This vegan lemon pasta is the ultimate weeknight dinner - super quick and easy, made with the most basic ingredients, creamy, delicious and comforting, yet still 100% plant based.
Lemon pasta, or pasta al limone in Italian, is a super easy recipe for a pasta that’s creamy and comforting, yet still super light and refreshing. The list of ingredients is short, but they complement each other perfectly, delivering a fresh lemony flavour with a hint of garlic.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Vegan Lemon Pasta
Pasta - long pasta types, such as spaghetti, linguine or bavette, work best in this recipe.
Olive oil - the higher the quality of your oil, the better the recipe will turn out. Great olive oil doesn’t just work as a fat, but gives pasta a distinct flavour and takes it to the next level.
Garlic - perfect for adding flavour and aroma to any recipe, but it pairs especially well with lemon.
Lemon - for a strong, citrus flavour, use both lemon juice and zest. Make sure to choose unwaxed, organic lemons when you’re using the peel as well.
Vegan cheese - optional, but it makes the pasta extra creamy.
Plant-based milk - use any kind you prefer. For a creamier sauce, opt for those with higher fat content.
Salt - to season the pasta water and for the sauce.
Basil - gives the pasta an extra layer of flavour and a nice pop of green colour.
How to Make Vegan Lemon Pasta
Step One - Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and cook the pasta in the boiling water according to package instructions.
Step Two - Make the Sauce
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Make sure the garlic doesn’t turn brown. Add the vegan cheese and stir until it melts, then pour in the milk. Let it simmer while stirring constantly until it thickens into a sauce. Remove the sauce from heat, add lemon juice and zest, and season with salt.
Step Three - Serve
Stir in the cooked and drained pasta, and add the fresh basil leaves.
Tips to Make Sure This Pasta Turns Out Great
Chop the garlic finely or mash it - it’s essential that there are no pieces of garlic left in the final fish. I recommend using a garlic masher for the best texture, but you can also very finely slice or chop the garlic.
Do not burn the garlic - garlic burns very easily, so once you add it to the pan, make sure to keep an eye on it. Turn the heat to low, stir it frequently and don’t let it turn brown.
Reserve the pasta cooking water - to make the pasta creamier, add some of the leftover cooking water to the pasta when you toss it in the pan.
Vegan Lemon Pasta FAQs
How many servings does this recipe make?
The recipe makes one large serving or two smaller servings.
Is this pasta recipe gluten free?
Not as written, but you can sub pasta with gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free dish.
How long does it last?
If you have some leftover pasta, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Can I reheat this vegan lemon pasta?
Pasta tastes best when fresh, but you can reheat it as well. It’s best to reheat lemon pasta over the stove, not in the microwave. Toss it in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until heated through. If the texture appears dry, add one to two teaspoons of olive oil until the pasta no longer looks dry.
More Delicious Vegan Pasta Recipes
Vegan Lemon Pasta
ingredients
- 3 oz long pasta - (such as spaghetti or fettuccine)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or very finely chopped
- ⅓ cup grated vegan cheese
- ½ cup plant-based milk
- Juice and zest of ½ lemon
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ cup basil leaves - roughly chopped
- To garnish: fresh basil, grated vegan cheese, dash of freshly ground black pepper
instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and cook the pasta in the boiling water according to package instructions.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Make sure the garlic doesn’t turn brown.
- Add the vegan cheese and stir until it melts, then pour in the milk. Let it simmer while stirring constantly until it thickens into a sauce.
- Remove the sauce from heat, add lemon juice and zest, and season with salt.
- Stir in the cooked and drained pasta, and add the fresh basil leaves.
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