Pea

Neal Fraser, Executive Chef and co-owner of Grace and BLD in Los Angeles, shared the recipe for this elegant pasta dish with Epicurious: Fresh pasta shells are tossed with lobster, peas, rich Mascarpone cheese, and fresh herbs. It's one of the best-selling dishes at Grace. It's best to use fresh or thawed, frozen cavatelli, which the sauce will really cling to, but other fresh pasta shells or, in a pinch, dried pasta could be substituted.

This summer side cooks quickly, so the veggies retain their nutrients.

This simple, delicious dish hails from China's Shanghai region. It's a great way to use up leftover rice—if your rice is already cooked, you'll need 3 cups of it.

A bowl of these refreshing noodles—a riff on a Japanese classic that gets topped with silky tofu—is clean and light, yet still hearty enough to make a satisfying meal.

Honest isn't a word that comes up much when side dishes are being discussed, but that's exactly how these smashed potatoes and peas strike us. Serve them alongside the cornflake fried chicken for a southern-inspired supper for one.

Chunks of chorizo balance the sweetness of spring onions, beans, and peas. A Sherry vinaigrette lends a slight Iberian edge.

Summery and light, this vivid salad and its tangy dressing help balance the tuna and its rich glaze. Salting the zucchini slices takes the edge off their rawness while preserving their pleasant snap.

You can practically live on this salad in sultry weather. It tastes bright and fresh and is satisfying without being heavy.

Indian flavorings give this vegetarian main some extra pizzazz.

This soup from Tien Dinh at Pho, in Las Vegas, delivers vitamin A.

This light spring recipe, from chef Daniel Patterson of San Francisco's Coi, is a great way to use the buttermilk left over after making Patterson's homemade butter . Strips of yuba are simmered in the buttermilk and then topped with a bright-green sauce of fresh peas, basil, and fava leaves. Yuba, also called tofu skin, is made by heating soy milk until a skin forms on the surface. Here, strips of tender, slightly chewy yuba stand in for pasta. (See the Test-Kitchen Tips, below, for more information on ingredients and substitutions.)

"What grows together, goes together" is a concept that often holds true, but disparate denizens of the garden sometimes need coaxing to harmonize. Ferrigno sets about the task with wise restraint—just a little butter, shallot, and fresh basil turns asparagus and peas into the best of friends.

Pasta made with matzo cake meal is extremely light in texture and is no fuss to prepare when it's rolled and cut by hand into thin strips. The vegetables, in shades of green, provide a range of spring color.

Almost a risotto and not quite a soup, risi e bisi was once reserved for occasions. Thanks to food processors, high-quality frozen peas, and our super-fast stir-it-once method, you needn't wait for a special day.

Aged Gruyère gives extra-nutty flavor.

For a vegetarian version, use 24 ounces extra-firm tofu instead of chicken, and increase the soy sauce to 2/3 cup and the vinegar to 1/2 cup. Serve with brown rice or soba noodles.

A bright, beautiful spring appetizer.