23 Spring Pasta Recipes

March 10, 2017
Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
Pasta makes an ideal partner for the lightest, most delicately flavored veggies of the year. These dishes showcase fresh, vibrant items like snappy green peas, earthy asparagus, peppery radishes, sweet spring onions, and nutty fava beans. The job of the noodles is to make them a substantial, but never heavy, meal. It's also fitting to celebrate the season's produce bounty with pasta that's just as varied: tidy farfalle bow ties and fluted garganelli tubes; long, hollow bucatini noodles and broad, elegant pappardelle ribbons. We chose dried pastas, rather than fresh—they're pantry-friendly and offer a more satisfying chew when cooked al dente.
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Pasta with Pea Puree

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pasta with Pea Puree

We swap traditional red sauce for this light spring pasta, which delivers fresh flavor thanks to green peas, Parmesan, and fresh mint.

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Pretty "Parslied" Spaghetti

Credit: Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Pretty "Parslied" Spaghetti

Leftover flat-leaf parsley is likely lurking in your crisper. This unassuming herb has a bright, grassy personality that, combined with cheese, garlic, and good olive oil, makes this dish sing. Try embellishing with lemon zest, toasted nuts, sun-dried tomatoes in oil, or even sardines.

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Pasta with Shrimp in Tomato Cream

Credit: Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: Pasta with Shrimp in Tomato Cream

Feel free to add your own touches—such as swapping in whole-grain pasta for a nutrition boost or trying goat cheese in place of feta—to make this dish personal for your preferences. If you don't have dry vermouth on hand, you can substitute dry sherry or a dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay). Or you could skip the alcohol altogether and use more chicken stock instead; stir in a teaspoon or two of white wine vinegar to balance the flavors with a little acidity.

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Spinach Pesto Pasta with Shrimp

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Spinach Pesto Pasta with Shrimp

Pesto tends to go army green if made ahead. We blanch the spinach and basil to preserve color without diluting flavor. Fresh tomato adds moisture and a mild acidity to the sauce.

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Tortellini, Chicken, and Arugula Salad

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Tortellini, Chicken, and Arugula Salad

Quality meets convenience in this speedy springtime main. This salad fits right into your weekday lineup with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Prewashed greens let you grab a handful and go. Build a salad, wilt into sautés, or blend into a pesto. Look to Buitoni pasta packs for quick meals on their own or to help you elevate salads and soups. Rotisserie chicken is one of your best supermarket allies for fast and fresh weeknight meals.

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Herby Pea and Lemon Pasta Salad

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Herby Pea and Lemon Pasta Salad

This verdant pasta salad signals a fantastic start to spring with a shower of fresh herbs. Mini shell pasta and peas are a perfect pair—the pasta serves as a kind of catcher's mitt for the sweet, bright green peas. You could also use orecchiette, an ear-shaped pasta that serves the same purpose.

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Kritharoto (Orzo Pasta) with Peas, Lemon, and Feta

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Kritharoto (Orzo Pasta) with Peas, Lemon, and Feta

Chervil is a much-loved herb in Greece, where it's called myronia. If unavailable, substitute 7 tablespoons fresh parsley plus 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon. You can also sub 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper for Maras. Serves 6 as a main course or 12 as a meze.

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Chicken Stroganoff

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chicken Stroganoff

If stroganoff could restore its Russian creators 200 years ago, this chicken version will restore you on any weeknight.

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Spaghetti with Spinach-Avocado Sauce

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Spaghetti with Spinach-Avocado Sauce

Move over, pesto: You're not the only sauce worth going green for. Pureed avocado makes this dish positively irresistible. Garnish with extra basil leaves, if desired.

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Charred Lemon Pappardelle with Mushrooms and Shrimp

Credit: Photo: Christopher Testani
View Recipe: Charred Lemon Pappardelle with Mushrooms and Shrimp

Juice from charred lemons cuts the density of fat in a silky sauce like this, keeping its richness in check.

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Cauliflower Alfredo

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Cauliflower Alfredo

Cooked cauliflower becomes creamy and luscious when pureed with stock and garlic. It's a simple way to healthier fettuccine Alfredo.

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Creamy Asparagus and Pancetta Penne

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Creamy Asparagus and Pancetta Penne

Fresh spears of asparagus, pancetta, and cremini mushrooms are tossed in a light white sauce. Lemon rind adds a welcomed extra punch of flavor.

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Caramelized Cabbage With Whole-Wheat Penne and Provolone

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Caramelized Cabbage With Whole-Wheat Penne and Provolone

This pasta toss is inspired by a similar dish at Franny's restaurant in Brooklyn. The cabbage caramelizes in the pan and becomes just tender enough to bind with the pasta without losing its toothsomeness. Fresh red chile is a must for a pop of color and heat—don't skip it.

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Spaghetti with Pistachio-Mint Pesto and Spinach

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Spaghetti with Pistachio-Mint Pesto and Spinach

Pistachios lend deep, earthy flavors to this pasta dish that is ideal for potlucks and feeding large crowds.

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Fusilli with Caramelized Spring Onions and White Wine

Credit: Recipes: Rori Trovato, Photo: Francesco Tonelli
Spring onions are those that have been harvested early—they look like scallions with large white bulbs. If they're unavailable, use Vidalia onions. Rotini (corkscrew pasta) will work in place of fusilli.

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Bucatini with Green Peas and Pancetta

Credit: Recipes: Rori Trovato, Photo: Francesco Tonelli
Use frozen, thawed green peas if fresh are unavailable. Linguine can substitute for bucatini, which is a thick, spaghetti-like pasta with a hollow center.

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Orzo Salad with Radish and Fennel

Credit: Recipes: Rori Trovato, Photo: Francesco Tonelli
Lemony dressing and fresh mint add vibrant flavor to this pasta salad. Serve chilled or at room temperature, and garnish with pretty mint leaves, if desired.

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Pappardelle with Baby Spinach, Herbs, and Ricotta

Credit: Recipes: Rori Trovato, Photo: Francesco Tonelli
Fettuccine will also work if you can't find pappardelle. Have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go before beginning to cook—the pasta needs to be hot when mixed with the other ingredients to create a creamy consistency.

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Garganelli with Asparagus and Pecorino Cheese

Credit: Recipes: Rori Trovato, Photo: Francesco Tonelli
Pasta laced with rich, salty cheese puts springtime's bright green jewels on full display. Substitute penne if garganelli is unavailable.

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Farfalle with Fava Beans, Morel Mushrooms, and Mascarpone

Credit: Recipes: Rori Trovato, Photo: Francesco Tonelli
You can also use shiitake mushrooms and edamame, good year-round alternatives to morels and fava beans.

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Spring Linguine with Basil

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
Seek out the freshest produce you can find. The success of simple dishes depends on the quality of their ingredients.

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Pasta with Artichokes and Fresh Ricotta

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
A few of spring's finest ingredients star in this light and satisfying pasta. Serve with a leafy salad for a a well-rounded meal.

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Makaruni Pasta with Morel Mushroom Sauce

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Hand-shaped pasta is complemented by fresh spring morels, fresh herbs, and truffle oil. It makes for one decidely rustic, yet divine, springtime meal.

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Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
This pasta toss comes together in a snap on busy weeknights. Complement it with a glass of white wine, such as sauvignon blanc, or rosé such as the recommended variety on the next slide. Top off the dish with a garlic-Parmesan breadstick and you will have a winning springtime meal.

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