Recipe Roundup

37 Spring Pastas to Celebrate the Season

English pea carbonara, asparagus fettuccine, any-greens pesto, and more sunny recipes.
Spring orozotto pasta in a bowl with peas sliced sugar snaps with a glass of wine.
Photo by Isa Zapata

When mild temperatures and blooming flowers put us in a buoyant (dare we say ”springy”?) mood, these spring pasta recipes keep us fueled to enjoy the return to longer days. We crave all the green things this time of year—verdant veggies like asparagus and snap peas and leafy herbs like fresh basil and dill. We can’t forget about ultra-seasonal standouts like artichokes and ramps, either. Whatever is looking great at the farmers market, we’re grabbing. Combine these springtime favorites with pasta, and you’ve got a winning dinner for busy weeknights and weekend gatherings alike.

Here are our very best spring pasta dinners for these long-awaited sunny days.

  • Onepot spring pasta with smoked salmon and basil on a white plate.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    1/37

    One-Pot Spring Pasta With Smoked Salmon

    Use fresh or frozen peas in this one-pot spring pasta recipe that’s extra bright thanks to both lemon zest and lemon juice. Linguine is perfect here, as is any other long pasta.

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  • Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    2/37

    Baked Feta Pasta With Chickpeas

    Loads of tender fresh herbs (think dill, chives, and/or parsley) bring brightness to this riff on pasta e ceci, which lends salty baked feta to the situation.

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  • Photo by Andrew Bui
    5/37

    Baked Pasta Primavera

    This easy version of pasta primavera is blanketed in a white wine and cream cheese sauce that requires almost no prep time and comes together in the oven while you boil the farfalle.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    6/37

    Salad Pasta

    You’ll fold a whole salad’s worth of leafy arugula into this spring pasta dish to make it a complete dinner in one bowl.

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  • Photo by Laura Dart and A.J. Meeker
    9/37

    Pasta Carbonara With English Peas

    Adding peas to a carbonara is by no means classically Italian, though the combination of black pepper, pancetta, and peas is. Instead of (or in addition to) the peas, you could use asparagus or thinly sliced sugar snap peas.

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  • Photo by Joe Woodhouse
    10/37

    Dark Greens and Noodles With Yogurt

    Use any dark leafy greens you can get ahold of, like spinach, nettles, kale, or Swiss chard, to make this creamy pasta, made extra special thanks to a crispy breadcrumb topping.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    25/37

    Lemony Asparagus Pasta

    Almonds make an easier, nuttier, and more reliably delicious substitute for pine nuts in this fresh, aromatic basil pesto.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li
    26/37

    Herby Pasta With Garlic and Green Olives

    The recipe calls for parsley and basil, but consider this pasta a canvas for whatever tender fresh spring herbs you have kicking around: cilantro, dill, tarragon, sage, chives, fennel fronds. Mix and match at will.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen, Food Styling by Molly Baz
    27/37

    Orecchiette With Buttermilk, Peas, and Pistachios

    It’s spring. Heavy cream-based sauces are out. What’s in? Tangy buttermilk-based ones that balance brightness with fresh flavors like sugar snap peas, mint, and lemon juice.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    28/37

    Tagliatelle With Prosciutto and Peas

    This six-ingredient pasta needs very little time, attention, or ingredients to achieve greatness—but if you want to toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes with the sage, go right ahead.

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  • Photo by Isa Zapata
    29/37

    Spring Orzotto

    You can turn orzo into a risotto-like dish in a fraction of the time it takes to cook rice. And while you could flavor this with homemade pesto, buying a tub or store-bought for this recipe is totally fine.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    30/37

    Fusilli With Battuto di Erbe

    This greens-loaded sauce requires a veritable symphony of whatever you can find at the farmers marker. You’ll need at least three categories: hardy herbs (rosemary, marjoram, thyme, and so on), tender spring greens (such as arugula, dandelion, or broccoli rabe leaves), and tender herbs (like mint, celery leaves, chervil). Go rogue on the pasta too: Fusilli, penne, casarecce—any medium pasta works.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca
    31/37

    Weeknight-Fancy Ravioli With Creamy Peas

    The title says “weeknight” but consider this spring pasta your emergency meal for when company drops by unexpectedly. With ravioli in the freezer and a few more pantry ingredients, you’ll be able to pull it off without breaking a sweat.

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  • Photo and Food Styling by Sarah Jampel
    32/37

    Springy Ricotta Gnocchi With Peas and Herbs

    If you’ve always been intimidated by homemade potato gnocchi, meet its easier and arguably more delicious cousin. Drop tender ricotta dumplings in boiling water before gently tossing them in a buttery herb and spring pea sauce.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    33/37

    Bucatini Alla Griccia With Fava Beans

    Think of this as carbonara minus the eggs but with massive amounts of flavor from guanciale, black pepper, and Pecorino. If you can’t find fava beans, butter beans make a nice substitute.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Anyka Brown
    34/37

    Lemony Tortellini Soup With Spinach and Dill

    Silky and comforting yet light, this tortellini and spinach soup has a broth inspired by Greek avgolemono. It’s the perfect winter-to-spring meal.

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  • Nicole Franzen
    37/37

    Fregola With Green Peas, Mint, and Ricotta

    Fregola is a small, quick-cooking Sardinian pasta that's perfect for a fast weeknight dinner. Amp up the spring flavor by topping with fresh peas and chopped mint to play off of the pillowy dollops of ricotta.

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Sheela Prakash is a food and wine writer and recipe developer, as well as a registered dietitian. A longtime editor at Kitchn, she has also been on staff at Epicurious and Food52. Her writing and recipes can be found in numerous online and print publications, including Serious Eats, Tasting Table, ... Read More
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