20 minutes and 4 ingredients are all you need to make this lemony dairy-free and oil-free creamy vegan pasta with asparagus. It's an easy yet luxurious meal perfect for both weeknights and special occasions.
If you thought creamy pasta dishes were a thing of the past if you no longer consume dairy, you're in for a treat. It's easy to make decadent sauces without a drop of milk, cream, or butter thanks to the magic of raw cashews and a high-speed blender.
And asparagus is a wonderful addition to this meal. Low in calories and high in nutrients, it works well in variety of dishes from avocado salad to vegan fajitas. Plus since it cooks very quickly, it's perfect in this fast one-pot pasta recipe.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- You can make it in 20 minutes with 4 ingredients (plus salt and pepper).
- It's a complete and satisfying meal.
- You can customize it to suit your tastes.
Ingredients
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Instructions
- Cook the asparagus a few minutes until the spears are tender and bright green.
- Using tongs, immediately remove the asparagus from the water and place in a bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, combine the cashews, water, and lemon juice, and blend until completely smooth. Drain the pasta, then return it to the pot along with the sliced cooked asparagus. Pour in the sauce.
- Toss well to coat. Taste and add salt and pepper, as desired, and enjoy!
Success tip
Use kitchen tongs to remove the asparagus from the pot of boiling water. Then use the same pot of boiling water to cook the pasta.
Variations
It's easy to change up this creamy vegan pasta recipe to suit your tastes. Try one (or more) of the following additions, or experiment with your own combinations:
- For a more lemony flavor, zest the lemon before juicing it. Add half the zest to the blender for the sauce. Use the other half to sprinkle over the finished dish.
- For a garlicky sauce, mince 2 to 3 cloves of garlic (or more). Saute the garlic in 2 teaspoons of olive oil for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Be sure to watch it carefully so it doesn't burn. Add the sauteed garlic to the blender for the sauce.
- For a fresh herby flavor, add chopped parsley, tarragon, oregano, or your favorite herbs to the finished dish.
- For a spicy version, add crushed red pepper flakes.
Serving suggestions
While this asparagus pasta is a delicious complete meals on its own, you can also try it with sides such as the following:
- Warm bread like the vegan gluten-free sourdough from Bread SRSLY
- Tomato Onion Salad
- Cannellini Bean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Cold Lentil Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- A simple salad with Green Olive Salad Dressing
Storing
Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Pasta does not freeze well. Reheat in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce looks dry.
FAQ
Keeping the rubber bands on to hold the bunch together, trim about an inch off the ends. Place the stems in a glass of water, making sure the ends are covered with water. Loosely cover the glass with a plastic bag and refrigerate it for up to a week. It the water turns cloudy, replace it with fresh water. Watch this 15 second video for a demonstration.
If you do not have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, you'll need to soak your cashews in warm water overnight, then rinse, drain, and proceed with the recipe.
Roasted unsalted cashews can be used, but they will leave a more nutty flavor.
If you are allergic to tree nuts, you can replace the raw cashews with raw sunflower seeds. Place the sunflower seeds in a small pot and cover them with water. Cover and bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the water from the seeds and proceed with the recipe.
More easy pasta recipes
Looking for more quick weeknight pasta recipes? Try some of these vegan favorites:
And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★
📋 Recipe
Lemony Creamy Vegan Pasta with Asparagus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 12 ounces rotini pasta, or your favorite shape (gluten-free, if desired)
- 1 cup raw cashews, (See Notes.)
- 1 cup water
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, (1 lemon)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus spears. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook just a few minutes until the spears are tender and bright green. Using tongs, immediately remove the asparagus from the water and place in a bowl of ice water. When they are cool, pat the asparagus dry with a kitchen towel and cut into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
- Add the pasta to the same water used to cook the asparagus and cook according to the package directions. Drain and return to the pot.
- Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, combine the cashews, water, and lemon juice, and blend until completely smooth.
- Add the asparagus to the cooked pasta in the pot. Pour the cashew sauce over the pasta and asparagus and toss well to coat. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- For a more lemony flavor, zest the lemon before juicing it. Add half the zest to the blender for the sauce. Use the other half to sprinkle over the finished dish.
- For a garlicky sauce, mince 2 to 3 cloves of garlic (or more). Saute the garlic in 2 teaspoons of olive oil for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Be sure to watch it carefully so it doesn't burn. Add the sauteed garlic to the blender for the sauce.
- For a fresh herby flavor, add chopped parsley, tarragon, oregano, or your favorite herbs to the finished dish.
- For a spicy version, add crushed red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Erika
I made this tonight with Lemon Thyme Linguine and it was delicious. Added a pinch of thyme to the sauce.
Amy Katz
Sounds fantastic, Erika!
JANE
Great dish and so easy
Amy Katz
Thank you, Jane!
Susan Dahl
Just looking at the website, I find it extremely well organized for convenience of use. Thank you for the “jump to recipe” link at the top, the quick check options for ingredients and instructions and the notes offering additional information. Very helpful! Thank you, I’ll be making this tonight!
Amy Katz
Thank you for your feedback, Susan! I'm so glad you find it helpful.