As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BarillaGlutenFree #CollectiveBias
Lemon Cream Pasta Sauce is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, oil-free, and delicious! It’s quick and easy to make in your blender.
I love making creamy sauces oil-free and dairy-free by using raw cashews.
Some of my favorites are Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta and Cashew Ranch Dressing.
And I love this Lemon Cream Pasta Sauce!
It’s so fast to make it for a weeknight dinner with only a few ingredients.
I serve it over my favorite gluten-free pasta from Barilla which I get at my local Ralphs.
Gluten-Free pasta has come a long way since it was first introduced on the market.
My favorites are those from Barilla.
You’ll find it at your local store in the pasta aisle with the other Barilla products.
I used spaghetti in this recipe, but I also love their penne.
I use it to make Avocado Basil Pesto Pasta and Marinated Artichoke Hearts Pasta Salad.
What I love about Barilla gluten-free pasta is that it tastes just like regular pasta.
It’s made from non-GMO corn and rice.
And the flavor and texture is exactly how I remember pasta tasting before I eliminated gluten from my diet.
Be sure to check out the digital coupons for Barilla at Ralphs and give it a try!
Raw cashews are the secret to making Lemon Cream Pasta Sauce dairy-free and oil-free.
All you need to do is blend them in a high-speed blender with water, lemon juice, and a little salt.
If you don’t have a Vitamix or Blendtec, don’t worry.
You can soak the cashews for about 30 minutes in hot water before you start to help the process.
Or if you’re planning ahead, you can leave them soaking in your refrigerator in the morning or overnight so they’ll be ready when it’s time to make dinner.
Then simply drain them and add them to your blender.
Pro-tip: be sure to zest the lemon before you juice it!
I use a Microplane Grater to make zesting really easy.
Then I squeeze out the juice.
One lemon will give you approximately three tablespoons of juice.
We have a lemon tree in the back yard, and I love using the fruit to make this recipe, as well as Air Fryer Lemon Tofu.
Of course, store-bought lemons work just as well.
But be sure to buy organic since you’ll be using the zest.
Then all you need to do to make the pasta sauce is blend the cashews with some water, the lemon juice, and a little salt!
In the time it takes to cook the pasta, dinner will be ready.
Be sure to follow the directions on the box for cooking the Barilla spaghetti.
And I recently learned the importance of salting the cooking water from the book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking.
Lemon Cream Pasta Sauce is perfect for any night of the week.
This easy recipe is welcome for casual dinners as well as special occasions.
I love serving it with a salad that is colorful and full of vegetables such as Vegan Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad.
It’s also delicious with a simple vegetable side like Marinated Asparagus Spears or Sauteed Green Beans with Tomatoes and Garlic.
And if you’re looking for other easy and delicious pasta recipes, I recommend trying Pasta with Zucchini (Courgettes), Instant Pot Pasta Puttanesca, and Creamy Spinach & Mushroom Pasta.
Now let’s make Lemon Cream Pasta Sauce!
Lemon Cream Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Barilla gluten-free spaghetti (or your favorite pasta shape)
- 1 cup raw cashews (see notes)
- 1 cup water
- 1 lemon zest and juice (about 3 Tablespoons)
- salt to taste
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return to the pot.
- Meanwhile, zest and juice the lemon.
- In a high-speed blender, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until very smooth.
- Pour the sauce from the blender over the cooked pasta. Toss well so every strand is coated.
- Divide among four bowls. Garnish each serving with lemon zest and parsley and enjoy immediately.
Stephanie
I tried this recipe last night and it was a success! The result was very yummy and so much healthier than the non-vegan recipes I was looking at. I am vegetarian (but I don’t drink cow’s milk and I cook a lot of vegan meals) and I have seen recipes using cashews instead of milk/cream/cheese before, but never tried one until now. I made a few slight changes to the recipe including: adding a little more lemon for stronger flavor (I used an extra teaspoon but could have added even more), about six medium-large basil leaves (I added to taste), and two cloves of garlic (again, I could have added more for stronger flavor). I used a food processor instead of a blender and it worked pretty well (the sauce didn’t become liquid per se, but it was smooth with little chunks that added some texture and kinda look like cheese). The result is delicious and VERY filling. It also re-heats well for seconds (I used a microwave). I love how few ingredients were required and how easy the recipe is. Thanks for the great recipe!
Amy
I am so happy you enjoyed it, Stephanie! And the changes you made sound wonderful. It’s always fun to start with a recipe and make it your own. 🙂
Marie Dearaway
I so want to make this yummy dish, but I would need to replace the cashew cream with coconut cream. That is, the thick part of a can of full fat coconut milk. I understand how the lemon juice is added to the cashew “cream”, but I have added lemon juice to coconut cream before with no separating or any problem at all (makes lovely vegan sour cream). Can you see any other trouble spots in making this dish with the lemon and coconut cream “sauce”? Thank you so much! 🙂
Amy
Hi Marie! To be honest, I’ve never tried making it with coconut, so I can’t be sure. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.
jenny
My new favorite sauce ever.
Made this last night, and after reading one of the other comments, I made a few minor tweaks.
After tasting batch following the recipe strictly, I added an extra tablespoon or so of lemon juice, a small clove of garlic and a pinch of lemon zest.
It turned out amazing. I will definitely be making this often!
Thanks so much!
Amy
Thank you, Jenny! I love your additions. You can never go wrong with extra lemon flavor and fresh garlic!
Carie
My family loves this! My husband and I went vegan and oil free several months back, I was searching for a “healthy” vegan cream sauce recipe and came upon this. My teens like it more than the traditional dairy/fat laden version. I add several cloves of garlic and I don’t bother soaking the cashews as my vitamix blends everything very smooth. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!
Amy
Thank you, Carie! That’s so wonderful to hear!
Kara
I added some fresh tyme and lemon zest while blending….served with roasted green beans on the side……this was super yummy 😋 and one I’ll make again 👏👍
Amy
Thank you, Kara! 🙂
Julia
I bet this would be great with zucchini “noodles” too!
Amy
Absolutely!