528 shares Share

Tweet

Pin

Thank you Modern Table for sponsoring this post. This delicious, complete protein pasta is made from just three plant-based ingredients — eat clean with Modern Table pasta today!

This creamy lemon garlic pasta is a hearty, fresh-tasting, spring-welcoming dish!

To make it even more suitable for that New Year’s Resolutions-meets-winter-blues part of the year, I’ve paired this creamy lemon garlic pasta with Modern Table Lentil Spirals. With only three plant-based ingredients, the plain pastas are vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free. That makes them suitable for everyone in my household to enjoy, which is always helpful when dinner planning.

Let’s talk about the creamy lemon garlic sauce for a moment. This is a somewhat classic vegan cream sauce, made by blending a touch of raw cashews, non-dairy milk (I recommend soy), and of course, lemon for acidity. This time around, I roasted a head of garlic and added that to the mix, for a comforting but not overpowering garlic flavor.

Roasting garlic is a breeze – just remove excess paper and then slice off the top of the head of garlic (the side opposite from the roots) so all of the cloves are just barely exposed. Rub the whole thing lightly with olive oil, then wrap it in aluminum foil and stick it on a baking sheet at 350 Fahrenheit for an hour, or until very soft. Let it cool and then squeeze out the garlic cloves and you’re ready to go! If you aren’t ready to use the roasted garlic yet, you can also store it in the fridge inside the foil for up to a week once cooled.

Lemon and garlic are a match made in heaven and this dish really comes to life if sprinkled with a few fresh herbs to finish. In these photos I used some fresh dill that I had on hand, which really gives the creamy lemon garlic pasta a spring-y feel. It’s also delicious served with parsley, or basil. I tried mint for science purposes, because I also had some in the fridge, and I can’t recommend it, haha.

This creamy lemon garlic pasta can easily be a complete meal if a nutritious pasta is used, and that’s where Modern Table comes in; all pastas are lentil-based and contain complete proteins – meaning they have the 9 essential amino acids our bodies need for strong energy, good digestion, and muscle health. And in my personal belief, these are far better tasting than other lentil-based pastas on the market, which have a tendency to turn to mush; the Modern Table spirals have a nice, slightly chewy texture and the leftovers held up well in the fridge when I sent them with Brent for lunch.

You can make this dish with meyer lemon, too, if you’re feeling adventurous and happen to find some at the store! Hoping you enjoy this dairy-free pasta dish and get some warmer weather soon!

5 from 2 votes Print Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta A decadent, creamy vegan pasta with roasted garlic and hints of lemon. The perfect dairy-free pasta dish to bring you from winter into spring! (Or anytime). Ready in about 30 minutes! Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Total Yield 4 servings Calories Per Serving 342 kcal Author Yup, it's Vegan Ingredients 8 oz Modern Table Lentil Spirals (uncooked) (or use other pasta of choice)

1 head roasted garlic (see post for tips)

1/4 cup raw cashews soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, and drained

2/3 cup plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk

1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)

1 tsp white or yellow miso (optional)

1/2 tsp lemon zest

4 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice plus more to taste

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot diced or thinly sliced Instructions Cook the pasta to al dente in well-salted water, according to package instructions. Drain, but do not rinse the pasta. In a blender, combine the roasted garlic, cashews, milk, nutritional yeast and miso if using, lemon zest, and lemon juice, until completely smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium-sized saucepan, warm the olive oil, and saute the shallot until softened. Add the cashew mixture, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until warm throughout. Fold in the cooked pasta, and cook together over low heat just until warm and the sauce coats the pasta. Add more lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste, and serve hot, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.

Nutrition Facts Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta Amount Per Serving (1 fourth recipe) Calories 342 Calories from Fat 54 % Daily Value* Fat 6g 9% Saturated Fat 1g 6% Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 3g Potassium 598mg 17% Carbohydrates 54g 18% Fiber 5g 21% Sugar 2g 2% Protein 17g 34% Vitamin C 12.4mg 15% Calcium 50mg 5% Iron 4.3mg 24% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Originally published in May 2014 and updated in February 2019.