21 Spring Pasta Dinners Ready in Three Steps or Less 

Spinach, Lima Bean & Crispy Pancetta Pasta

We opt for fresh spinach pasta here--it cooks quickly and adds a pop of color. Cooking lima beans in pancetta drippings infuses them with flavor.

One-Pot Pasta with Peas & Parmesan

A bowl of creamy pea pasta is colorful—and bright in flavor as well, thanks to the addition of lemon zest and juice. Made in just one pot, this easy pasta recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.

One-Pot Lemon-Broccoli Pasta with Parmesan

This hearty pasta dish with bright, fresh flavor is ideal for busy weeknights. The Parmesan adds welcome saltiness and notes of umami and you get added texture from the slight crunch of broccoli and whole-wheat noodles. Add some shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp or crispy chickpeas to punch up the protein.

Mushroom Orzo with Lemon & Parmesan

This mushroom orzo with lemon and Parmesan is a creamy dish rich with flavor thanks to mushrooms and a velvety smooth sauce. Enjoy this cozy pasta dish with a glass of wine.

Garlic-Anchovy Pasta with Broccolini

Here, we sprinkle the final pasta dish with crumbled goat cheese for nice tangy bites throughout. But if you prefer a creamy sauce, stir the cheese into the pasta in Step 3 along with the reserved cooking water.

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

This one-pan chicken pasta combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal that's garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

Shrimp and Avocado-Cream Pasta

This recipe has a tasty secret: the creamy sauce is made with nutritious avocado! Mix it together with multigrain pasta for a healthy dinner option.

Lemon Crab Pasta

Earthy, savory miso complements the flavor of the sweet crab perfectly in this quick and easy lemon crab pasta dish. A punch of garlic adds depth, and lemon adds some sunshine, while parsley refreshes and brings a pop of color. While you could substitute whole-wheat pasta for added fiber, regular pasta allows the flavors of the crab and lemon to shine.

Creamy Arugula Pesto Pasta with Peas & Tomatoes

Here, we jazz up store-bought pesto with peppery arugula and tangy goat cheese to make a creamy pasta sauce.

Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach & Feta Penne Pasta

In this quick 20-minute dinner recipe, tender penne pasta is combined with garlic, roasted red peppers and spinach and topped with crumbled feta cheese for a fast and easy Mediterranean-inspired meal. This recipe was graciously shared by EatingWell reader Dottie Carpenter, who states, "Recipes are no good if they're not shared!"

One-Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta with Zucchini

This one-pot creamy chicken with zucchini is comfort food at its best. Here, we take advantage of fresh summer zucchini, which lightens up the dish. This easy dinner is made all in one pot on the stovetop, so you can give your oven a rest on a warm day and enjoy an easy cleanup.

Spinach & Mushroom Tortellini Bake

This cheesy tortellini bake is a dish the whole family will love--it's filled with sweet-tasting marinara, mushrooms and spinach and topped with melted cheese. Complete the meal, plus get in another vegetable serving, by adding a side of broccoli or a small green salad.

Bruschetta Chicken Pasta

This healthy chicken pasta recipe is jazzed up with traditional bruschetta toppers, including cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil. Multicolored cherry tomatoes look pretty, but you can use all one color of tomato too. Either way, you've got an easy weeknight dinner that's ready in 25 minutes. We've called for spaghettini (thin spaghetti) in this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite shape of pasta.

Linguine with Creamy White Clam Sauce

3-Ingredient One-Pot Lemon Pasta with Rotisserie Chicken

This satisfying one-pot pasta cooks with just the right amount of water so you're left with perfectly cooked noodles and enough starchy liquid to act as a sauce. Stir in lemon juice and zest at the end for a bright finish.

Linguine with Creamy White Clam Sauce

Ripe tomato and fresh basil give this quick recipe tons of flavor. Serve this healthy pasta dinner with crusty garlic bread and steamed green beans.

Creamy Sausage & Kale Pasta

This quick, comforting gluten-free pasta is perfect for weeknights when cooler weather sets in. Red lentil pasta is coated in a creamy, savory sauce flavored with sausage and packed with plenty of kale. Serve with a green salad on the side.

White Bean & Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi

Sun-dried tomatoes are the star of this recipe— providing texture and umami. Combined with the spinach, they make this dish a great source of vitamins C and K.

Tortellini Primavera

This creamy tortellini and vegetable pasta is a real crowd pleaser. To make it even quicker, use frozen chopped vegetables instead of fresh. Serve with a green salad and whole-grain baguette.

Baked Tomato, Mushroom & Goat Cheese Pasta

Cherry tomatoes and mushrooms bake along with goat cheese to form the base of the sauce that cooks the pasta right in the baking dish—no stovetop required.

One-Pot Lemon Asparagus Pasta with Shrimp

This quick one-pot shrimp and pasta dinner is cooked with asparagus in a lemony sauce. Feta cheese sprinkled over the top adds another savory layer, but feel free to skip it and add additional fresh herbs and a lemon slice instead.

Cauliflower Gnocchi Caprese

This super-easy dish is perfect for summer. Store-bought frozen cauliflower gnocchi are crisped up in a pan, then tossed with mozzarella cheese, plenty of basil and balsamic vinegar for a hearty and healthy spin on the classic caprese salad.