Vegan Lemon Pasta

This yummy vegan lemon pasta features tender noodles smothered in a cashew lemon sauce and topped with fresh basil and almond flour parmesan. It’s a perfect weeknight plant-based meal for you and your people!

A bowl of pasta has lemon slices on top and fresh basil. There is another bowl in the background and a fresh lemon.

This plant-based lemon pasta has quickly turned into a go-to favorite at our house. You can serve it with any noodles you like, but you can’t go wrong with angel hair pasta!

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

  • Cashews — We’ll use a cup of raw cashews to make this sauce nice and creamy. If you prefer the sauce without cashews, check out my plant-based bechamel sauce recipe.
  • Garlic — You’ll need 5 cloves for the ultimate garlic flavor.
  • Lemons — Two fresh lemons are a must to get the most lemon flavor possible!
  • Olive oil — There’s no doubt that olive oil is the way to go. If you prefer oil-free pasta, a bit of white wine is a good substitution. For vegan lemon butter pasta, substitute vegan butter.
  • Nooch — We’ll be using nutritional yeast flakes to add cheesy flavor.
  • Miso paste — I prefer the umami flavor that mild miso paste adds, but you can substitute soy sauce.
  • Pasta — Whatever pasta. you use, whether thick spaghetti, angel hair, fettuccine, or linguine, cook it according to the package instructions.
  • Salt & Pepper to Taste — Add freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.

How to Make Vegan Lemon Pasta

  1. To make the vegan lemon cream sauce, cook cashews in water until tender.
  2. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
  3. While the pasta cooks, drain the cashews and transfer them to a food processor. Immediately add chopped garlic to allow the heat from the hot cashews to tenderize them. Add the nutritional yeast flakes and miso (or whatever substitution you use).
  4. Zest one lemon and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon zest to the blender. Cut the lemon in half and juice both halves. Add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice to the food processor.
  5. After the pasta has cooked, add 1 cup of pasta water to the cashews in the blender. Pulse in short bursts to break up the cashews into small pieces. Use a spatula to wipe down the sides of the blender. Then pulse again until creamy. 
  6. Cook the pasta in a pot with salted water. Use the package as a guide, cooking the pasta until it’s al dente (tender, but with a bit of a bite).
  7. When the pasta is nearly finished, remove two cups of the cooking water and transfer it to a heat-resistant bowl, such as a Pyrex measuring bowl.
  8. Cut the other lemon into slices.
  9. Drain the pasta, then transfer it immediately back into the pan or a skillet. Add the olive oil, 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water, and lemon slices. Toss to coat.
  10. Pour the creamy lemon sauce into the pan with the pasta and toss to combine.
  11. Place the pasta on a plate and garnish with additional vegan parmesan, freshly ground black pepper, and some chopped parsley or basil.
Looking down on vegan lemon pasta in a bowl with fresh lemon slices and basil. There are basil and lemons near the bowl.

Vegan Lemon Parmesan Pasta

Parmesan is the key to making any pasta tastes better. If you don’t have vegan parmesan handy, no problem! This recipe comes with a super fast, powdery plant-based parmesan you can make in minutes!

Here’s how to make it:

  • Combine almond flour, nutritional yeast flakes, and salt in a bowl.
  • Stir together and drizzle over your finished pasta.

See the recipe card below for exact quantities.

This quick parmesan transforms this dish from good to great!

Reader Reviews

★★★★★
OMG! Followed the recipe and it was excellent as is!!!!

MaryLou

Frequently-Asked Questions

Can you make creamy lemon pasta vegan?

It may seem impossible to make creamy pasta sauce without dairy. But thanks to cashews, you can enjoy plant-based creamy lemon pasta to your heart’s content!

Can you make lemon pasta without cream?

If you’re not a fan of cashews or cream, you can leave the cream out and make a savory lemon garlic pasta dish. Serve your pasta with garlic toast to soak up any extra sauce on the side.

A fork holds a bite of pasta hovering over a bowl of pasta with lemons and basil on top. There is another bowl of pasta and a fresh lemon visible in the background.

Storage Tips

Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. it can be frozen for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container.

Vegan Pasta

If you love this vegan lemon pasta recipe, here are more vegan pasta favorites to try:

In conclusion, make this vegan lemon pasta recipe truly irresistible by using fresh-squeezed lemon juice and adding a pinch of sea salt. The addition of the salt brings out the flavor of the lemon, and the combination of the two makes a fantastic flavor combo.

You can also use herbs to give the pasta dish an extra zing of flavor. Chopped parsley, chives, oregano, and basil make great additions that pair beautifully with the lemon flavor. Finish the dish with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Enjoy!

A closeup of lemon slices on a bowl of pasta with fresh basil on top.

Creamy Vegan Lemon Pasta

You'll love the simplicity of this recipe to make a pasta dish you'll love any day of the week. Vegan cacio e pepe uses vegan parmesan melted into a creamy sauce and served over cooked pasta.
5 from 3 votes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Resting Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 561kcal

Ingredients

Cashew Lemon Sauce

  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • 5 cloves garlic peeled and chopped. (use fresh or roasted garlic)
  • 2 fresh lemons
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 teaspoons mild miso paste (see notes for substitutions)

Pasta

  • 1 lb spaghetti (thick spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • salt to taste
  • Optional Toppings: see below or improvised vegan parmesan sprinkles, chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh parsley.

Instructions

For the Cashew Lemon Sauce:

  • MICROWAVE: Place cashews in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with water and cook in the microwave for 2 minutes. Allow it to sit in the microwave for several minutes until it's cool enough to handle. STOVETOP: Place cashews in a small saucepan and add water to an inch above the cashews. Cook over medium heat until it begins to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes until the cashews soften. SLOW SOAK: You can also soak cashews in the fridge. Put them in a lidded glass bowl and cover with water. Then add the lid and refrigerate for at least two ups (overnight is even better).
  • Cook pasta according to package instructions.
  • While the pasta cooks, drain cashews and transfer to a food processor. Immediately add chopped garlic to allow the heat from the hot cashews to tenderize them. Add the nutritional yeast flakes and miso (or whatever substitution you're using).
    Cashews are in the bottom of a blender jar, waiting to be processed.
  • Zest one lemon and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon zest to the blender. Cut the lemon in half and juice both halves. Add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice to the food processor.
  • After the pasta has cooked, add 1 cup of pasta water to the cashews in the blender. Pulse in short bursts to break up the cashews into small pieces. Use a spatula to wipe down the sides of the blender. Then pulse again until creamy.

For the Pasta:

  • Cook the pasta in a pot with salted water. Use the package as a guide, cooking the pasta until it's al dente (tender, but with a bit of a bite).
  • When the pasta is close to being done, remove two cups of the cooking water and transfer it to a heat-resistent bowl, such as a pyrex measuring bowl.
  • Cut the other lemon into slices.
  • Drain the pasta, then transfer it immediately back into the pan or a skillet. Add the olive oil, 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water, and lemon slices. Toss to coat.
    Looking down on lemon slices and basil on top of pasta in a pan.
  • Pour the creamy lemon sauce into the pan with the pasta and toss to combine.
  • Place the pasta on a plate and garnish with additional vegan parmesan, freshly ground black pepper, and some chopped parsley or basil.

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Notes

Almond Flour parm

Combine 1/4 cup almond flour, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste) to create an instant vegan parm that goes perfectly on top of this pasta.
Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

4 Responses to Vegan Lemon Pasta

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyValerie F Wood Reply

    5 stars
    I don’t use a microwave I don’t like them, but I’ll cook it over the stove the cashews

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Very good point, Valerie! I adapted the recipe instructions to include stovetop and slow soaking the cashews. Thanks for your feedback!

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMaryLou Reply

    5 stars
    OMG! Followed the recipe and it was excellent as is!!!!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi MaryLou! I’m so glad you liked this recipe. It’s one of my favorites, too!

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