14 Quick Spring Dinner Ideas

Inside-Out Pork Dumplings — Credit: Raymond Hom

It's time to put your slow cooker in storage. These quick spring dinner ideas will help you make the most of fast-cooking spring produce—like sugar-snap peas and asparagus—and help breathe new life into your weeknight dinner routine. Another reason we love quick spring recipes is that the influx of lighter, brighter things to eat not only matches the better weather but our sunnier dispositions, too.

Press fast-forward with these meal ideas that trade slow-and-low winter cooking for recipes that take just 30 minutes or less to prepare. Whether you're in the mood for a stir-fry or pasta, set your timer and have your dinner mates set the table—the food will be ready before you know it.

01 of 14

Cashew Shrimp

Light, fresh, and fast, our take on a delivery favorite requires just 20 minutes to make—but our upscale touches, like roasted cashews and celery leaves, make this dish a weeknight feast.

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02 of 14

Pea-Pesto Handkerchiefs

A super spring pasta dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes. Those lasagna noodles in your kitchen cupboard become pasta handkerchiefs in this recipe, and frozen peas are combined with pine nuts, basil, and Parmesan for a deliciously different pesto.

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03 of 14

Lemon-Ginger Chicken and Green Beans

lemon-ginger-chicken-green-beans-103014912 — Armando Rafael

Using just one or two flavor-packed ingredients can make a huge impact on a simple meal. Fresh ginger goes the extra mile in this easy weeknight dinner, infusing the poaching liquid for the chicken and being grated into a zippy dressing for the cucumber salad.

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04 of 14

Salmon, Asparagus, and Leek in Parchment

Cooking fresh salmon en papillote (in parchment paper) is a mess-proof way to coax the most flavor from the fish without adding a lot of oil or butter. The salmon, asparagus, and leek steam in their own juices, and the meal goes from oven to plate with little fuss (and even less house-permeating fishy odor).

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05 of 14

Sautéed Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce

This entree comes together in just 20 minutes—and all you need to round out the meal is rice or some bread to mop up the sauce. The mustard cream sauce is so good we use it with fish as well as with chicken breasts.

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06 of 14

One-Pan Creamy Tuna Pasta

Peppery arugula brightens this new twist on tuna casserole, as does crisp-tender asparagus. They're the perfect foil for meaty oil-packed tuna.

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07 of 14

Avocado-and-Boursin Sandwiches

This sandwich is like eating a rainbow, thanks to its dazzling layers of vibrant red cabbage, shredded carrots, tender pea shoots, and creamy avocado. A generous spread of garlicky Boursin cheese holds this quick spring dinner all together.

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08 of 14

Chicken With Artichokes and Angel Hair

So simple and so good, that's this light, springy chicken cutlet dish. It's on the table in 25 minutes. Canned artichoke hearts, capers, chicken broth, and butter make a quick pan sauce after you brown the cutlets.

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09 of 14

Spaghettini With Charred Scallions and Peas

This is our new favorite 20-minute spring dinner idea; the pasta is packed with spring flavor thanks to charred scallions, asparagus, and sweet green peas.

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10 of 14

Inside-Out Pork Dumplings

This clever recipe brings together favorite dumpling flavors like ground pork, ginger, and scallions—and stirs them up with tender wontons and baby bok choy for a super-quick meal that won't leave you feeling stuffed.

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11 of 14

Penne With Shrimp, Feta, and Spring Vegetables

The beauty of this recipe—besides the glorious spring produce—is that it all cooks entirely in one pot and is ready to serve in under 30 minutes.

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12 of 14

Steak and Asparagus Stir-Fry

This speedy stir-fry celebrates quick-cooking new season produce like snappy asparagus and tender scallion whites. Dress it up with fresh Thai chiles and crunchy peanuts and serve over a bed of fluffy rice for a fresh and fast dinner.

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13 of 14

Miso Soup With Tofu, Spinach, and Carrots

Carrots and spinach are some of the earliest spring produce to be harvested. They both go swimmingly in this main-meal version of miso soup. It's a perfect plant-based recipe for shoulder season, when a warming soup is still on the menu.

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14 of 14

Pad See Ew

Broccolini is the main vegetable in this famed dish from Thailand, and while it's available year-round, peak season is from October through April, so enjoy it while you can. Its long, leggy stalks and mild flavor make it a perfect fit for blending into our take on this bold beef and noodle dish.

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