Vegan Lemon Pasta - Ready in 30!
Servings:8 servings
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.
Ingredients
- 6 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil, optional - For oil-free sub water or vegetable broth.
- 2 medium lemons
- 3¼ cups water
- ¾ cup raw cashews - See Notes.
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot starch - or cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- black pepper
- 16 ounces dry pasta - any variety you like
Optional garnish:
- Homemade Vegan Parmesan
- fresh basil or parsley, chopped
Instructions
- 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 so it doesn't burn. Transfer the garlic to a blender.
- Zest one of the lemons (avoid the bitter white pith), and add the zest to the blender along with the water, cashews, starch, 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 Parmesan, and freshly cracked black pepper, if desired.
Notes
*The 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 Cashews
I 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. White beans would also work.
Blender Note
If you don’t have a high speed blender, a scant ½ cup raw cashew butter may be substituted for the whole nuts. Alternatively, soak the raw cashews in hot water for 1 hour to help with blending.
Store 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 the sauce yet, but suspect it is freezer-friendly. After thawing just give it a good whisk and reheat on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 585mg | Fiber: 3g | Vitamin C: 5.8mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2.2mg
