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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    26 Light and Fresh Spring Dinners Perfect for Busy Nights

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on April 25, 2025, updated March 21, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Spring is the perfect time to enjoy light and fresh meals that are quick to prepare, especially on busy nights. With vibrant ingredients and simple recipes, these 26 dinner ideas will help you make the most of the season without spending hours in the kitchen. From simple salmon dishes to flavorful pastas, these dishes are sure to brighten your evenings.

    Sweet Chili Salmon

    Sweet Chili Salmon.
    Photo credit: Hungry Healthy Happy.

    This salmon dish is quick and easy, taking less than 20 minutes to prepare. The fillets are coated with a blend of sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice, then baked until they are perfectly flaky.

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    Chicken & Veggie Traybake

    Chicken & Veggie Traybake.
    Photo credit: Hungry Healthy Happy.

    This chicken traybake is simple to prepare and everything cooks together in one pan with a tasty Mediterranean dressing. With colorful vegetables and tender chicken thighs, it’s a flexible dish that you can easily customize.

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    Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken

    Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Transform simple chicken breasts into flavorful balsamic chicken using just a handful of ingredients. With the rich taste of balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, and garlic, this dish is sure to please everyone at the table.

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    Easy Paella

    Paella.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This paella is a simple dish that everyone will enjoy. Packed with shrimp, chicken, green peas, and bell peppers, it's great for dinner parties and tastes just as good the next day.

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    Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

    Garlic butter shrimp pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta is a quick and tasty dish that combines juicy shrimp with perfectly cooked pasta in a rich garlic butter sauce. This is a great meal for busy nights when you want something delicious without a lot of work.

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    Olive Garden Chicken Scampi

    Olive Garden Chicken Scampi.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This chicken scampi is light and full of flavor, making it a great choice for a quick dinner during spring. With tender chicken cooked in garlic, butter, and lemon, then mixed with pasta and fresh herbs, it’s a simple meal that feels special.

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    Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken

    Grilled lemon chicken.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Lemon Chicken Marinade is quick to whip up using simple and healthy ingredients. Perfect for grilling, pan frying, or baking, it keeps the chicken juicy and full of flavor with olive oil, lemon, and basil.

    Get the recipe

    Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

    Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This recipe features bright flavors from lemon and pepper that really bring out the best in chicken thighs. With the help of a slow cooker, you can enjoy a tasty and juicy meal with minimal effort.

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    Sweetheart Cabbage Salad with Gyoza Chickpeas

    sweetheart cabbage salad.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This sweetheart cabbage salad comes together in just 15 minutes and is perfect for anyone who usually doesn't like salads. Packed with spinach, crunchy cabbage, and tasty chickpeas, it's topped with plenty of Parmesan cheese for a satisfying and healthy meal.

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    Lamb Burgers with Tahini Sauce

    A plate with salad, a lamb burger, and dressing.
    Photo credit: FODMAP Everyday.

    These lamb burgers are packed with Mediterranean flavors from fresh herbs like oregano, mint, dill, and parsley, along with feta and cumin. The Tahini sauce adds a delicious finishing touch that really enhances the dish.

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    Slow Cooker Greek Chicken

    Slow Cooker Greek Chicken.
    Photo Credit: The Lazy Slow Cooker.

    Slow Cooker Greek Chicken is a simple and tasty dinner option for busy weeknights. With tender chicken and baby potatoes in a light lemon sauce, plus kalamata olives and feta cheese, this dish is full of flavor and easy to prepare.

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    Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

    A bowl of chicken pesto pasta salad.
    Photo Credit: Frozen Bananas.

    Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad is quick to prepare and really tasty. It comes together in less than 20 minutes, making it perfect for a spring dinner.

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    Lemon Ricotta Pasta

    Lemon ricotta pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This pasta dish is incredibly easy to prepare. It's perfect for spring evenings when you want something quick and satisfying.

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    Puff Pastry Tomato Tart

    Square slices of puff pastry tomato tart.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This puff pastry tomato tart is quick to prepare in just 10 minutes with only 6 ingredients. It's a simple dish that highlights the fresh, juicy tomatoes from your garden, making it a great choice for a light summer dinner.

    Get the recipe

    Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

    Pasta salad.
    Photo credit: Nutmeg and Vinegar.

    This chicken pesto pasta salad is great for spring and summer. It's a healthy and easy dish that you can whip up quickly, making it ideal for a BBQ.

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    Greek Cucumber Salad

    A serving of Greek cucumber salad.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This Greek cucumber salad is quick and easy to prepare, taking just about 15 minutes with fewer than 10 ingredients. It's packed with fresh flavors and makes a great light lunch or a tasty side dish.

    Get the recipe

    Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Veggies

    Red pesto pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This red pesto pasta is quick to prepare, taking less than 30 minutes with only 15 minutes of hands-on time. It's loaded with veggies and flavor, and you can enjoy it hot or cold, whether you use homemade or store-bought pesto.

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    Bruschetta Pasta Salad

    Bruschetta Pasta Salad.
    Photo credit: Walder Wellness.

    This cold bruschetta pasta salad features fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic, and basil, all tossed together for a refreshing dish. Topped with crunchy homemade sourdough breadcrumbs, it’s perfect for dinner parties, barbecues, or a tasty lunch.

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    Orzo Pesto Salad

    Orzo pesto salad.
    Photo credit: Healthfull Blondie.

    Orzo pesto salad is packed with veggies and fresh mozzarella, all tossed in a delicious nut-free basil pesto. It's a great choice for lunch, dinner, or as a side at any spring or summer get-together.

    Get the recipe

    Cherry Tomato Pasta with Spinach and Walnuts

    15-Minute Cherry Tomato Pasta with Spinach and Walnuts
    Photo credit: always use butter

    This 15-minute Cherry Tomato Pasta with Spinach and Walnuts is a quick and easy dish that packs a lot of flavor. It's great on its own, but adding some mozzarella or burrata cheese takes it to the next level.

    Get the recipe

    Salmon Stir-fry

    Salmon stir-fry.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This stir-fry is packed with fresh vegetables and has a bright, citrusy taste that everyone will enjoy. It's perfect on its own or served alongside some rice.

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    Halloumi Pasta Primavera

    Halloumi pasta primavera.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This vegetarian halloumi pasta is quick to prepare, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish, including chopping. It's a fresh and light dish that highlights the flavors of the vegetables without any cream.

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    Lemon Pepper Salmon

    Baked lemon pepper salmon.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This salmon dish is incredibly simple, using just three ingredients. It's perfect for a quick and easy dinner in the spring.

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    Penne Pomodoro

    20 Minute Penne Pomodoro.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This dish features whole canned tomatoes, fresh herbs, and penne pasta, creating a satisfying vegetarian meal. It's perfect for a quick and easy dinner that everyone can enjoy.

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    Smoked Salmon & Spinach Pasta

    Salmon spinach pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This quick pasta dish is packed with the fresh flavors of smoked salmon and lemon. It's a meal you'll want to make again and again.

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    Chicken Club Sandwich

    Chicken BLT.
    Photo credit: The Feathered Nester.

    The Chicken Club Sandwich is loaded with chicken, ham, bacon, avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes. It's a great option for a quick meal or a light snack.

    Get the recipe

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      24 Dump-And-Cook Ground Beef Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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