Celebrate spring with this vegan Lemon Pasta recipe. Cooked pasta, spinach, and white beans are drenched in a creamy lemon sauce, giving you an easy and bright-tasting meal that’s surprisingly high in protein!
Looking for more creamy vegan pasta recipes? Check out my One Pot Vegan Pasta, Pumpkin Pasta Bake, Vegan Manicotti, and Vegan Spinach Artichoke Pasta.
This easy, dreamy, and creamy Lemon Pasta recipe is ready to eat in 15 minutes! It’s bursting with refreshing lemon flavors but is still comforting enough for chilly spring days.
Despite being a really simple spring or summer meal, vegan lemon pasta has a surprising amount of plant-based protein to keep you fuller longer. I blended silken tofu with lemon juice and lemon zest to make a zesty and creamy yet filling pasta sauce, then folded white beans and spinach into the finished dish. Once it’s ready, the pasta packs a whopping 20 grams of plant-based protein per serving!
Why this is the perfect pasta dinner for spring
- Lovely lemon flavors – Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest in the pasta sauce fill this dish with light lemon flavors, making it a refreshing meal for spring.
- Rich and creamy – Blending silken tofu in the pasta sauce makes it surprisingly indulgent without having to use cream or milk.
- High in protein – There’s some sneaky protein in this lemon pasta recipe thanks to silken tofu and white beans! For even more protein, swap the regular pasta for your favorite protein pasta or bean-based pasta.
How to make lemon pasta
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Boil the pasta according to the package instructions, then drain and set aside.
Blend the silken tofu, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and red chili flakes until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over low-medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Pour the lemon pasta sauce into the pan with the garlic. Add the cooked pasta to the pan, then toss to coat. Turn down the heat.
Stir the white beans*, baby spinach leaves, and parmesan cheese (optional) into the lemon pasta until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts.
*Blend the white beans directly into the lemon cream sauce if you’d like. You still get a creamy pasta dinner, but you won’t miss out on the extra protein.
Serve the lemon pasta in bowls with lemon zest and parmesan sprinkled on top, then enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Lemon pasta is filling enough to be served on its own for spring and summer dinners. To make it extra hearty, you can top it with vegan chicken, lemon tofu, vegan salmon, or cooked vegetables, like asparagus, peas, or broccoli.
A few simple sides will round out the meal really nicely. I recommend sticking with a light arugula or kale salad, crusty bread, focaccia, or garlic bread, and cooked veggies, like asparagus or summer squash. These Lavender Lemon Bars or Lemon Crinkle Cookies would be great for dessert, too!
Feel free to swap the silken tofu for ½ to ¾ cup unsweetened vegan cream (or coconut milk) instead. Pour it into the pan when you would normally add the sauce, then stir in the rest of the sauce ingredients (there’s no need to blend the sauce for this option).
Sure! You can blend the sauce as normal, transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days before serving.
Once cooled, transfer the leftover lemon pasta to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat the leftovers in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. Feel free to add a splash of milk to make the pasta creamy again.
15 Minute Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces linguine or other pasta
- 12 ounces silken tofu
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice + zest from 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 15 ounce can white beans drained and rinsed, optional
- 2 cups baby spinach optional
- 1/2 cup shredded vegan parmesan optional
Instructions
- Boil the pasta according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, drain any excess water from the tofu package and add it to a blender along with the lemon juice + zest, salt and red chili flakes. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large skillet (or the same pot you boiled the pasta in), warm the olive oil over low-medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Pour the creamy sauce from the blender into the pan with the garlic and stir.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta and stir to coat in the lemon sauce. Turn the heat to medium-low and warm.
- If desired, stir in the white beans and baby spinach until the spinach wilts. You can also stir in some vegan parmesan until it melts as well.
- Serve.
Notes
- Leftovers will keep for around 3 days in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend freezing this dish.
- To increase the protein even more, use chickpea, edamame or lentil pasta.
- If you don’t want to use silken tofu, simply add 1/2-3/4 cup of vegan cream (unsweetened) or coconut milk. No need to blend the sauce, just add to the pan after you sauté the garlic.
I’m not sure if you are just used to putting nutritional yeast in almost everything, which is why you mentioned it in the above description of how you made it. But it wasn’t in the ingredients list or the actual recipe. I just want to make sure you didn’t actually use it. I’m sure it would taste good either way.
Thanks
Oh! That’s my mistake Heather. I tested it with and without nutritional yeast and I liked it better without. So I don’t use it, but you could add a little bit if you want. I fixed the post now to leave that out. Sorry for the confusion!
Brilliant recipe and meal. I made a minor change – sauteed the greens (I used a spinach, kale, chard mix) with the garlic and olive oil. Loved it. The silken tofu sauce is a wonderful base. I look forward to making spinach, garlic or avocado sauces with this method in future. Absolutely delicious! Thank you!
You are welcome, Trist! I am thrilled that you loved the recipe! Thank you for your fabulous review and feedback! I love your sauce ideas! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
This recipe is absolutely delicious. I wasn’t sure about the lemon / pasta / butter bean combo…..but yummmmmm! I sprinkled toasted pinenuts on top.
Thanks again Nora, from your no. 1 Aussie fan!! 🤗🇦🇺
Hello Donna in Australia! How fun to hear from you! Pine nuts – yummy! Thanks for your fabulous feedback! I’m thrilled you loved the recipe!
This was so simple to make and so tasty, if you like lemon and red pepper flakes-this recipe is for you. My mouth started watering during the last steps of mixing it all together. Delicious. Thank you Nora for hitting it out of the park, AGAIN.
You are welcome, Michelle! Thank you for sharing your stellar feedback and review! I’m thrilled you loved the pasta!
This had fantastic flavor and was very simple and quick to make! Will definitely have this again.
Thank you! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it.
Nora can do no wrong.
You are so sweet! 🙂