51 Spring Pasta Recipes—Like Carrot Gnocchi Because Who TF Knew You Could Do That?

Though it would be hard to ascribe a particular seasonality to pasta dishes (it’s on our weeknight dinner tables ALL year round), there is something special to be said about the pasta recipes we love to make come spring. After a long winter, they’re refreshingly light, full of fresh flavors and ingredients, and bring much needed color to our dinner tables. We’ve got all the classics here, featuring your favorite pasta shapes like spaghetti, gnocchi, and more, plus a few flavorful twists that are sure to get you out of any winter slump. Check out our 50 springy pasta recipes for ideas, then get that (salted!) water boiling—you’re gonna want to make these ASAP.

We can’t talk about spring recipes without mentioning the MVP of spring ingredients—asparagus. We wait all year for these stalks, so when they finally arrive, we’re putting them in everything, like our lemon asparagus chicken pasta, our creamy feta-lemon penne with asparagus, or our creamy asparagus bacon gnocchi. Like them as much as us? They’re so quick cooking, you can pretty much add them to any of the recipes here too.

Other contenders for the top spot include herbs like mint and basil; other veggies like green beans, mushrooms, and peas; and greens like arugula and spinach. We’ve featured those here in recipes like our minty meatballs with lemony orzo, our crispy gnocchi & mushrooms, our creamy pesto baked gnocchi & chicken skillet, our creamy tortellini minestrone, and more. Feel free to take inspiration from them, and then add whatever spring ingredients you like into these recipes too.

Looking to really shake up your meals this spring? Try adding unexpected ingredients to your pasta dishes, like we did in our one-pot creamy kimchi shells, our Sichuan pesto noodles, our strawberry balsamic pasta salad, or our Thai drunken carbonara noodles. They’re the perfect proof that though recipes like lasagna, chicken Alfredo, or our baked feta pasta will always be in our hearts, it’s the outliers that make our taste buds sing come spring.

Want even more spring meal ideas? Check out our fave spring salads, our best spring appetizers, and our top spring cocktails too.