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close up on lemon asparagus pasta topped with cooked asparagus and lemon slices in a white bowl.
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5 stars (4 ratings)

Lemon Asparagus Pasta

Sunny days call for this Lemon Asparagus Pasta. Made with spaghetti and fresh asparagus in a lemon cream sauce, it’s an easy, yet elegant meal that’s perfect for spring and summer.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 408kcal
Author: Nora Taylor

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces spaghetti or other noodle
  • 1 pound asparagus trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3 cups unsweetened, unflavored cashew or almond milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 lemons zest and juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • 1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions.
  • Drop the chopped asparagus into the water for the last minute of cooking.
  • Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
  • In a large skillet (or the same pot the pasta cooked in), warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
  • Sprinkle the flour on top of the oil and whisk until smooth.
  • Slowly pour in the cashew milk, a little at a time, and whisk constantly until smooth. Once you've added all the milk, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for 2-5 minutes, until it thickens somewhat.
  • Remove the pan from heat and stir in the salt, black pepper, lemon zest and juice, crushed red pepper and chopped parsley. Also stir in the vegan parmesan cheese, if using.
  • Now add the drained pasta and asparagus to the skillet and toss with the sauce until the noodles are well coated. If needed, stir in some of the reserved pasta water until a desired consistency is reached.
  • Serve with additional fresh parsley and more parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Gluten free - To make the pasta gluten free, use gluten free noodles and gluten free flour.
  2. Nut free - Substitute soy or coconut milk and omit the vegan parmesan cheese, which is usually made with nuts.
  3. For best results, use my homemade cashew milk. It's so creamy and free of any additive flavors in commercial milks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 5 servings | Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 803mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 746IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg