25 New Recipes We’re Making in April, From Asparagus Caesar to Lemon-Tarragon Shrimp Scampi

It's the first full month of spring, which means we're filling our farmers market bags with asparagus and ramps for quick seasonal dinners and appetizers. We're also making cozy classics like a vegetable pot pie and a beloved Chicago chicken dinner. For dessert, we've got a fragrant orange blossom cake and a classic banoffee pie.

Embrace the season with our favorite new recipes from the Food & Wine test kitchen, chefs, and other contributors.

Nashville Hot Chicken Milanese

For the cover star of our April 2025 issue, F&W recipe developer Anna Theoktisto was inspired by Nashville hot chicken when she topped crispy chicken cutlets with a spicy cayenne pepper-infused oil. It's the perfect complement to a simple green salad with ranch dressing.

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Asparagus Caesar with Pecorino

For this seasonal riff on a Caesar salad, Anna Theoktisto dresses crisp-tender asparagus in a shortcut Caesar dressing that starts with mayonnaise. A shower of Pecorino cheese and smoked almonds tops it off.

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Chicken Vesuvio

For this classic Italian-American dish, created at the Vesuvio Restaurant in Chicago, crispy bone-in chicken thighs, peas, and potatoes are braised in a lemony garlic-wine sauce. Here, recipe developer Craig Ruff from the F&W test kitchen freshens up the standby with bright herbs like oregano and thyme.

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Lemon-Tarragon Shrimp Scampi with Herbed Orzo

For this one-skillet dinner, F&W recipe developer Nicole Hopper tops creamy herb-flecked orzo with buttery, garlicky, and lemony shrimp scampi.

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Creamy Ramp Pasta with Asparagus

Make the most of ramps' fleeting season with this springtime dish from chef Jeffrey Compton, which features the prized alliums two ways: in a verdant pesto and briefly sautéed with asparagus and cavatelli pasta.

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Caramelized Carrot Tarte Tatin with Ginger

This savory upside-down tart from F&W recipe developer Nicole Hopper features carrots in a ginger and fish sauce-laced caramel. It's topped off with feta, dill, and toasted hazelnuts.

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Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Bites

F&W recipe developer Melissa Gray-Streett upgrades store-bought teriyaki sauce with pineapple, chiles, ginger, and garlic for this weeknight stir-fry. The spicy-sweet glaze coats boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

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Orange Blossom Almond Cake with Ricotta Whipped Cream

A combination of almond paste, butter, and extra-virgin olive gives this cake from F&W recipe developer Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman its dense, moist texture, while orange blossom water infuses it with a citrusy fragrance.

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Asparagus Involtini

For this delectable spring appetizer, chef Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson wraps asparagus spears in nutty Montasio cheese and salty prosciutto, then sautées them in butter and oil until crisp.

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Sunomono with Shrimp

This elegant cucumber salad from chef Takashi Yagihashi is made with shrimp, tomatoes, seaweed, and an umami-forward dressing that combines sesame oil, soy sauce, and mirin.

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Spinach and Artichoke Dip Potato Crust Quiche

This smashed potato crust quiche from F&W recipe developer Marianne Williams features all the flavors of spinach artichoke dip: marinated artichoke hearts, two types of cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano and Monterey), and lots of cream.

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Carrot Ginger Soup

This vegan soup from F&W associate editorial director of food, Chandra Ram, gets its creaminess from puréed carrots and a can of full-fat coconut milk. Its sweet, earthy flavor is contrasted with fresh ginger and spices like turmeric, cumin, and Kashmiri chili powder.

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Vegetable Pot Pie

This vegetarian pot pie from recipe developer Sonja Overhiser features cooked lentils, portobello mushroom caps, carrots, and Yukon gold potatoes. The secret to its mouthwatering umami is a couple tablespoons of miso paste.

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Hot Honey–Glazed Pork Chops

A homemade hot honey marinade and glaze brings sweet heat to these skillet-cooked bone-in pork chops from F&W associate food editor Andee Gosnell.

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Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs

A silky garlic-butter sauce coats these tender skillet meatballs from F&W recipe developer Marianne Williams. She makes them with ground chicken, grated onion, and ricotta cheese to keep them light and juicy.

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Chopped Salad with Honey-Peanut Dressing

For this crunchy Thai-inspired salad, F&W associate food editor Andee Gosnell dresses chopped chicken, cabbage, carrots, and red bell pepper in an umami-packed dressing featuring peanut butter and honey.

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Banoffee Pie

This salty-sweet take on the classic British pie from cookbook author Jessie Sheehan calls for an easy graham cracker crust, homemade dulce de leche, sliced bananas, and a pile of lightly salted whipped cream.

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Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Thighs with Broccolini and Potatoes

This effortless sheet pan dinner from F&W recipe developer Nicole Hopper features juicy chicken thighs that are marinated in Greek yogurt, charred Broccolini, and crispy roasted potatoes.

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Yellow Cake with Double Chocolate Frosting

This moist cake from F&W recipe developer Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman gets its sunny yellow hue from its generous use of eggs. It's topped with a luscious, buttery chocolate frosting.

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Air Fryer Crispy Rice Salad

F&W recipe developer Renu Dhar crisps up leftover jasmine rice in the air fryer with sesame oil, then turns it into a Vietnamese-inspired salad with springy shrimp, cucumber, fresh herbs, and a dressing based on nước chấm.

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Hot Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken Bites

These oven-baked nuggets from F&W recipe developer Nicole Hopper are seasoned with dry mustard, dredged in crushed honey mustard pretzels, drizzled with hot honey, and served with honey mustard for dipping.

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Caramelized Cream Pancakes

Chef Craig Wilmer toasts heavy cream to impart classic pancakes with an intense and complex nutty flavor. "The medium of a pancake itself, because it's flour and milk, is a neutral canvas that allows the concentrated flavors of the 'super brown butter' to open up," says Wilmer.

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Coconut Curried Lentil Soup

This vegan soup from F&W associate editorial director of food, Chandra Ram, gets its creaminess from coconut milk and red lentils, which cook into a purée-like texture with canned tomatoes, ginger, and spices like cumin and turmeric.

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Full English Breakfast

This full English breakfast from British chef and recipe developer Barry Tonkinson has all the makings of the classic: back bacon, eggs, baked beans, roasted tomatoes and mushrooms, English sausage (bangers), and black pudding.

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Crostata di Marmellata (Italian Jam Tart)

You can use store-bought or homemade strawberry preserves to fill this buttery lattice tart from food writer Nancy Harmon Jenkins.

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