Recipe Roundup: Easy Weeknight Dinners

What’s cooking tonight? From springtime pastas to dinners on the grill, these simple recipes will inspire you.

 

Angel Hair Pasta with Spring Vegetables We took the best of spring vegetables and let their natural flavors shine in this simple dish. Fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese lend bright flavors, replacing a heavy sauce.

Chicken and Spring Vegetable Soup Simmer asparagus, peas and other highlights of the season’s harvest in a light, delicately flavored soup that’s fit for lunch or dinner. This flavorful soup comes together in no time.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Pea, Feta and Mint Salad Here’s a delicious way to ring in spring with the season’s signature lamb and peas. Look for grass-fed, pasture-raised lamb at the butcher shop and, to simplify prep, use thawed frozen peas in place of fresh, if you like.

Penne with Walnut Pesto and Peas Even if you can’t eat gluten, you can still enjoy pasta — there are some great gluten-free pastas available in markets. And if gluten is not an issue, prepare this dish using your favorite penne. This all-purpose pesto sauce, bursting with fresh basil, is also excellent over chicken or fish.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Pea Shoots and Watercress In this perfect spring salad, salmon and its pan juices become a topping for a tangle of sprightly greens dressed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette.

Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Peas Barley makes a hearty stand-in for Arborio rice in this updated version of risotto, which is enriched with two kinds of cheese.

Asian-Style Chicken Soup Here, chicken, vegetables and rice noodles are cooked in a clear, spice-infused broth. An abundance of bright green garnishes liven up this one-dish meal.

Mustard-Peppercorn Steak and Arugula Salad Here, thinly sliced steak enhanced with mustard seeds and peppercorns is served on a bed of arugula. Round out the meal with country-style bread.

Stir-Fried Calamari and Pea Shoots Tender and sweet, pea shoots are delicious when eaten raw or sautéed. Here they are flash-cooked in a hot pan with tender squid rings and tentacles, along with Asian flavors like soy sauce, chili paste and toasted sesame oil.

Grilled Double-Cut Pork Chops with Rhubarb Mostarda Pork marries well with all kinds of fruits, and in the spring, this rhubarb-mustard condiment makes a wonderful accompaniment. Bonus: it’s even better when prepared a day ahead.

Sautéed Chicken Tenders with Peas and Mint Think of this easy recipe as a template, substituting asparagus or zucchini for the peas, and tarragon or dill for the mint. It’s delicious spooned over brown jasmine rice or quinoa.

Noodle Salad with Pork and Asian Lime Vinaigrette Chinese egg noodles are ideal for soaking up flavor and making a salad into a heartier main-course dish. You can also substitute regular vermicelli pasta, if you like.

 

See more simple weeknight dinners here.