Crunchy green asparagus and fiddleheads are delicious on their own, but they make tasty filling meals when paired with fresh herbs and pasta. Get inspired by the scrumptious flavour combinations and learn tips and tricks for cooking spring veggies.
If you have a bit of time, try one our recipes with homemade pasta.

Springtime Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
Brighten up your spaghetti with delicious ribbons of fresh spring asparagus. Local asparagus is available from the start of May to the middle of June. The first harvest of the year is the most robust and flavourful of the season.

Photography by Jeff Coulson

Spring Primavera Pasta With Goat Cheese
This pasta is packed with so many fresh flavours! Asparagus, snap peas, mint, garlic, lemon and chives mingle in this easy dish. Soft goat cheese pulls it together for a creamy finish. Have leftover mint and chives? With a piece of paper towel, you can keep them fresh longer; learn our trick for preserving herbs.


Photography by Jeff Coulson

Garlic Scape and Zucchini Blossom Pasta
If you’ve ever seen garlic scapes at the grocery store and wondered how to cook them, here is the perfect recipe. These flavourful vegetables are the flower stalks of garlic plants and have a delicious mild garlic flavour. While you’re at the market, keep your eye out for zucchini blossoms; throw in a handful of them and you have a flowery spring meal.


Photography by Jeff Coulson


Sautéed Fiddlehead and Mushroom Gnocchi
Fiddlehead season comes and goes quickly, so it’s best to buy them when you see them. Light and fresh-tasting, fiddleheads are the unfurled fronds of ostrich ferns, harvested in woodsy areas in early spring. While they’re delicious steamed, the curled little veggies shine alongside gnocchi in this tasty dish.


Photography by Joe Kim

Gluten-Free Orange Ginger Soba Noodles With Salmon
Fresh, light salmon and spring spinach star in this gingery orange noodle dish. When making this dish, make sure the soba noodles you purchase are indeed gluten-free; read the label carefully and look for brands made with 100 percent buckwheat.


Photography by Jeff Coulson

Lemony Penne With Chicken and Artichoke Hearts
A little chicken and artichoke hearts go a long way in this dish, thanks to a tasty lift from a bit of lemon juice and zest. Use lots of water when cooking your pasta, and don’t forget to salt the water; it adds flavour to the pasta as it cooks.


Photography by Ryan Brook

Penne With Smoked Trout and Asparagus
Not only is this dish full of veggies and rich, smoky trout but it’s also quick. If you have 20 minutes to spare, you have a delicious dinner on the table. When selecting asparagus, look for firm spears with tightly closed tips.


Photography by Joe Kim

Looking for more delicious spring menu ideas? Try our succulent spring dishes.