This 30-minute Vegan Lemon Pasta is easy enough for weeknights and elegant enough for special occasions. With sautéed garlic and fresh lemon juice and zest, you'll love this versatile pasta dish. Serve with a side salad and your favorite steamed or roasted veggie for a healthy and comforting meal. Easily made gluten-free and oil-free.See Notes for tips on making this dish without a high speed blender.
Heat a pot of salted water for cooking the pasta. Cook according to package directions, then drain in a colander.
Heat a small saute pan over medium-low heat. Add oil or water/broth, and saute the garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat if necessary so that it doesn't brown. Transfer the garlic to a blender.
Zest one of the lemons, and add the zest to the blender along with the water, cashews, arrowroot, and salt. Blend until completely smooth.
Cut and squeeze the lemon(s) to get ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice. Set aside.
Pour the blended sauce into the pasta pot. Whisking, cook over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in the lemon juice. Add the pasta, and stir to combine.
Taste for seasoning. Serve with fresh parsley or basil, vegan Parm, and black pepper, if desired.
Notes
*This recipe was originally published in 2019 and has been updated with new photos and a slight modification to the recipe. Previously it called for 1 ¼ cups of raw cashews. Feel free to use more cashews for a richer sauce (or if you were a fan of the old recipe). :) It's delicious either way.Sub for CashewsI often use raw sunflower seeds to replace cashews in other cheesy and creamy recipes. And though I haven't tested them yet in this particular sauce, a reader (thanks, Nina!) reported that she successfully used a combination of raw sunflower seeds and garbanzo beans to make a lighter, nut-free sauce.Blender NoteIf you don’t have a high speed blender, a scant ½ cup raw cashew butter can be substituted for the whole nuts. Or soak the raw cashews in hot water for about 1 hour first, and use a standard blender.StorageStore leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.I haven't tried freezing this sauce yet, so if you do please let us know how it turns out!