Creamy Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta

GFVGVDFNS
Jump to Recipe
Baking sheet filled with asparagus and lemon slices ready to be roasted

I think you become an adult when you start making your own pasta sauce. Oh, and paying your own bills. That’s also important.

I don’t remember exactly this happened for me, but it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in the kitchen. I used to live on jarred pasta sauces (and vending machine food) in my college years, so I was elated and pleasantly surprised to learn how easy it is to make it from scratch.

This creamy white sauce is no exception.

Plate of Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta with a side of vegan parmesan

This pasta was inspired by one of my favorite roasted veggies: Asparagus!

I love asparagus. It has the most amazing flavor when roasted, and is even delicious raw! Plus, it’s good for you. These little guys are packed with vitamin C, K, and folate, and are an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich food. And don’t forget the fiber! Seriously people, eat your greens with every meal.

Series of photos showing how to make our Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta recipe

This pasta is simple, requiring just 9 ingredients and 30 minutes!

The sauce is adapted from my Creamy Vegan Garlic Pasta (which can be made gluten-free), and comes with an extra punch of flavor from fresh lemon juice. The lemon and roasted asparagus marry perfectly together in this dish to create a flavor combination I can’t get enough of.

Freshly roasted Lemon Asparagus on a baking sheet
Plate of Creamy Vegan Lemon Asaparagus Pasta for a comforting dinner

You must make this dish! It’s

Creamy
Light
Satisfying
Simple
Lemony
Savory
Loaded with veggies
& Perfect for a quick-but-healthy weeknight meal

The beautiful thing about this pasta? Leftovers are a dream. So be sure to make extra to pack for lunches during the week. If you’re anything like me, leftover pasta is a welcome mid-day treat when you don’t feel like cooking.

Top down shot of a plate of our 30-minute Creamy Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta recipe

Enjoy this recipe! And if you do, take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! I love seeing what readers are cooking up. Cheers!

Pan of Creamy Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta

Creamy Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta

A vegan pasta that requires simple ingredients and just 30 minutes! A creamy butter- and dairy-free white sauce is infused with lemon and roasted garlic. Simple, light, delicious. See notes for adapting if you’re gluten-free or not vegan.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Plate of Vegan Asparagus Pasta topped with cooked lemon slices
4.64 from 100 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 3
Course Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Italian-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch asparagus (trimmed and washed // ~12 ounces as original recipe is written)
  • 1 pinch each sea salt + black pepper
  • 2 medium lemons (sliced thinly)
  • 3 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
  • 3-4 large cloves garlic (minced)
  • 10 ounces bow tie pasta (~5 cups as original recipe is written // see notes if GF*)
  • 2 1/2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk*
  • 3-4 Tbsp all-purpose flour (sub another thickener if GF*)
  • 1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional // for a subtle cheesy flavor)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C). Add asparagus to a baking sheet and toss with 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch each salt and pepper (amounts as original recipe is written // alter if adjusting batch size). Top with several thin slices of lemon and bake for 20-25 minutes. Once finished cooking, remove from oven and roughly chop into thirds.
  • In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil and salt generously.
  • While the water’s heating, bring a large skillet to medium heat. Once hot, add 3 Tbsp olive oil (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and garlic. Whisk and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is just starting to brown.
  • Add 3 Tbsp flour (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and whisk. Cook for 30 seconds, then whisk in almond milk 1/2 cup at a time. TIP: Use a large flat spatula to smash down the bits of garlic and flour to properly incorporate. Add a healthy pinch salt and pepper and whisk. Slightly lower heat and continue cooking to thicken, stirring occasionally.
  • Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package instructions. Then drain and set aside.
  • For extra creamy sauce, add sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend. Add nutritional yeast and another pinch of salt and pepper. If it looks runny, add remaining flour (or cornstarch). Blend until creamy and smooth, using the “puree” or “liquify” setting if possible. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, then add back to pan and continue cooking over medium to medium-low heat to thicken.
  • Once your sauce has reached desired thickness, add the juice of half a lemon and stir.
  • Add 3/4 of the chopped asparagus and the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat.
  • Divide between 2-3 serving plates (per original recipe // adjust if altering batch size) and top with remaining asparagus. Serve with a lemon wedge and vegan parmesan cheese.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a few days.

Notes

*3-4 large cloves garlic is ~2 Tbsp minced garlic.
*To keep this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta and sub the flour with cornstarch or another thickener of choice. Add 1-2 Tbsp during the blending process to make sure it’s completely blended. Then add back to the pan to thicken for 5-7 minutes. Alternatively, make a slurry with the cornstarch and a few Tbsp of the sauce in a small bowl and then whisk it directly into the pan during the simmering process. Repeat in 1/2 Tbsp amounts until desired consistency is reached.
*We recommend Trader Joe’s unsweetened, unflavored almond milk for best results.
*If not vegan, sub cow’s milk and parmesan cheese.
*Adapted from my Creamy Vegan Garlic Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes
*Inspired by Creme de la Crumb
*Asparagus health benefits from whfoods.org
*Nutrition information a rough estimate calculated with the lesser end of the range of garlic and flour.

Nutrition (1 of 3 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 458 Carbohydrates: 67 g Protein: 16 g Fat: 14 g Saturated Fat: 1.7 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 180 mg Fiber: 4.7 g Sugar: 1.8 g

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @minimalistbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #minimalistbaker so we can see all the deliciousness!

If you love this recipe...

Get Our Fan Favorites eBook Here!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rating!

Have a question? Use ctrl+f or ⌘+f on your computer or the "find on page" function on your phone browser to search existing comments! Need help? Check out this tutorial!

My Rating:




  1. Julie says

    Made this tonight, so delicious and easy even my non-vegan mom loved it! I had to add in more flour to thicken up the sauce but that did the trick. I will be making this again! :)

  2. Katie Sullivan says

    Incredible! This was my first home-cooked intentionally vegan meal and it was delicious. I did add more garlic (I measure it with my heart) and added some lemon zest with it. So good! Can’t wait to make more delicious meals from this site!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! We’re so glad your first one was a success, Katie :) Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  3. Kinga says

    Hi Team Minimalist Baker!

    Can I use soya ora oat milk instead of almond?
    Additionally, to bust the tase I can add vegan parmezan or more yeast flakes. Do you think it could work?

    Thanks.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kinga, oat/soy milk should work as long as it’s a brand that’s pretty neutral in flavor! Adding more vegan parmesan is always a good idea :)

  4. Alison says

    Overall, this recipe was okay. While the asparagus was perfect, I did have issues with the sauce. It didn’t really thicken up even after adding more flour and blending. I added extra garlic and the nooch since we like big flavor. If I were to make this again, I’d break the asparagus into bite size pieces and try to thicken the sauce even more.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Alison, thank you for sharing your experience and sorry to hear the sauce didn’t thicken easily. Heating for longer should help.

  5. Lisa Silva says

    Really yummy…so sorry that I’m not doing social medial any longer to share the photos w/you!

    I added 2X the nutritional yeast to enhance the flavor and needed all 4 TB of the flour to get the sauce to thicken.

    When reading the recipe, I read that you based this off of your Creamy Vegan Garlic Pasta, so when I read that, I decided to add tomatoes to this dish too. I roasted them w/the asparagus at the same time & also only incorporated 3/4 of them in the sauce and then topped our dishes w/both asparagus & tomatoes and my vegan parmesan. It was really lovely!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Love your modifications, Lisa! We’re so glad to hear it turned out well! Thank you for sharing! xo

  6. Kelly Johnson says

    Perfect weekday dinner! Very little prep, yet it did not lack on flavor. Super simple and delicious!

  7. Ashley Anderson says

    This pasta is delicious and so easy. I may have overdone it with the lemon on my asparagus, but the sauce itself was amazing. Highly recommend.

  8. Jenny says

    I really like this recipe! I used 16 oz. of cavatappi pasta, which held the sauce nicely. There was plenty of sauce for this much pasta. I cooked the asparagus, which was cut into shorter pieces, in my air fryer which made this recipe faster. Used Realemon since I didn’t have fresh lemon but could still taste the lemon tang. Definitely will make this again for my vegetarians and me!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yum! Thanks for sharing your experience and modifications, Jenny. We’re glad you enjoyed the pasta! xo

  9. Verity says

    Yum!! This was so delicious. Made almost exactly as directed, only slight tweaks were using cornflour instead of allpurpose, I also added a small handful of chopped parsley at the end, and included the zest of half a lemon in the sauce before blending. Came out so creamy and delicious. Will be making this all summer long.

  10. Irene says

    Could I make the sauce from your Summer Vegetables pasta and just add lemon? I’m a pro with that sauce now and I like the idea of using cashews instead of flour to thicken the sauce.

  11. Laura says

    Solid recipe, I added courgette/zucchini as well as asparagus, and used oat milk.

    I did not have nutritional yeast so added the Parmesan when I added the lemon. I’m not vegan but expect vegan Parmesan would work just as well! I added a bit more than half a large lemon and next time would add even more. Be generous with the black pepper.

    Liked the presentation tip to leave some veg behind to add on top at the end.

    Next time I’ll add peas as well.

  12. Claudia Pawelec says

    Followed this recipe and I really disliked it. Was not tasty. Ended up adding in my homemade pesto inside to give it more taste. Sorry, love all your recipes but this one really was very bland

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Claudia, so sorry to hear this one didn’t turn out as expected! Admittedly, this one is an older recipe, but we remember it being flavorful. Perhaps your lemons were on the smaller side? Did you include the nutritional yeast?

  13. Sarah Kett says

    Nice recipe :) Thank you! It turned out well. Next time, I’ll do the asparagus for a shorter time in the oven or even steam them quickly to keep them green(er) and crisp(ier). I added lemon rind and the sliced lemons from the asparagus roast in the sauce which gave it an awesome, tangy lemon taste.

    • Claudia says

      I added extra lemon juice which helped. And I added the nutritional yeast in the blender. The lemon asparagus was very tasty but the sauce tasted bland and “flour-y.” I’m not sure what I did wrong! I’ve had trouble with creamy sauces before.

  14. Julie says

    I made this last night and used pulse pasta, instead. I doubled the servings size. I used potato starch as I did not have all-purpose flour. The cream sauce turned out too gooey. I did not have the correct amount of almond milk and should not have used all the potato starch. I squeezed the roasted lemon slices into the sauce and it turned out fine but I could have added extra lemon juice for extra tang. I’ll be making this again for a quick week night meal.

  15. Alissa Martin says

    I don’t know what happened I followed instructions and didn’t let anything cook to long but it didn’t turn out good.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Alissa, sorry to hear that! Would you mind sharing what didn’t turn out about it? Was it the texture, flavor, etc.?

  16. Sharon says

    I doubled this in quantity but found the 6 tablespoons of flour were sufficient for the sauce and 1 medium lemon was enough to achieve the beautiful tangy flavour accompanying the asparagus. I understand this is down to personal preference.

  17. Elizabeth says

    I loved this. Due to lockdown I had to make a few substitutions as I didn’t have everything. These worked absolutely fine:

    Oat milk (worked great)
    Chickpea flour (worked great, swooped regular flour out as it’s impossible to get flour in London at the moment!)
    Lemon juice – I followed your advice and added this just to the sauce rather than with the roast asparagus.

    It worked beautifully. Such a different way to cook asparagus for me. Must say I did sneak in quite a bit more nutritional yeast as I love the cheese taste!

    Delicious thank you!

  18. Erica says

    I made this last night with spaghetti instead of bow tie pasta and roasted mushrooms instead of asparagus. I also used oat milk instead of almond and added finely chopped onions to the garlic. It was amazing even with the substitutions! I can’t wait for dinner tonight (leftovers!). Thank you for this recipe. It’s a new favorite

  19. Elizabeth says

    Not the best, but I only have a bottle of lemon juice rather than fresh lemons. Shall I put some in when I roast the asparagus? Thank you

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Elizabeth, we’d say maybe just add at the end? That way it doesn’t add extra liquid to the asparagus and prevent it from roasting. Let us know how it goes!

  20. Laura says

    Made this tonight and it was soooo good! I used a little too much garlic (my fault ) but it’s was still
    Delicious and easy to make. Will definitely be making again!

  21. Ivan says

    Unfortunately I did not like this recipe. The sauce never really thickened (I used 3 tbsp cornstarch) too much… I tried adding more, but it was still a bit runny after more cooking. My biggest issue was with taste – I don’t know if cornstarch or almond milk had something to do with it, but the sauce had a strange aftertaste. Don’t know if my milk is the culprit, I used Earth’s Own and kept it refrigerated.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ivan, so sorry to hear this didn’t turn out well for you! We aren’t familiar with that brand of almond milk, but if it has a strong flavor, that could be the issue. Did you make sure it was unsweetened and plain?

  22. Brianne says

    Super easy and so satisfying. Thank you! Used unsweetened plain almond milk and didn’t bother blending, just whisked frequently and vigorously and it worked so well. Came together beautifully.

    I added some zucchini and sauteed kale, and I also used a lot of lemon throughout. So flavorful and springy.

  23. Athina Simolaris says

    Excited to make this tonight! We are out of milk can I use canned coconut milk? Maybe half of a can? Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Athina, it might have a slight coconut taste, but if you combine coconut milk and broth, maybe it will work? Let us know how it goes!

  24. Megan says

    So I followed the recipe but substituted with almond flour and added vegan “chicken” and it was amazing! The sauce recipe was easy to follow and the suggestion to add as much or as little nutritional yeast was helpful. My sauce was a little bit on the thicker end which I did out of choice and I found I could even make a great dip out of it! Everyone who ate also enjoyed it very much! I will definitely be making this again!

  25. Karalyn Picard says

    Never considered blitzing the sauce! Game changer. I also added a couple of the roasted asparagus and the lemon slices to the vitamix ??? Thanks for another great recipe!

  26. Laura says

    I have used this recipe multiple times. I usually don’t have asparagus so I sub-out the roasting part and add more lemon directly to the sauce.

  27. Dharma says

    This was sooo easy & VERY good. I used oat milk because I’m allergic to nuts & the sauce was fabulous! I also used broccoli & cauliflower because that’s what’s ready in the garden in January! The only change I’ll make next time is to not roast any lemon on the veggies because the lemon (despite using fresh-picked Meyer lemons which are sweeter than regular) became bitter rather than caramelized in the oven. But it’s plenty lemony just from adding a lot of juice at the end…I love lemon, so lemony is a big deal for me! This is definitely going into regular rotation- this is only our third day of veganism & with recipes like this it is absolutely easy! And it would easily work with other seasonal veggies. Thank you for this recipe!

  28. Dharma says

    I’m allergic to nuts, is there another plant-based milk that will work for this? I have oat, coconut, and “Ripple” pea protein milk on hand.

    • Dharma says

      Oops, now that I see the comments it seems that lots of other milks are used! I think I’ll try the oat milk. :)

  29. Kate G says

    We just made a whole lot of soy milk so we used that instead of almond milk and used courgette instead of asparagus, and it turned out perfect. Surprisingly cheesy and felt like real comfort food! Merci :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kate. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  30. Alice Williamson says

    Hello, I made this dish this evening and it was fantastic. I did have a bit of a panic when my flour blobbed up into lumps in the sauce – but I strained the lumps out. Next time I will add flour to a small amount of almond milk and whisk it into the sauce a little at a time to ensure no lumps. I added fresh spinach and hot pepper flakes. In addition to the nutritional yeast, I added 2 tsps. of Seitenbacher vegetable broth and seasoning. You could used Better than Bullion or a similar seasoning to kick up the flavor. I did use a penne pasta instead because that is what we had on hand. This was very good. I’m not a big asparagus fan (my husband is) but roasting the asparagus really made a big difference in the flavor.

  31. Caren says

    I made this last night, it was easy and delicious. My husband and I both loved it. I used unsweetened rice milk because it was all I had and it worked great. I added more nutritional yeast because we love the cheesy flavor. I also used garbanzo bean flour and quinoa pasta because I have celiac disease. I let the sauce cook longer and slowly on a small flame to thicken. Will definitely make it again!

  32. Gillian says

    Absolutely delicous! I would highly recommend you add two bunches of asparagus while cooking, and adding fresh basil and fresh argula on top along with the other items she suggests.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Gillian. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  33. ETHER says

    pasta miaaaam yum is my favorite dish, at least I take it 4 times a week, I appreciate your recipe especially with the photos it makes me hungry

  34. MSF says

    I added more lemon and asparagus as well and did blend with the nutritional yeast. It was tasty! Put some parmesan over the top as well. Very tasty! Thank you!

  35. Elizabeth Anderson says

    I love the fact that this recipe has only a few ingredients ! This turned out delicious and I will definitely be making it again. I would recommend adding another tablespoon of nutritional yeast. Other than that it was perfect! Thank you.

  36. Jasmine says

    This pasta is wonderful. I doubled the amount of asparagus and lemons. I also added half an onion. I used a blender for the sauce and added nutritional yeast. It’s so yummy. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Jorge. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  37. Scarlet says

    This recipe sounds so good. I love asparagus and lemon and I never would have thought of making it creamy with almond milk. Also, I found the nutritional yeast in the spice section at my store. What a beautiful dish too!

  38. Bianca says

    Delicious, it came out so creamy! I only used one lemon total – half was sliced thin for on top of the asparagus, the other half was used for juice in the sauce. Also stirred in some fresh baby spinach at the end. I recommend topping with extra nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor ?

  39. Rebella says

    Hi! Super excited to make this. How terrible would it be if I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk? Would it be similar to making mac and cheese with vanilla almond milk….like oddly sweet? Has anyone tried it. CAN IT BE DONE? Haha.

  40. Richard says

    If you like garlic, follow the recipe. If you like asparagus, leave out the garlic (or reduce it to one small clove at most), and maybe cut back on the lemon too. Asparagus has a very delicate taste, which you won’t experience if you drown it in strong other flavours.

  41. Nicki says

    5 stars! My 4 year-old daughter said, “Mommy, you made the perfect dinner”. Please note, I did NOT add candy or french fries to this dish, lol. I made it exactly as written. Came together in 30 min and will be a go to for weeknight meals!

  42. JH says

    I made this last night! It was pretty good, but not my favorite from minimalist baker. I had to use quite a bit more flour than suggested for the sauce to thicken, but that’s okay. It did not reheat well today for lunch leftovers- the creaminess is totally gone and it’s kind of like just dried salty noodles with asparagus. Not tasty. So if you make this, plan to eat it all while it’s fresh!

  43. Cludia says

    This was so easy to make and soooooo delicious! Guys, please try it it’s honestly very good. I added extra garlic cuz I’m a garlic lover, but besides that, I followed the recipe exactly. 10/10 would recommend

    • Catherine Griffin says

      Followed the recipe exactly and it was nicely creamy but I think the taste will depend a lot on your almond milk. I used unflavored, unsweetened almond breeze but the sauce tasted strange – oddly processed and almost chocolate-y. It was weird. I would try with homemade almond milk.

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Catherine, the brand can definitely make a difference. We have had the most success with the Trader Joe’s brand. Hope that helps!

  44. Kelly says

    So good! My non vegan boyfriend loved it and couldn’t stop saying how cheesy it tasted.
    I only used 2 cups plant based milk (cuz I got scared lol but it worked out great) and lime because I didn’t have any lemon. I also added roasted sweet potato ( don’t recommend so much) and roasted chickpeas (really recommend) and spinach.
    Mine definitely didn’t look as good as any of the pictures which sucked but was mostly my fault.
    Will make again!

  45. Hannah Louise says

    I made this tonight,I’m a newbie vegan and added a few extras; crushed walnuts, mushrooms and edamame beans,it’s delicious! Who knew you could make something so creamy without actual cream or cheese or milk! Will definitely have this again!

  46. KH says

    This is AMAZING. I roasted the lemons and asparagus until there were browned edges. I did use the nutritional yeast in my sauce, and it really hit all the spots an Alfredo sauce does so I’ll be making this again and again as a healthier alternative. We’re not vegan, just trying for a more healthy diet, so this was a perfect side for some almond flour crusted baked cod.

  47. Mariah Harrod says

    Turned out really well! I had no nutritional yeast (haven’t been able to find any at the supermarkets in Australia, still looking!), so subbed a bit of tahini for nutty, creamy flavor. I added in some tomatoes & mushrooms after the garlic & before the sauce to give it a bit more nutrition, but overall super happy with such a simple & yum recipe!

  48. Sami says

    Just made this for dinner – SO. GOOD. !! I freaked out when I realized I didn’t have any flour or fresh garlic but improvised by grinding oats into flour and hydrating some garlic powder and it still turned out so so delicious. Thank you for the great recipe!

  49. Melissa says

    We made this and followed the recipe. We used smaller bow-ties but I wouldn’t think that would make the recipe awful. The sauce tasted like flour and almond milk, with a lot of lemon. We had to throw out the entire meal.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Melissa, that is so strange. Did you add the nutritional yeast? That can really bring it together. I haven’t heard that from anyone else, which is why it’s so surprising! Let us know. We’d love to help you troubleshoot.

      • Jamie says

        I can’t eat dairy so I tried out this sauce and loved it! I had never made a sauce like this before and I was nervous it wouldn’t thicken but I just kept heating it and stirring occasionally and it thickened nicely! It was delicious with mushrooms and fettuccine noodles. I’m wondering if it reheats well?

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Jamie, we recommend reheating on the stove top and adding additional almond milk, as needed. Hope that helps!

  50. Ellen says

    Just made this. It was awesome. Was out of fresh lemons so used organic 100% lemon juice and mixed it together with asparagus, EVOO, salt and pepper. I used a little less oil throughout recipe as I’m always trying to minimize oil. Also used chick pea pasta instead of regular, and spelt flour instead of all-purpose flour. Definitely made sauce creamier to use the nutritional yeast and use an immersion blender or I just dumped it in my nutribullet for a few seconds and then back in the pot to thicken a bit more. Next time, may add some mushrooms, onion and other roasted veggies. Really good!!

  51. Zoe says

    Made this last night and it was the creamiest thing I’ve ever had since going vegan. Realized I strongly dislike asparagus after baking it and trying some, so I instead added a ton of spinach into the pasta and served the asparagus on the side. My family who likes asparagus loved it and the pasta!

  52. Vanessa says

    This is amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing, it’s changed my life!
    Will it work with wholemeal flour?
    I can’t wait to try the sauce in other recipes!!!

  53. Becca says

    This was such a great technique – I loved the combination of lemon and asparagus but I could imagine this working with all sorts of ingredients and flavors. It’s a great way to make a creamy vegan sauce without a blender, I think this will be my go-to method in the future!

  54. Kailee says

    I made this and really enjoyed it! The asparagus turned out great! I chose to add the lemons on top and squeeze some of juice too. I thought I added a ton of salt throughout but for me it still wasn’t enough by the time I ate it, so be sure to be generous. Overall, really good and easy to make!

  55. Sandy says

    I made this yesterday as a part of my weekly meal prep. I only had unsweetened soy milk, and it gave it a bit of a sweet flavor as it has more sugar in it than almond milk, but it still turned out really well. However, next time I won’t be putting any roasted lemon slices into the sauce when blending as it imparted a bitter aftertaste. Totally my own fault. It is delicious though. Paired it with high protein legume pasta as it’s meatless, and I’m trying to go more plant-based. Would make this again.

  56. John says

    Followed the recipe to the letter, using cornflour as the thickener. We did not like it at all, very bland and heavy sauce which the asparagus and Parmesan could not overcome.

  57. Avery says

    I made this using Trader Joe’s lemon pepper pappardelle pasta and it was SO GOOD! Reminds me of spaghetti al limone from sauce restaurant in nyc. The only change was I squeezed a full fresh lemon into the sauce and another all over the asparagus to make it extra lemon-y. I used TJ’s nutritional yeast also, and the sauce tasted cheesey without the guilt. I’ll definitely make this again

  58. John Hocutt says

    Brought home a bundle of fresh asparagus this evening and used your recipe as a jumping off point.

    We eat whole-food vegan and avoid the use of added salt-oil-sugar (SOS). Since I don’t use oil, I substitute puréed cannellini beans for the bulk of the sauce with a tablespoon of tahini to add some richness. This eliminates the need for thickener like arrowroot or the like and is super easy since the canned beans and tahini are already cooked. I used a high quality garlic powder to eliminate the need for oil to sauté the garlic. You can actually just blend the sauce ingredients and then use the heat of the pasta to warm the sauce.

    In my house, we like oat milk (no oil and is creamier than rice milk) so I used that to thin the sauce. I also added some petit peas to the pasta during the cooking since my best wife is partial to them… added a sweet little touch to serve as a foil to the lemon sauce.

    Was a great dish. Thanks!

  59. Liz says

    This was awesome! I must admit I simplified it by putting all the sauce ingredients in a nutribullet. Then I cooked the pasta, the asparagus, and the sauce all at the same time. Them I drained the pasta, chopped the asparagus and added everything together. Very easy and tasty :)