There’s always a moment when it happens.
The days stretch a little longer. The windows open just slightly. And suddenly, the winter meals — braises, slow roasts, warming spices — don’t feel quite right anymore.
Spring in the kitchen is a shift: a lightening, a brightening. For us, the dish that most often signals the change is Pasta Primavera — fresh vegetables, olive oil, and herbs tossed with pasta, capturing the season in its simplest, most vibrant form.
Ricotta Gnocchi Primavera
Ingredients
- 1 yellow squash, small diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 whole corn, cut kernel from cob
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tomatoes, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
- Salt and pepper
Ricotta Gnocchi
- 12oz ricotta cheese, drained and remove as much moisture as possible
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 cups flour
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper
Preparation
To make the ricotta gnocchi mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and until well combined. The dough should be sticky, not loose. Transfer dough to a floured surface. Flatten the dough and cut into four pieces. Working one at a time, roll into 6 inch logs dusting with flour when necessary. Split logs in half and roll each half into 12 inch logs. You should get 8 logs. Cut each log into 1/2 inch pieces. Bring a large stock pot to a boil and cook gnocchi for 3 minutes until the gnocchi begins to float. Drain and cool with cold water and set aside.
To make the sauce sauté garlic in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the squash, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes over medium high heat. Add cream and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add cheese and season with salt and pepper. Finally add the gnocchi into the primavera and coat with sauce. Serve hot.
Refreshing the Pantry
As winter fades, heavier spices like star anise, cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger make way for spring flavors.
Bring in:
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Fresh lemons and plenty of zest
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Dill, parsley, mint, and tarragon
Garlic and sweet onions -
Bright vinegars and good olive oil
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Nuts and seeds for texture
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Staples like white beans, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, basmati rice, quinoa, and orzo
Spring cooking isn’t about richness — it’s about freshness.
What Makes Food Feel Like Spring?
Spring meals highlight:
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Crisp vegetables like asparagus, peas, radishes, and artichokes
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Citrus to awaken flavors after months of comfort food
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Whole grains in place of heavier starches
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Lighter proteins like chicken, salmon, shrimp, lamb, and legumes
Cream and butter take a step back, while brightness and balance take the lead.
Citrus becomes essential this time of year. A squeeze of lemon can lift seafood, sharpen a salad, or cut through richness.
Our go-to vinaigrette formula is simple: one part acid to three parts oil, a touch of Dijon mustard, a small amount of honey or maple syrup, salt, pepper, and zest. Both honey and maple syrup work interchangeably in equal amounts — honey offers a subtle floral sweetness, while maple adds a deeper, caramel-like note.
It’s a bright, versatile dressing that’s perfect for spring salads, roasted vegetables, or grain bowls — an easy way to bring seasonal flavor to the table.
Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup olive oil
Preparation
Whisk together vinegar, maple syrup (or honey), mustard, salt, and pepper in a salad bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined well.
Shop the Season
Spring produce is fleeting, and that’s part of its magic.
Look for firm asparagus with vibrant green tips. Choose strawberries that are red all the way to the shoulder and fragrant. When ingredients are at their peak — asparagus, ramps, morels, artichokes — they offer their fullest flavor and nutrition.
Waiting for produce in its proper season always pays off.
Cooking Into the Light
Welcoming spring in the kitchen isn’t about reinventing everything overnight.
It’s about subtle shifts — swapping heavy sauces for vinaigrettes, finishing dishes with fresh herbs, reaching for lemon instead of another pinch of spice.
Cook food that feels as light and hopeful as the season itself.
And if you’re ready to begin, start with a bowl of Pasta Primavera and a bright, simple vinaigrette — two easy ways to usher in the season ahead.
