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vegan creamy lemon pasta recipe
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Creamy Lemon Pasta

A creamy, buttery plant-based pasta sauce that is brightened up with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Prep Time3 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: French
Keyword: coconut milk, creamy, lemon, pasta, plant-based, sauce, vegan
Servings: 4 people

Equipment

  • High speed blender

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 6 garlic cloves peeled (3 minced, 3 whole)
  • 16 ounces rigatoni*
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup full fat coconut milk
  • 2 lemons* juiced, plus lemon zest
  • 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground, plus additional to garnish
  • Vegan parmesan* freshly grated

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
  • Warm the oil and vegan butter over medium-low heat in a large frying pan. Once the butter has melted, add the minced garlic to the pan and turn the heat to medium. Cook for two minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
  • Once the pot is boiling, cook the rigatoni (or other preferred pasta) according to package instructions. When the pasta is done cooking, use a measuring cup to gather ½ cup of pasta water. Then drain the pasta.
  • Add the dry white wine to the large pan and bring to a bubble. Let bubble for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to low.
  • Meanwhile, add the ½ cup of pasta water and the 3 peeled garlic cloves to a blender. Add everything on the ingredient list from the coconut milk to the black pepper to the blender. Blend on high until smooth—45 seconds to a minute.
  • Pour the blended sauce into the pan and stir to combine with the garlic. Bring the heat to medium-low and warm for about a minute or two. Add the drained pasta to the pan and stir to coat the pasta with the sauce.
  • Serve into bowls and garnish with additional black pepper, lemon zest, and freshly grated vegan parmesan.

Notes

  1. Use gluten-free pasta if needed. Swap rigatoni for your favorite pasta type if desired (penne or linguine, for instance). 
  2. Zest a tablespoon of the lemon before juicing it.
  3. Vegan parmesan is optional but really adds a nice touch that looks and tastes good. I buy a block of vegan parmesan and grate it to get that light and fluffy texture. I highly recommend this over pre-shredded vegan cheese.