VEGAN CREAMY GARLIC LEMON-PEPPER PASTA
If you’re on the prowl for a meal that’s nourishing, easy to make, and quick enough to toss together at the end of a busy day (i.e., 30 minutes or less), then this Vegan Creamy Garlic Lemon-Pepper Pasta is about to make your wildest plant-based dreams come true.
This dish has quickly climbed the recipe ranks to become one of my all-time favorite savory meals, effortlessly nudging itself past tried and true favorites, and I have a feeling it will do the same for you.
CREAMY VEGAN GARLIC LEMON-PEPPER PASTA
This ultra-creamy pasta comes together with just 8 ingredients (plus s + p) and 30 minutes of time. It's easy enough for a quick weeknight meal at the end of a busy day and special enough for a fancy weekend occasion. One pasta, best of both worlds. The sauce is made by blending together boiled cauliflower, raw cashews, plant-based milk, fresh lemon juice, nutritional yeast, lots of black pepper, and sea salt. The creamy mixture gets stirred in to six cloves of sautéed garlic and simmered until hot and bubbly. Final step? Add heaps of hot pasta to the pan and get stirring.
Course Entrée, Pasta
Cuisine Gluten-Free, plant-based, Vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 3 to 4
Ingredients
Pasta
12 ounces gluten-free linguine or rigatoni*
Garlicky Lemon-Pepper Sauce
2 1/2 cups small (1-inch) cauliflower florets (fresh, not frozen)
1 cup unsweetened plain plant-based milk (I use almond milk), plus more if needed to thin**
1/4 cup raw cashews***
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste if desired
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
3/4 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced (more or less, to taste)
Instructions
For the Pasta
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. (As they say, your pasta water should be as salty as the sea.)
Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
Strain off the cooking water.
For the Garlicky Lemon-Pepper Sauce
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets to the pot and boil for 7 minutes or until very fork-tender. Strain off the water.
Add the boiled cauliflower florets, almond milk, cashews, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and black pepper to a high-speed blender (do not use a food processor).
Blend on high for 2 minutes or until completely smooth and creamy. Set within reach of the stove.
Heat the olive oil and garlic in a large sauté pan over low heat. Cook for 2 minutes, or until soft and fragrant.
Stir in the cauliflower sauce, increase heat to medium, and simmer for 3 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Turn off the heat, add the pasta to the pan, and toss to coat. If a slightly thinner sauce is desired, add more plant-based milk, one small splash at a time, to thin. (Note: If you add more milk, you'll need to increase the seasoning to accommodate.)
Taste and generously season with more sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
*For a rich and super creamy pasta (as pictured), use 12 ounces of pasta. For a slightly less saucy pasta, use up to 16 ounces (1 pound).
**Ensure that your almond milk is plain, unsweetened, and free from "natural flavors". Some brands of almond milk (e.g., Califia) add "natural flavors" to their plain/unsweetened almond milk that, to me, impart an undesirable sweetness in savory dishes that's difficult to overcome even with added salt and seasonings.
***If you're not using a high-speed blender (e.g., Vitamix or Blendtec), soak the cashews for at least 2 hours or boil for 10 minutes to soften.