Who else here loves a creamy, buttery, lemony pasta?! I’m all about putting lemons into desserts and lately, I’ve been craving that lemony taste for dinner too. This perfect pasta pairs fresh lemon juice with vegan butter for the perfectly smooth and buttery lemon flavor. Get ready for your new favorite weeknight dinner recipe- Vegan Lemon Butter Pasta with Peas & Charred Leeks!
How to Make Vegan Lemon Cream Sauce
What I love so much about this recipe is that lemons are at the forefront of the flavors in this dish. This recipe only calls for 2 Tbsp of lemon juice and a little zest, but if you’ve ever made a lemon cream sauce, you’ll know that’s more than enough to get a good tangy flavor.
Truth is, sometimes I get bored of the usual tomato sauce or pesto sauce. This lemon butter sauce is truly a light, buttery, easy way to make a sauce that will spice up your weeknight dinner plans. While I paired my pasta with peas and charred leeks, I definitely think this sauce would work with broccoli, asparagus, or really any green veggie! I know for a fact this lemon butter sauce is great all on its own or topped with some vegan parmesan for the ultimate comfort food.
Tools To Make The Perfect Vegan Lemon Pasta Recipe:
Like usual, I want to show you a few of the tools I used to make this recipe. I hope you find these helpful!
- A good shallow saucepan or frypan or cook your sauce. I actually prefer to make my vegan lemon sauce in a more shallow frying pan over a standard tall saucepan so it cooks more evenly and doesn’t burn on the bottom.
- You can use a standard pan and cover it in parchment paper, or you can use these magical NordicWare Aluminum Pans that clean SO easily and are amazing. Just don’t put them in the dishwasher as it sadly ruins their greatness.
- If you’ve tried my Vegan Truffle Pasta, then you know the secret to my creamy sauces is nutritional yeast. Seriously, it’s a vegan cooking staple that gives that “cheesy” flavor in vegan dishes.
- Last but not least, please oh please use fresh lemon juice! No store-bought plastic bottles for this vegan lemon sauce recipe. I never buy lemon juice in a container anymore as it contains sulfites and other additives that just aren’t necessary. Plus, it really just doesn’t taste the same!
A Love Affair with Lemons
My love affair with lemons truly started with these Vegan Lemon Scones topped with candied lemons. I still remember getting my first box of Imperfect Produce and having 6 lemons and not knowing what to do with them. Before I made these scones, I was only using lemons for the zest or the occasional time a recipe called for a squeeze of lemon.
Well, let’s just say I no longer have the problem of what to make when I’m faced with a bag of lemons. Between candying them, drying them to top my Vegan Lemon Cupcakes, or squeezing them into a Pomegranate Lemon Rosé Spritzer; the possibilities are truly endless.
My love runs for lemons runs so deep that it’s even in my logo!
Frequently Asked Questions about Vegan Lemon Butter Pasta:
Can I make this pasta gluten-free?
Yes! In fact, the recipe actually calls for gluten-free pasta. The sauce recipe, peas, and charred leeks are all gluten-free as well. Usually, I go for brown rice pasta, but for this recipe, I wanted a thinner noodle and less sticky consistency to the noodles, so I used Barilla Gluten-Free Spaghetti.
All you need is 45 minutes to create this dreamy Vegan Lemon Butter Pasta with Peas & Charred Leeks tonight! I promise this lemony dish will not disappoint and is sure to add a new flavor to your pasta sauce rotation.
-TSG
If you’re looking for more easy weeknight dinners, check out these recipes:
Spring Vegetable Quinoa Bowls with Vegan Pesto
Chili Roasted Butternut Squash, Leek, & Asiago Pasta
Vegan Roasted Carrot & Cauliflower Soup
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If you are craving a healthier version of your favorite lemon butter pasta dish, look no further! This dairy-free, vegan, and easily gluten-free Lemon Butter Pasta adds peas and charred leeks to the mix for a vegetable filled pasta dish.
Ingredients
Pasta Ingredients & Lemon Butter Sauce
- 12 oz gluten-free linguine (cook according to package instructions)
- 1 cup soy or almond milk (unsweetened/unflavored)
- 1/4 cup vegan butter (any brand works, but I used Earth Balance)
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup frozen/fresh peas
- salt & pepper to taste
Crispy Charred Leeks
- 2 large leeks (chopped into 1 inch circular slices, about 3-3.5 cups chopped)
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin by cooking your pasta according to the package instructions (this should take about 10-15 minutes). Once cooked, strain, & set aside for later.
- Preheat your oven to 400F and chop your leeks. Add parchment paper to a large baking tray and add your chopped leeks. Top the leeks with the avocado oil, garlic powder, chili flakes, and salt and pepper. Then, use your hands to evenly coat the leeks with the seasoning. Add to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, making sure to stop and stir the leeks at the 8-minute mark. Once cooked, set aside.
- While the leeks are cooking, add your almond/soy milk, vegan butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder to a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Next, add in your pasta and frozen/fresh peas and stir. Cook about 5 more minutes until the peas are cooked and the pasta is warmed and evenly coated in sauce.
- As a final step, add the crispy leeks and stir. Serve and top with fresh lemon. Enjoy!
Keywords: vegan pasta, vegan lemon butter sauce, creamy lemon pasta, vegan butter sauce, how to make vegan pasta
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