Recipe Roundup

29 Spring Pastas to Make the Most of Seasonal Produce

Think spicy carrot rigatoni, weeknight-fancy ravioli with peas, plenty of riffs on primavera, and more bright, flavor-packed pastas for spring.
By Sheela Prakash
Spring orozotto pasta in a bowl with peas sliced sugar snaps with a glass of wine.
Photo by Isa Zapata

When the weather finally turns, we want pasta that feels just as bright—think tender asparagus, sweet peas, handfuls of fresh herbs, and plenty of lemon. These spring pasta recipes lean into the season’s best produce, pairing it with pantry staples and a few smart techniques for dinners that are equal parts fresh and comforting. You’ll find quick weeknight pastas, creamy (but not heavy) sauces, and plenty of veg-forward options, plus a few special occasion dishes for when you want something that feels a little more substantial.

Jump ahead

Whether you’re cooking your way through a farmers market haul or just looking for an easy spring pasta dinner, these recipes deliver.

  • Two bowls of pasta primavera with gemelli asparagus grape tomatoes peas basil and shredded parm.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Christine Keely, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    1/29

    Pasta Primavera

    This is the ultimate spring pasta dish—primavera does mean spring, after all. But you can really pull it off whenever you’d like, since staples like asparagus and green beans are widely available year-round.

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  • Pasta with 10minute pesto in a blue bowl.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    2/29

    Pasta With 10-Minute Pesto

    Blanching fresh basil leaves before blending is the key to this vibrant, ultra-herby pesto. Perfect for pasta, it also dresses up pizza, scrambled eggs, and more.

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  • Image may contain Plant Vegetable Food Produce Vase Pottery and Jar
    Photo by Gentl & Hyers
    7/29

    Pasta With Ramp Pesto and Guanciale

    Guanciale, a type of Italian bacon, and ramps, an early-spring green onion, make this pasta unforgettable—but if you can’t find them, pancetta and scallions will work.

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  • Two bowls of pasta with asparagus basil Parmesan and lemon.
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    8/29

    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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  • Bucatini Alla Griccia With Fava Beans spring pasta recipe
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
    9/29

    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 of Chickpea Salad Pasta on a plate with a fork.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    10/29

    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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  • Three bowls of mezze rigatoni tossed broccoli stems in a lemonyanchovy sauce.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Christine Keely
    11/29

    Smashed Broccoli Pasta

    Fresh broccoli is often cheaper than frozen (especially in spring when it’s actually in season); pair a whole head with plenty of garlic and anchovies for an inexpensive dinner that punches above its weight.

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  • Fregola on a plate with ricotta peas and mint.
    Nicole Franzen
    12/29

    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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  • A bowl of pasta carbonara with english peas.
    Photo by Laura Dart and A.J. Meeker
    15/29

    Pasta Carbonara With English Peas

    Adding peas to a carbonara isn’t traditional (though the combination of black pepper, pancetta, and peas is pretty common in Italian cooking). Still, it renders this carbonara variation ideal for spring.

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  • A bowl of chopped kale whole wheat pasta and white beans in vegetable stock and topped with yogurt and black pepper.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling Christine Keely
    16/29

    Green Pasta e Fagioli

    This brothy pasta soup features canned white beans and kale, used two ways: puréed into the base and in satisfyingly chewable leaves.

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  • Spicy Carrot Rigatoni on plates with cheese on the side
    Photo by Emily Hawkes
    19/29

    Spicy Carrot Rigatoni

    Blend steamed carrots with Pecorino cheese, Calabrian chiles, and toasted pine nuts for a pesto-like sauce with a vibrant orange hue.

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  • Leaks and Baked pasta in a white dish on purple baking dish
    Photographs by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. & Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    20/29

    Baked Cheddar and Leek Pasta

    Spring leeks make this baked mac-and-cheese riff extra tasty. They’re paired with oversized shells so the leeks nestle into the pasta.

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  • Flaky smoked salmon medium shell pasta chopped capers and sprigs of dill in bowls.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food styling by Leslie Raney Garetto
    23/29

    Smoked Salmon Pasta With Capers and Dill

    Hot smoked salmon is meatier than the cold-cured variety—and makes this easy pasta dish taste both substantial and a little bit special.

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  • lemonchickenprimavera in a green plate
    Photographs by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. & Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    24/29

    Chicken Pasta Primavera With Lemon

    Chicken cutlets turn this classic spring pasta into a full meal. A dab of miso enriches the sauce with crave-worthy savory flavor while keeping it light as ever.

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  • Gridded plate of cheese ravioli covered in green pea sauce pistachios and basil atop pale yellow tiles.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca
    25/29

    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 can pull it off without breaking a sweat.

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  • A bowl of spaghetti marinated artichokes diced pancetta parmigiana and finely chopped parsley.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kelsi Windmiller
    26/29

    Marinated Artichoke and Pancetta Pasta

    When you want something pantry-friendly that still feels like spring, turn to jarred marinated artichokes. You’ll sear them in the pan before building the sauce to add even more flavor.

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  • Onepot pasta primavera with shrimp in a bowl.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    27/29

    One-Pot Pasta Primavera With Shrimp

    This lightning-fast version of the classic spring pasta calls for just the right amount of water that magically cooks down to create a silky sauce, no draining necessary.

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  • Spaghetti noodles tossed with squid tentacles and scattered with lemon slices and roughly chopped mint.
    Photo by Jeremy Liebman
    28/29

    Squid and Fennel Pasta With Lemon and Herbs

    Quick-cooking squid is a great option for a quick weeknight dinner. Look for it at a reputable fishmonger or in your grocer’s freezer section.

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  • Onepot spring pasta with smoked salmon and basil on a white plate.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    29/29

    One-Pot Spring Pasta With Smoked Salmon

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

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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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