Description
Vegan Lemon White Bean Pasta is a bright, creamy, and protein-rich plant-based meal. Featuring a silky white bean sauce, tender pasta, and fresh asparagus, it delivers bold flavors and satisfying texture in just 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or easy vegan dinners.
Ingredients
12 ounces pasta of choice
1 bunch asparagus, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can small white beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup plain non-dairy milk (almond, oat, or other unsweetened variety)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3–4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large white or yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup cashew parmesan or nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 5 minutes until golden. Stir in garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Transfer onion and garlic to a blender. Add drained white beans, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, cashew parmesan, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- In the same pan, heat a small amount of olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped asparagus and sauté 5–10 minutes until tender but slightly crisp.
- Add cooked pasta to the pan with asparagus. Pour the white bean sauce over the pasta and toss until evenly coated and heated through.
- Serve warm, garnished with extra cashew parmesan or red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
Gluten-Free: Use certified gluten-free pasta.
Extra Protein: Add sautéed tempeh, chickpeas, or grilled tofu.
Different Greens: Swap asparagus for broccoli, spinach, or peas.
Nut-Free: Replace cashew parmesan with sunflower seed parmesan or nutritional yeast.
Spicy Version: Increase red pepper flakes or add cayenne.
Lemon Boost: Add extra lemon zest for stronger citrus flavor.
Creamier Sauce: Blend in a tablespoon of tahini or soaked cashews.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended as the sauce may become grainy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
