These 30 irresistible, lighter, healthier spring pasta recipes are simple and perfect for when you’re craving carbs but don’t want to feel weighed down.
Happy April!
We’re pretty happy to greet spring’s arrival, because that means fresh produce, flowers, and all things green—and the start of rosé season, of course.
So when the weather shifts from snowflakes falling to daffodils blooming, our food cravings shift as well, from heavy comfort foods to lighter fare. We’re big fans of pasta around here—it’s basically our spirit animal—and we crave it on the regular. But come spring, we find ourselves trading in the noodles cloaked in rich cream and meaty red sauces for lighter, simply-sauced dishes with fewer calories and big flavors.
These lighter pastas highlight seasonal veggies like asparagus, peas, and greens, and are seasoned with fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon, and you can throw many of them together in 30 minutes or less, making them totally weeknight-friendly.
And so without further ado, here are 30 lighter, easy, spring green pasta recipes to make in April!
Make meal planning your month of meals a snap.
First, download this free printable weekly meal planner/to-do list to fill in, tape to the fridge, take to the grocery store, or use for reference next year when you can’t remember what the heck were your fave recipes from this one.
And then sign up for your free weekly meal plan and prep list here.
You get the idea. Now let’s dig in.
These pretty spring pastas will totally put some pep in your step, so go green or go home!
April 1: Linguini and Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp
FoodieCrush
This perfectly garlicky, always delicious and popular seafood dish gets a healthy makeover with a mix of zucchini noodles and whole wheat linguini, and it’s also made with a lot less butter (your hips will thank you).
April 2: One-Pot Spring Pasta with Dill + Lemony Vinaigrette
With Food + Love
Take what you know about macaroni salad and throw it out the window, because you’re going to want this dill and lemon-flavored pasta on repeat all spring and summer-long.
April 3: Fresh Homemade Pasta with Asparagus and Prosciutto Ham
Billy Parisi
The recipe calls for from-scratch pasta and features a recipe, but let’s be real, who has time for that on a weeknight? The store-bought stuff does the trick and salty prosciutto, tender spears of asparagus, mushrooms, and creamy ricotta and burrata all work together to make this pasta next-level good.
April 4: Orecchiette with Garlicky Kale and Breadcrumbs
Vanilla and Bean
Garlicky toasted breadcrumbs give this vegetarian pasta a crunchy bite, and capers, lemon, and red pepper flakes make it sing with flavor.
April 5: Spring Pasta Carbonara
A Thought for Food
The only real way to improve upon carbonara is to give it a fresh spring makeover, with asparagus and peas.
April 6: Creamy Goat Cheese and Brussels Sprouts Pasta
Yes to Yolks
This creamy, 30-minute pasta is our new favorite way to eat brussels sprouts, and it’ll be yours too.
April 7: Lemon Arugula Pasta with Burrata
Two Peas and Their Pod
You just need 7 ingredients and 30 minutes to make this dreamy rigatoni with zesty lemon, peppery arugula, and gooey burrata.
April 8: Light Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Healthy Seasonal Recipes
Finally, an alfredo our appetites and health can agree on. This dish boasts just 300 calories per serving, but you’d never know it, thanks to some smart (and equally delicious) ingredient swaps.
April 9: One Pot Spring Pasta
Show me the Yummy
A garlic and herb-flavored goat cheese gives these veggie-loaded pasta shells a wonderfully creamy sauce, and not only is everything made in one pot, it’s ready in under 30 minutes. As the Barefoot Contessa would say, how easy is that?
April 10: Very Green Spring Pasta
Parsnips and Pastries
Asparagus, rainbow chard, zucchini, peas, and plenty of fresh herbs make up this spaghetti in a white wine and lemon parmesan sauce both light and hearty.
April 11: 30-Minute Farfalle with Marinated Feta, Arugula and Toasted Pine Nuts
How Sweet Eats
You don’t need a ton of ingredients to make a damn fine pasta, and this one is proof. Simply take some whole wheat farfalle, toss it with a garlicky, red wine and feta vinaigrette, a bunch of arugula, toasted pine nuts, and a bit more crumbled feta for good measure, and voila!
April 12: Spring Pasta Primavera with Lemon Ricotta
Our Salty Kitchen
This vegetarian pasta is packed with a host of fresh herbs, veggies, and dollops of zesty lemon-mint ricotta, and perfectly captures the essence of spring.
April 13: Light Lemon Garlic Pasta with Salmon
The Cooking Jar
There’s just something so perfect about the marriage of garlic, lemon, capers, and fresh basil, especially when rigatoni, flaky salmon, and parmesan are added to the mix. And pssst, this one only takes 30 minutes.
April 14: Linguini with Arugula, Garlic and Parmesan
Gimme Some Oven
This no-frills pasta is so easy, you could practically make it in your sleep! With just 5 ingredients (olive oil or butter, linguini, garlic, arugula, and parmesan, it’s full of flavor, inexpensive, and ready in under 30 minutes. But, if you really wanna gild the lily, you probably won’t regret adding toasted pine nuts.
April 15: Chicken Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna
Little Broken
This white lasagna is a refreshing respite from its beefy red sauce counterpart. Filled with a milk-based parmesan sauce, chicken, mushrooms, and spinach, and no boil noodles (hallelujah), it totally hits the spot.
April 16: Spring Gnocchi w/Mustardy Arugula Pesto
Well and Full
Tender little pillows of gnocchi are cloaked in a zippy, mustardy arugula pesto and served with crisp snow peas or snap peas and fresh chives in this gloriously green dish.
April 17: Chicken Florentine Pasta
Natasha’s Kitchen
Popeye would love this super creamy 30-minute linguini studded with chicken, green onions, mushrooms, and plenty of spinach!
April 18: Spring Onion-Chive Pesto Pasta with Shrimp
Brooklyn Supper
Pesto gets a pretty spring makeover with peptitas, chives, parsley, and spring onions, and makes a creamy base for this easy weeknight pasta with shrimp.
April 19: Jade Noodles
Feasting at Home
This gorgeous bowl of vibrant is fit for a green goddess, and features an abundance of emerald veggies, tofu, and soba noodles, all tossed in a tangy ginger-sesame dressing.
April 20: One-Pot Skinny Pasta Primavera
FoodieCrush
This one pot primavera might as well be spring’s food mascot. It’s chock-full of fresh, seasonal veggies and herbs, and is made healthier with almond milk subbing in for the cream and butter. Full of amazing flavor, thanks to garlic, parmesan, lemon, thyme, and dill, it’s a creamy, dreamy pasta win!
April 21: Creamy Cauliflower Shells and Cheese
The Baker Chick
This healthier take on mac and cheese is one you can feel good about. Perfectly creamy and cozy, but made with a whole head of cauliflower (and a lot less butter), this is the perfect way to get your mac and cheese fix without the guilt. Plus, the toasted Panko topping gives it a nice crispy crunch that totally seals the deal.
April 22: Avocado Pasta with Asparagus and Peas
Well Plated
Avocado and Greek yogurt make a light and creamy sauce for this whole wheat orecchiette with lemon, basil, green onions, arugula, asparagus, and peas.
April 23: Sausage and Spring Vegetable Pasta
Lexi’s Clean Kitchen
This gluten-free, crowd-pleasing pasta with chicken sausage, spinach, broccoli, and asparagus is teeming with delicious flavors and comes together in one pot, and in just 30 minutes.
April 24: Herb & Garlic Mushroom Pasta
Love & Lemons
Cremini mushrooms sautéed in white wine and garlic are the star of this 5-step pasta, which features a healthy but decadent-tasting dijon-cashew cream sauce. It looks like something you’d get at a fancy Italian restaurant, yet it can be tossed together in no time!
April 25: Lemon Artichoke & Asparagus Pasta
Creme De La Crumb
20 minutes is all you need to make this simple bowtie pasta with artichokes and asparagus in a creamy lemon sauce.
April 26: Simple Vegan Spring Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
The Full Helping
Not only does this vegan pasta deliver mega flavor, it’s awesome for a hit potluck dish, or a light and healthy weeknight supper. It’s loaded with Mediterranean ingredients like marinated artichoke hearts, olive oil, and lemon, and also features orzo, asparagus, peas, chickpeas, and fresh parsley and dill.
April 27: Roasted Cauliflower, Snap Pea, and Avocado Pasta with a Walnut Basil Pesto
Flourishing Foodie
Spaghetti is tossed with an easy, homemade walnut basil pesto and topped with florets of caramelized cauliflower, fresh snap peas, and avocado, for a winning combination that won’t weigh you down.
April 28: Orecchiette Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli
Skinnytaste
Lean chicken sausage, broccoli, orecchiette, plenty of garlic, and pecorino come together for an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner you can throw together in no time.
April 29: Spring Pea, Fresh Herb & Asparagus Farfalle Pasta
Waiting on Martha
This incredibly light and easy to make pasta features grilled asparagus, peas, and a bundle of fresh herbs, and is a great way to celebrate the greens of spring!
April 30: Roasted Spring Vegetable and Goat Cheese Fettuccine
How Sweet Eats
With roasted spring veggies, ribbons of fettuccine, and a light, but creamy goat cheese sauce, how could you say no to this bright bowl of goodness?
For more healthy cooking inspiration, check out some of these other posts from our 31 Days Series:
31 Days of Healthy Comfort Food Recipes to Make Now
31 Healthy Lunches to Make Now
28 Days of Lighter Pasta Recipes to Make Now
30 Days of Healthier Salads to Make Now
31 Healthy Shrimp Recipes to Make Now
THIS RECIPE ROUND-UP WAS CURATED AND WRITTEN BY FOODIECRUSH CONTRIBUTOR HAYLEY PUTNAM OF SEVEN DAY WEEKEND. FOLLOW HER FOODIE TASTES AND OTHER FLIGHTS OF FANCY ON PINTEREST AND INSTAGRAM.
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Bring on the spring pasta, these all sound incredible!
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