Easy Creamy Lemon Vegan Pasta with Asparagus & Peas (Dairy free)
This deliciously fragrant and flavorful creamy vegan pasta recipe is so easy to make and full of fresh herbs, asparagus, and peas for a filling yet light and healthy pasta dish! Ready in 25 minutes or less and easily made nut-free and gluten free too, this healthy spring pea and asparagus pasta dish is sure to be a new weeknight favorite, dairy-free or not!
The best weeknight pasta dish- vegan or not!
A busy weeknight does NOT have to mean a boring quick dinner (I mean, our minds need good fuel too!). Enter in this EASY & delicious flavor-packed CREAMY vegan lemon pasta. Full of asparagus, peas, and deliciously fragrant herbs.
It’s going to be a family favorite weeknight dinner recipe for sure (and we can’t stop making it already!!).
If you’ve tried my vegan Mac and cheese, vegan cacio e Pepe, pasta con broccoli, or my dreamy and cozy vegan pumpkin pasta, then you’re familiar with how CREAMY vegan pasta dishes can be (and all without nuts). So you’re just going to love this tangy and “cheesy” lemon asparagus pasta dish.
It’s so easy and quick to make (seriously, you can make it under 25 minutes!!), packed with veggie protein, and delicious yet light- the perfect healthier vegan pasta dish for the spring and summer months (I actually love making this on Easter too!).
Spring Pea & Asparagus Pasta Ingredients:
- Spaghetti: I also love this lemon-y vegan pasta recipe with angel hair pasta. If you need gluten-free, feel free to swap that in! I love using Jovial Foods’ gluten free brown rice spaghetti. You can even make your own pasta if you’d like (or swap in homemade gnocchi too!).
- Garlic
- Vegan butter or cooking oil
- Vegan cheese: I LOVE Forager Project’s vegan parmesan. It’s so delicious, and truly tastes like parmesan cheese! You can also use your favorite vegan cheese here and swap in mozzarella, etc. You could also swap in my homemade vegan bean-based mozzarella cheese too!
- Dairy free yogurt: Again, I love Forager Project! It is cashew-based, however, so my nut-free readers can swap in a soy milk or coconut milk-based yogurt.
- Lemon juice & lemon zest
- Herbs: I used dill and parsley, but adding in basil would also be delicious! Feel free to get creative with what you have available 🙂 All three would taste really good.
- Asparagus & peas: You can purchase both frozen or both fresh- either works here! I typically purchase the asparagus fresh in season and will still buy frozen green peas. I especially love Cascadia Farms. Feel free to swap in broccolini, kale, spinach, or even some sun-dried tomatoes too for more variation!
Overview: How to make an easy dairy free creamy lemon pasta sauce:
Can I make this vegan pasta recipe nut free?
Absolutely! If you’d like to make this lemon and asparagus pea pasta nut free as well, simply omit the pine nuts, and make sure you’re using nut-free dairy-free products (like a coconut or soy milk-based vegan yogurt and vegan cheese).
What to serve with creamy vegan lemon pasta:
I love that this asparagus and pea pasta includes veggies, like green peas, which actually contain 8.6 grams of protein per 1 cup. And using a high quality pasta can actually contain a decent amount of protein as well!
However, if you’re looking to add even more protein to this pasta dish, I recommend stirring in some cannellini beans or even this delicious everyday crispy tofu recipe. You can also pair this vegan pasta recipe with a side of vegan meatballs too, or this light and easy Tuscan white bean soup!
In terms of sides, however, I love making this pull apart vegan garlic bread or roasting some deliciously flavorful roasted red cabbage steaks as an additional veggie.
If you love this creamy vegan lemon pasta with asparagus and peas, then you’ll also love:
Velvety Vegan Mushroom Risotto
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PrintEasy Creamy Lemon Vegan Pasta with Asparagus & Peas (Dairy free)
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: dinner
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This deliciously fragrant and flavorful creamy vegan pasta recipe is so easy to make and full of fresh herbs, asparagus, and peas for a filling yet light and healthy pasta dish! Ready in 25 minutes or less and easily made nut-free and gluten free too, this healthy spring pea and asparagus pasta dish is sure to be a new weeknight favorite, dairy-free or not!
Ingredients
- 1 box angel hair or spaghetti pasta (gluten free as needed)*
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 bunch asparagus, chopped
- 1 10-ounce bag frozen peas
- 1 tbsp vegan butter or cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dairy-free yogurt
- 1 cup vegan parmesan
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 4 medium lemons) + 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup chopped dill and parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 cup toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- Prep: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to instructions. Once cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water for the sauce, and strain the pasta. Toss the pasta in a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking while making the sauce. While the pasta is boiling, steam the asparagus and the frozen peas.
- Sauté the garlic: In a large pan, heat the vegan butter until hot, then add in the garlic to cook on medium-low heat until lightly browned.
- Make the sauce: Add in the yogurt, parmesan, lemon juice, dill, and parsley. Stir to combine and cook on medium-low until the cheese is melted. Then add in the pasta water to thin the sauce. Add in sea salt and pepper to taste.
- Finish the pasta: Turn the sauce heat off, then stir in the asparagus and peas to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Next, add in the pasta and toss to combine.
- Serve: Top with lemon zest, cracked black pepper, and toasted pine nuts if desired, along with fresh vegan parmesan. Serve, and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Gluten free: Use your favorite gluten free spaghetti here.
Pasta recommendations: You can also use a different pasta shape if you’d like, or swap in homemade pasta or gnocchi!
Nut free: Omit the pine nuts, and use nut-free vegan cheeses and dairy-free yogurts.
This has everything you need in a spring pasta! Love the combo of asparagus and peas!
Aw thank you Jess!! It’s one of my favorite flavor combos 🙂
Mmmm this is such a pretty dish! Asparagus is one of my favorite spring veggies!
Thank you!! Same here 🙂 It’s a wonderful veggie!!