The 31 Best Things to Cook This March

published Mar 1, 2022

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toto en brodo in a bowl ready to eat — Credit: Photo: Jason Rampe; Food Styling: Amelia Rampe
Spring Tortellini Soup with Peas and Asparagus

The greatest thing about March is that this month offers us the opportunity to take advantage of the best of both winter and spring cooking — often on the same plate. There’s still time to embrace cozy pots of soup and stew, hearty pasta dinners, and meaty slow cooker meals, while leaning in to the bright, sunny flavors of spring along with the fresh asparagus, carrots, and radishes beginning to pop up at the market.

March also packs in a lot of celebration. The month kicks off with Mardi Gras (it’s not too late to make king cake!), followed by Pi Day on the 14th (go for a sunny lemon meringue pie or, if you prefer something savory, go for a weeknight-friendly skillet pot pie). Purim begins at sundown on the 16th and most definitely calls for making hamantaschen. Then there’s St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, while Persian New Year, Nowruz, begins on the 21st.

If you’re planning on corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day, go ahead and get out your slow cooker. It couldn’t be easier and the results are delicious. Or get in the spirit with a loaf of buttermilk soda bread or a pan of Lucky Charms marshmallow treats.

March is a month to embrace the fresh produce and bright flavors coming into season, while still cozying up with warming meals. Don’t let the month pass you by without trying a pot of spring tortellini soup, spaghetti squash with asparagus and ricotta, or lemony Brussels sprout pasta. Here are 31 of our favorite ideas to inspire your cooking (and baking!) all month long, because we want you to have a positively delicious March.

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There's no more delicious way to celebrate Mardi Gras.

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Light & Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Kick off the month on Shrove Tuesday with a stack of our favorite fluffy pancakes. And then go ahead and make another batch over the weekend.

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Spaghetti Squash with Asparagus, Ricotta, Lemon, and Thyme

This veggie-packed dinner is Senior Contributing Food Editor Kelli's favorite way to combine winter and spring on the same plate.

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Irish Buttermilk Soda Bread

Senior Food Editor, Megan, plans to embrace the Irish part of her heritage with this soda bread. And even if you're not Irish, this recipe is not one to miss.

5 / 31

Baked Risotto with Peas, Asparagus & Pancetta

Food Editor-at-Large, Christine, has a ton of Arborio rice in her pantry. So this springy risotto is on the docket once asparagus makes an appearance!

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Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

If you're as excited as Senior Food Editor, Megan, is about the start of asparagus season, go ahead and join her in keeping this roasted Parm asparagus in your regular side dish rotation (or top it with a fried egg for a quick lunch!).

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Purim is the merriest of Jewish holidays, and a time when gifts of food are given to friends and family. Chief among these are hamantaschen — buttery triangular cookies, filled with jam or poppy seeds.

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5-Ingredient Beer Bread

This month Contributor, Patty, is most excited about baking beer bread (toasted and slathered with Irish butter, of course!) to serve with the last stews of winter.

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Carrot-Ginger Soup

Sure, you can grab a bag of carrots all year long, but there's nothing quite like the in-season carrots you'll start finding this month. And if you make just one thing with carrots this month, go for a pot of this easy soup. It's bright, cozy, and the perfect dinner to warm you up from the inside out.

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Guinness Ice Cream Float

Rocky road ice cream and Guinness beer join forces in this boozy float.

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Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

This slow cooker corned beef and cabbage is cooked in a happy brine of pickling spices, beer, and a little salt and sugar, making it the best (and easiest!) corned beef and cabbage you can make.

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Spring Tortellini Soup with Peas and Asparagus

You know how March is kinda springy but still pretty chilly? Executive Food Director, Nina, says, "Amelia's pretty, hearty tortellini soup is the perfect dish for that weather!"

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Irish Creamed Kale

This is a nice change from creamed spinach! If your bunches of kale are on the small side, get two bunches and add a little extra cream.

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Blood Orange Bars

Studio Food Editor Jesse has been eyeing these blood orange bars and really wants to try them before blood orange season ends. "I love lemon bars, and I love the drama of a ruby red blood orange, so there's practically no way I won't love these!"

15 / 31

Carrot Tahini Salad with Spiced Chickpeas

To keep the prep to a minimum, grab a bag of pre-shredded carrots. And if you don't have raisins, chopped dates make a great substitute.

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Salmon Piccata Recipe

Serve this 30-minute skillet dinner over buttered orzo, rice, or roasted potatoes.

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Greek Egg and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono)

This soup always feels like early spring to Senior Contributing Food Editor Sheela. "It's super cozy, but lemon and dill give it the brightness I crave as winter winds down."

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Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Associate Food Editor Cory is excited for all things potatoes, and for him, nothing beats this twice-baked sweet potato looks particularly appetizing! "It's got all of the makings of a perfectly loaded baked potato, but with the slightly more nutritious sweet potato. Plus, any recipe that calls for both cheese and bacon on top is worth trying out in my book!"

19 / 31

Rozanne Gold's Perciatelli with French Breakfast Radishes, Bacon & Greens

This fun play on cacio e pepe is Senior Contributing Food Editor Kelli's favorite thing to make as soon as radishes hit the farmers market. If you don't have radish greens (or enough of them), mustard greens, turnip greens, kale, or chard all make a fine substitute.

20 / 31

Ditch the freezer section and make homemade fish sticks.

21 / 31

One-Pot Pasta Primavera

Production Editor, Tracey, is looking forward to welcoming back all the spring vegetables with this one-pot pasta dish.

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For Senior Contributing Food Editor Sheela, it's not St. Patty's Day without her uncle's Irish coffee. "We make it decaf for an after-dinner treat."

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Hawaiian Butter Mochi

Associate Food Editor Nicole has been experimenting with more gluten-free baking right now, and has her sights sets on making butter mochi this month.

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Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes

It's hard to say whether the juicy, tender chicken thighs or buttery, chicken schmaltz-soaked potatoes are the best part of the dish.

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Tiramisu Pancakes

This recipe transforms the Italian classic dessert into a stack of slightly boozy, slightly caffeinated pancakes, and Executive Editor, Adriana, was smitten the moment she saw them.

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Classic Birthday Cake

This month we're celebrating a double birthday for Lifestyle Director, Lisa, and Copy Chief, Lauren! And this tried-and-true classic is a go-to favorite for a lot of us here.

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Lemon Meringue Pie

There's no better to celebrate Pi Day (and brighten up a Monday!) than with this sunny treat.

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Easy Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

Or, if you prefer something savory, this pot pie is easy enough to pull off on a weeknight.

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Lemony Brussels Sprouts Pasta

If you're still wondering what to do with those Brussels sprouts lingering in the fridge, this flavor-packed pasta dinner is the answer. It comes together in less than 20 minutes and is made with only a handful of ingredients.

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Okonomiyaki Nachos Recipe

Executive Editor, Adriana, is a firm believer in nachos for dinner, and at the top of her list this month is this take on the Japanese pancake dish that layers tortilla chips, cheese, and classic okonomiyaki ingredients like cabbage, shrimp, and a zigzag of Bulldog sauce and Kewpie mayo.

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Lucky Charms Marshmallow Bites

Lucky Charms lovers, rejoice in this cereal-meets-snack bar mash-up that's perfect for St. Patrick's Day!

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