's gonna be awesome.

I had so much fun creating my recipe list for Ostara, that I thought we'd do the same again with some recipes to celebrate Beltane. I think people found it helpful, so maybe we'll go through the entire wheel of the year. If you've been following along, you'll see some of the same recipes and ingredients in this list. We're still in spring, so we're still celebrating many of the same types of foods.

And once again, we've got simple, approachable, real life recipes that are magical because you make them so. Everything vibrates, even if you get it from the grocery store. Your job is to tap into the energy, add your own, and share it with the ones you love.

What is Beltane?

Beltane, usually celebrated on May 1st, marks the halfway point between spring and summer. In some traditions, it marks the bright half of the year, with Samhain on October 31st tipping us back into the dark half. May is my favorite time of year in Scotland. You can definitely sense why the Celtic people who once lived here found it magical.

You may know Beltane as May Day, a celebration of flowers and dancing around a May pole. This turn of the wheel of the year has many names around the world, but whatever you call it, take a moment to give thanks for the abundant life that is beginning to spring forth from the Earth.

The two major aspects of this sabbat are fire and fertility. Many people will have a bonfire to symbolize the return of the sun. Jumping over the fire is an old tradition that brings good fortune. And for Beltane, we're talking about literal fertility here. Some research suggests people were getting busy in their fields to ensure an abundant harvest. You celebrate as you like. Whether it's fire or sex, be safe.

But every sabbat is worthy of a feast, so let's get into the food. Here are 75 recipes to celebrate Beltane.

Cooking with fire

Since fire is such an important symbol of this day, it's the perfect time to clean off your grill and cook over a live flame. You can cook your whole feast this way, or just roast marshmallows over your bonfire. It's all delicious. Here are a few of my favorite recipes for your barbecue. And just for fun, a couple things you can use your kitchen blow torch for.

• Basic Burgers - Season them to fit your intentions.
• Spicy Southwest Burgers - Infused with fiery Mexican flavors.
• S'mores Brownies - Technically, you have to cook them in the oven, but get out your kitchen torch to roast the marshmallows at the end, infusing fire energy into these chocolaty treats.
• Fiery Halloumi Salad - Cook your cheese on the grill and bring some extra fire with a homemade sweet chilli sauce made with honey.
• Classic Creme Brulee - Dairy is still prominent at Beltane, and you get to burn this custard with a blow torch. How cool is that?
• Cuban Burgers - These burgers go on the grill twice, so they've extra loaded with fire energy.
• Jalapeno Cream Cheese Stuffed Burgers - An extra bit of magic is hiding inside.

Fresh herbs

Every witch knows the power of herbs, and they're especially abundant at this time of year. Use what's in season. Ever-fertile mint is especially symbolic at Beltane, but thyme, rosemary, sage, and parsley are also great to cook with.

• Garlic & Herb Focaccia Bread - Fresh bread baked in a hot oven is also symbolic for Beltane.
• Smoked Cheddar & Sage Biscuits - Protection is baked right in.
• Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies - Your old favorite with some prosperity magic thrown in.
• Herbed Biscuits & Creamy Sausage Gravy - Wake up and be happy on Beltane.
• Garlic & Herb Baked Chicken - This recipe is perfect for a beginner kitchen witch.
• Chocolate Mint Cupcakes - These also contain ground almonds for fertility.
• Dill Potato Salad - This will be the perfect accompaniment to any grilled feast.
• Grasshopper Pie - Okay, the mint is in the booze, but that's totally fine.
• Garlic & Herb Toast - Plenty of fresh parsley and garlic for the perfect side dish.
• Garlic & Thyme Baked Camembert - It's always the right time for a wheel of oozy cheese.
• Mint Brownies - Chocolate is full of love magic.
• Mint Limeade - Keep cool and call in abundance.
• Chicken & Goat Cheese Pasta - The fresh rosemary is the best part.
• Whipped Ricotta - Top this cloud of creamy cheese with lemon zest and whatever herbs make you feel good.

Spring Vegetables

With any sabbat feast, you only need to look to what Mother Earth is offering to know what to cook. Many spring vegetables also have associations with fertility. Of course, what's in season will vary by region, and new world foods may not show up in traditional lists of Beltane correspondences because ancient Celts had never heard of tomatoes, so use your common sense. And if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, be sure to pin this list for reference in six months. Here, we're looking at spring greens, spinach, garlic, new potatoes, carrots, etc.

• Chef's Salad - A big bowl of lettuce even a picky eater will love.
• Cider Braised Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables - We've got plenty of spring green in here.
• Maple Glazed Carrots - Sometimes a carrot is just a carrot, but sometimes it's a fertility symbol.
• Green Minestrone - A simple soup filled with green veggies.
• Potato & Spinach Curry - Add some earth energy to your fiery festivities.
• Corn & Green Onion Biscuits - Corn has some serious fertility energy.
• Bacon Goat Cheese & Green Onion Biscuits - Do green onions remind you of anything?
• Easy Garlic Mac & Cheese - Garlic is an aphrodisiac.
• Spinach & Cheese Baked Eggs - Add some eggs for some fertility magic.
• Creamy Garlic Spinach Dip - Call in prosperity and protection.
• Chickpea & Spinach Curry - Curry is also a Beltane correspondence.
• Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells - Let the pasta shells represent the element of water.
• Carrot Ginger Orange Mimosa - Full of fiery energy first thing in the morning.
• Spinach Alfredo Mac & Cheese - Cheese is filled with happy energy.
• Indian Spiced Pea & Potato Wraps - Bring some spice to your Beltane party.
• Orzo with Bacon & Peas - Peas are said to bring luck in love and business.

Seasonal Fruits & Berries

Berries, with their many seeds, are ideal for fertility magic. They're also just starting to show up around Beltane in some parts of the world. As modern witches, we have access to pretty much any food we want any day of the year. If you can buy fresh fruit from a local grower, I think the Earth would be grateful.

• Feta Strawberry Salad - It doesn't get more seasonal than this.
• Homemade Blueberry Muffins - Call in peace and calm with some blueberry energy.
• Cinnamon Whole Wheat Pancakes with Brown Butter Blackberry Syrup - Make your Beltane feast an all day affair.
• Continental Grilled Cheese - This sandwich has cherry jam for love.
• Chocolate Banana Muffins - It's a sexy day, these are sexy ingredients. Get into it.
• Raspberry Lemonade - It doesn't get much sunnier than this.
• Raspberry Cooler - Every feast needs a hot pink cocktail.
• Kir Royale - Add raspberry liqueur to a glass of champagne before you go a-Maying.
• Strawberry Basil & Lemon Infused Water - Stay hydrated and stay abundant.
• Italian Cream Sodas - Choose a fruit syrup to match your vibe.
• Strawberry Banana Smoothie - Wake up to a tall glass of fertility.
• Pimm's & Cherry Lemonade - Add fruits that suit your intention.
• White Chocolate Raspberry Blondies - Celebrate friendship with white chocolate.
• Raspberry Margarita - Bring some love to the party with some raspberry energy.
• Strawberry Soju Slushie - For my Korean witches.

Lemon & Citrus

While some sources list lemon as corresponding with the moon, I think there's nothing sunnier and more springlike than a big bowl of citrus fruits. They have all the colors of the season, so I think they deserve a place at your Beltane table.

• Santa Lucia Mocktail - With flavors of citrus and peach to keep you refreshed.
• Crunchy Lemon Chicken - Coated in corn flakes for extra fertility energy.
• Lemon Linguine - This is actually one of my favorite pasta dishes.
• Citrus Cocktail Cupcakes - Booze and cake together for a totally good time.
• Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes - Poppyseeds can help you get a good night's sleep which you might need after this stimulating festival.
• Citrus Gin Fizz - Juniper berries are a symbol of love.
• Vanilla Lemonade - Vanilla is great for passion.
• Cucumber Lemon Infused Water - There's mint and ginger in there as well.
• Lemon Polenta Cake - This one is gluten-free since it's made with cornmeal and almonds.
• Citrus Bundt Cake - Sugar is a great ingredient for attraction
• Lemon Champagne Punch - Nothing says celebration like a big bowl of booze.
• Lemon Loaf Cake - This sunny cake does lemon three ways.
• Whole Wheat Lemon Chia Seed Waffles - Did you know wheat is a symbol of abundance and fertility?
• 5 Minute Microwave Lemon Cake - For when you need to summon the sunshine in a hurry.
• Lemon & Ginger Bars - Bring the fire with some crystalized ginger.
• Lemon & Thyme Pound Cake - In case you need a little courage.
• Spaghetti with Garlic Lemon Breadcrumbs - A super simple meatless pasta dish full of protection.
• Lemon Risotto - Stir in all your wishes for the season.

A few more just for fun

There were just a few more recipes that I thought would be really great. Bees are an important symbol of the season, so we've got some honey. I also think any spicy food would be good for this sabbat. Plus a couple that are stricly for fun.

• Cheddar Jalapeno Biscuits - I thought I could slip these in since dairy is part of the season and they've got green onions. Plus, they're delicious.
• Spicy Cheese Fries - If you're going to be making burgers, you just have to.
• Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes - Say thank you to the bees by making sure your honey is sustainable.
• Goat Cheese Crostini with Macadamia Nuts & Honey - Sweeten any spell with a bit of honey.
• Brazilian Sunrise Cocktail - To honor the sun, of course.
• Better than Sex Cupcakes - How could I resist?

Whether you’re celebrating with your family or your coven, this turn of the wheel of the year is filled with fire and fun. If you make one of these recipes to celebrate Beltane, I’d love to see it. Share your photos on Instagram, and hashtag them #awesomeon20.

And be sure to check my Kitchen Magick page for specific correspondences of various ingredients.

Beltane blessings to you, friends. Make it awesome.