Food and Recipes Pasta Easy Spring Pasta Dishes for Busy Weeknights By Southern Living Editors Updated on January 5, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Hector Sanchez Who wants to spend hours in the kitchen when the weather is so lovely? Springtime calls for quick and easy pasta recipes and long dinners spent outside in the crisp, breezy spring air. These spring pasta dishes are just what the season ordered, and they're simple to boot. They use bright seasonal produce, and they're quick to prepare, meaning you have more time to spend with family and friends. So stop by the farmer's market for fresh and local ingredients, and try a few of these spring dinner recipes this week. 01 of 25 Pasta Shells with Spring Vegetables Alison Miksch Recipe: Pasta Shells with Spring Vegetables Put your fresh produce to work in this lively spring pasta recipe, complete with asparagus, sugar snap peas, mint, and creamy ricotta. 02 of 25 Fettuccine Alfredo with Asparagus Greg DuPree Recipe: Fettuccine Alfredo with Asparagus Asparagus brings a crisp crunch to this fettuccine recipe. Plenty of lemon and pepper ensures that the creaminess of the pasta is balanced with the vibrant bite of springtime flavors. 03 of 25 Burst Tomato and Herb Spaghetti Jennifer Davick Recipe:Burst Tomato and Herb Spaghetti Lighten up traditional spaghetti with herbs, olive oil, and juicy grape tomatoes. One spin of the fork, and you'll be transported to the coast. 04 of 25 Shrimp and Peas with Farfalle Alison Miksch Recipe: Shrimp and Peas with Farfalle Shrimp and peas burst with fresh flavor in this farfalle dish. Just add the crunch of panko and a squeeze of lemon juice, and you have a filling, citrusy dish ideal for warm weather days. 05 of 25 Field Pea and Pasta Salad Greg DuPree Recipe: Field Pea and Pasta Salad This dish is so easy to prepare, you'll find yourself whipping it up for weekday lunches and springtime parties alike. Field peas are a lively addition to this simple pasta, which you can also make up to three days in advance of serving. 06 of 25 Shrimp Scampi Jennifer Davick Recipe:Shrimp Scampi The lightness of shrimp scampi charms even the pickiest of eaters. Its delicate flavors combine into a familiar dish that couldn't be easier (or quicker!) to cook on a weeknight. 07 of 25 Farmers' Market Pasta Salad Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Farmers' Market Pasta Salad Springtime brings farmers' markets galore, and there is no better place to stock up on the ingredients you'll need for this easy dinner dish. Customize it with your favorites, and you'll have a new go-to recipe for busy weeknights. 08 of 25 Tortellini Salad Southern Living Recipe: Tortellini Salad Tortellini is a favorite spring pasta because it's hearty, but not overwhelming. This Italian-inspired dish showcases artichoke hearts and will charm guests with its unexpected and incredibly fresh flavors. 09 of 25 Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Basil Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, and Basil It's a quintessential spring combination. Mix tomatoes, goat cheese, and basil, and you have an Italian-inspired pasta perfect for an al fresco dinner. 10 of 25 Lemony Broccoli Rabe Pasta Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Lemony Broccoli Rabe Pasta We can't imagine a more refreshing pasta dish for your spring table. In just half an hour, you'll have a goat cheese-studded pasta dish peppered with garlic, red pepper, and lemon, and anchored by hearty broccoli rabe. 11 of 25 Pasta with Burst Tomatoes and Mascarpone Hector Sanchez Recipe: Pasta with Burst Tomatoes and Mascarpone Mascarpone adds the perfect creamy balance to this ultra-fresh springtime dish. Feed it to a crowd, and you'll be passing recipe cards around the table by dessert. 12 of 25 Grilled Chicken-and-Veggie Tortellini Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Grilled Chicken-and-Veggie Tortellini The beauty of this recipe is that you can pick everything up in a quick trip to the grocery store. With cheese tortellini, zucchini, pesto, and just a few other ingredients, you'll be on your way to a delightful spring dish that the whole family will love. 13 of 25 Lemony Green Bean Pasta Salad Helene Dujardin Recipe: Lemony Green Bean Pasta Salad Anything billed as lemony and filled with green beans is essential for spring and also great for a crowd. Serve this at your next get together, and enjoy the inevitable compliments. It's a no-fail dish indeed. 14 of 25 Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad Jennifer Davick Recipe: Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad This hybrid dish is a fantastic combination of broccoli and pasta salad. You'll find something new in each bite, from pecans and bacon to grapes and onion. 15 of 25 Confetti Pasta Salad Southern Living Recipe: Confetti Pasta Salad Confetti is for celebration—which is what this pasta makes us want to do. It's an intriguing blend of feta, grape tomatoes, and red onion, a Greek-inspired dish that makes our taste buds dance. 16 of 25 Creamy Spring Pasta Bake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Creamy Spring Pasta Bake Pasta bakes are a go-to dinner dish because they're easy to prepare and always a crowd-pleaser. They're also a foolproof way to sneak veggies into a weeknight meal. 17 of 25 Spring Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Herbs Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Spring Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Herbs If you have one pot and twenty minutes to spare, you can make this bright spring pasta, which combines creamy ricotta and the freshest, crispest green veggies you can find. 18 of 25 Tortellini-and-Tomato Salad Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe:Tortellini-and-Tomato Salad Of course it's delicious, but you'll also love how fresh and vibrant this pasta salad looks on your dinner table. 19 of 25 Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake Iain Bagwell Recipe:Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake Get your fill of comfort food and eat your veggies too in this cheesy pasta bake. Kids will scramble for seconds of this irresistible dinner dish. 20 of 25 Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes This penne dish is bursting with flavor thanks to delicious veggies, including grape tomatoes and haricots verts. 21 of 25 Fresh Vegetable Lasagna Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe:Fresh Vegetable Lasagna Update the weeknight staple with veggies like zucchini and bell peppers in this super-easy vegetable lasagna recipe. 22 of 25 Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta Recipe:Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta This dish is as easy as can be. It combines chicken and bow tie pasta—a winning combination that can also feed a crowd. 23 of 25 Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad Customize this pasta to your heart's content. Bring home whatever looks good at the farmers' market, and incorporate it into this easy main. 24 of 25 Chicken-and-Tortellini Salad Jennifer Davick Recipe: Chicken-and-Tortellini Salad Elevate typical weeknight chicken with this pasta recipe, which is filled with nutritious green veggies. 25 of 25 Tomato-and-Gorgonzola Pasta Salad Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Tomato-and-Gorgonzola Pasta Salad Get your Gorgonzola fix with this easy pasta recipe. Mix up a batch of our Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette, an ideally delicate dressing for this fresh dish. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit