This lemon pasta is made with spaghetti and fresh basil tossed in a silky lemon cream sauce. It's delicious, comforting and easy to make. You'd never guess it was dairy-free!
I'm a sucker for an easy pasta dinner recipe, especially one that's delicious and comforting.
This lemon pasta is one of my new favorites in that department! It's basically a dairy-free version of the classic dish, pasta al limone. It's full of flavor, and perfect for anyone who LOVES lemon, which I certainly do.
The creamy lemon sauce is made with a hefty dose of freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest. It also comes together in minutes!
I know I'll be making this delicious pasta again and again, and the recipe will definitely come in handy on those busy weeknights where I need dinner to be ready fast.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Dried pasta. The recipe calls for spaghetti, but you're welcome to use your favorite pasta shape. Penne, fettuccine, and capellini would all be excellent choices!
- Olive oil.
- Flour. We're using all-purpose wheat flour. I haven't tested the recipe with anything else.
- Garlic.
- Coconut milk. Use full-fat coconut milk from a can (not a carton).
- Lemon juice. It's super important to use fresh lemon juice in this recipe. The bottled stuff won't give your sauce much flavor.
- Salt & pepper.
- Red pepper flakes. Leave these out if you're not into heat.
- Lemon zest.
- Fresh basil.
Tip: For a delicious variation on this pasta dish, try adding your favorite veggies. Lightly steamed or sautéed broccoli, asparagus, or peas would be excellent choices!
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- Start by boiling your pasta. You can make the sauce while it boils — just drain the pasta into a colander and let it sit for a few minutes if it's done before the sauce.
- To make the sauce, start by heating some oil in a skillet. Stir in minced garlic and flour and cook everything for about 1 minute, until the mixture is bubbly and the garlic is very fragrant.
- Stir in the coconut milk, lemon juice, and salt, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for just about 5 minutes, until thickens up a bit.
- Take the skillet off of the burner and immediately add the hot cooked pasta, basil, red pepper flakes and lemon zest. Toss everything well using a fork or pair of tongs.
- Taste-test your pasta and adjust any seasonings to your liking. This could mean adding more salt, red pepper flakes, or lemon juice. You can also season your lemon pasta with some black pepper.
- I like to serve my pasta al limone with an extra pinch of lemon zest and a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese.
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover lemon pasta will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. The sauce may thicken during storage. Just add a splash of water during reheating if this happens.
More Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 ounces dried spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk (from a can)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste (I use a full teaspoon, but that may be a lot for some folks.)
- 1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook it according to the package directions, then drain it into a colander.
- Start the sauce while the pasta cooks. Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with the oil and add the garlic and flour.
- Cook the mixture for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic becomes very fragrant.
- Stir in the coconut milk, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 5 minutes, until thickened slightly.
- Remove the skillet from heat and add the pasta, basil, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Toss the pasta to coat it with sauce.
- Taste-test the pasta and season it with additional salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust any other seasonings to suit your taste.
- Serve.
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We absolutely LOVED this lemon pasta !!!!!
I used gluten free pasta and it all turned out perfectly.