Author: This creamy lemon asparagus pasta is the perfect quick spring dinner. Tender asparagus and pasta are tossed in a silky, garlicky lemon cream sauce that's bright, cozy, and just a little fancy, but comes together in just 15 minutes. It's fresh, satisfying, and perfect for busy weeknights or an easy date night at home.
Add these vegan olive garden breadsticks to round out the meal!
Asparagus is one of the highlights of spring. While you can buy it year-round, nothing beats locally grown asparagus this time of year, so I try to use it as much as possible. This lemon asparagus pasta is fresh and bright from the lemon, creamy and comforting from the sauce, and finished with that perfect seasonal pop. It's an easy way to get dinner on the table fast and still feel like you made something special.
Why This Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta Will Be Your Go-To Spring Dish
- Ready in 15 minutes: Pasta and asparagus both cook quickly, getting dinner on the table fast.
- Creamy but not heavy: The sauce base is made with plant-based milk (not cashews) to keep it a little lighter while still creamy, and the lemon keeps the sauce bright and balanced.
- Simple ingredients: No hard-to-find vegan substitutes, no soaking cashews to make a cream sauce. We're keeping it easy with this recipe!
Ingredients for Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta
- Pasta: Use your favorite pasta shape! Spaghetti, linguine, penne, or fusilli all work.
- Asparagus: Hold an asparagus stem at the base with one hand, then use your other hand to hold it somewhere in the middle. Bend the spear until it breaks and discard the tough end.
- Olive oil: For sautéing.
- Garlic: Mince this with a knife or push it through a garlic press.
- All-purpose flour: To create a roux to thicken the sauce.
- Plant-based milk: Soy or oat milk work best for a creamy base.
- Dijon mustard: Adds depth and a slight tang.
- Nutritional yeast: Brings a cheesy, umami flavor without dairy.
- Salt and pepper: I like to use freshly ground black pepper, which is more aromatic.
- Lemon: You'll need both the juice and the zest.
- Optional garnishes: Fresh herbs like parsley or basil, vegan parmesan, chili flakes, or extra lemon zest.
How to Make Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta
- Cook the Pasta and Asparagus: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. In the last 3 minutes, add the asparagus. Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Sauté the Garlic: While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Create the Sauce: Slowly pour in the plant-based milk while whisking. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Season: Whisk in the Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.
- Add the Lemon: Remove the sauce from heat, then stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Combine Everything: Add the drained pasta and asparagus to the skillet. Toss well to coat. Add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
Tips and Variations
- Don't forget to save the pasta water: That starchy water is essential for creating a silky, restaurant-style sauce.
- Don't overcook the asparagus: Add it in the last few minutes so it stays tender-crisp and bright green.
- Add the lemon off heat: Stir in the lemon zest and juice after removing the sauce from heat to keep the flavor bright and prevent the sauce from curdling.
- Make it oil-free: Use vegetable broth or water to sauté the garlic instead of oil.
- Make it gluten-free: Swap in gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free pasta.
- Add protein: Toss in chickpeas, white beans, crispy air fryer tofu, or seitan chicken.
Serving Suggestions
Make your meal extra filling by pairing this asparagus pasta with:
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftover asparagus pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop in a skillet or in the microwave. Add a splash of plant-based milk or water to loosen the sauce if needed.
If you try this lemon asparagus pasta recipe, let us know by leaving a comment and rating it. I'd love to see what you made. Share your creation in the It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken Community (this is where we're all hanging out now!) or tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta (15 Minutes!)
This Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta is the ultimate quick spring dinner. Tender asparagus and pasta get tossed in a silky, garlicky lemon cream sauce that's bright, cozy, and just a little fancy, but it comes together in 15 minutes with simple pantry ingredients. It's naturally dairy-free and vegan, and perfect for weeknights or easy date nights.
Servings: - 6
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Ingredients
- 14 oz pasta of choice, (spaghetti, linguine, penne, or fusilli)
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened plant-based milk, (such as soy or oat)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- Optional garnishes: chopped parsley or basil, vegan parmesan, extra lemon zest, chili flakes, cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta + asparagus: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the asparagus to the pot. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Sauté the garlic: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Make a roux: Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for 30-60 seconds.
- Make it creamy: Slowly whisk in the plant-based milk. Keep whisking until smooth, then simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Season the sauce: Whisk in the Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.
- Add the lemon last: Remove from heat, then stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Toss it all together: Add the drained pasta and asparagus to the skillet with the sauce and toss well. Add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce is silky and coats everything beautifully. Serve hot.
Notes
Oil-free option: Sauté the garlic in 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable broth or water instead of oil. The sauce will still thicken, but it will be a little less rich.
Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free pasta and a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
Storage + reheating: This pasta is best fresh, but leftovers keep well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of plant milk or water to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving (recipe makes 6 servings) | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 449mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 801IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 3mg
Karen Pearson says
I made this last night and it was very good. I only made two servings but wished I'd made more. I loved that I could prep all the sauce ingredients while waiting for the water to boil and the pasta to cook. Super quick and easy.
Julie says
Delicious and crazy easy! Saw this in an email this morning, made it for lunch
I'm thinking some add- ins could be fun. Artichoke hearts, sauteed mushrooms, pine nuts
Maria says
Doesn't the sauce need to be cooked so that the flour thickens the sauce? Otherwise this looks AMAZING & can't wait to try!
Beth Lawson says
Sooo good and so easy! I added some vegan parmesan in too
Bassomatic says
Love this simple recipe and per usual I made a couple small changes. First, even though it's an extra thing to wash, I love to roast the asparagus separately. And second, I add dill. For me asparagus, lemon and dill are made for each other.
Teri says
I love the idea of roasting the asparagus! Of course it would take more time…
Andy says
Another amazing meal. I’ve been following you on Insta for months and have never been disappointed with a meal. Thank you for sharing.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy to hear that, Andy!
Jules says
Super fresh tasting and delicious! Another super easy, delicious vegan recipe with a short ingredient list ~ so important right now. I work long hours and my quarantine pantry is limited so dinner coming together in 20 min is such a blessing. Thanks again!
Cowgirl says
Love your pasta recipes. I’ve adapted all of my Sicilian mother’s recipes to be vegan as well. As you show, its easy ! Also, there can be so many individual tweaks that we can all make according to our individual tastes. Really enjoy your creativity and fun energy!
Thanks.
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome 🙂
Laura says
Hey Sam!
I’m getting smarter. I must have skipped over this recipe before as it contains the name of my least favourite vegetable. But sub green beans, snap peas, pepper slices as someone mentioned.... then we’re getting to a non-red sauce pasta that my omnivore buddy would be interested in too!
Reading comments here is generally informative so thanks to fellow readers too.
Thanks for repeating this recipe!
VeggieTater says
And no added fat or oil, YAY! Wonderful!
Alyssa D. says
I added a little bit of nooch and white wine to the sauce, but it was all so good! Delicious recipe !
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed, Alyssa 🙂
Erin says
I would suggest steaming the asparagus to keep in the nutrients! Going to try this tonight 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Enjoy!
Sam Turnbull says
Sorry you didn't enjoy it, Nikki.
Naomi says
This was really delicious, I made it for dinner last night. I did modify it a bit. I pan fried finely chopped green peppers, garlic and mushrooms, black pepper and Himalayan salt in water (I don't use fat/oil), then added the veg to the sauce. Definitely on the menu from now on! Thanks 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo! So happy you enjoyed it, Naomi 🙂
Gaelle says
Do you think this could work with something like almond, tapioca, buckwheat flour ? I can't have all purpose gluten free because most of the time it contains things like corn or potato starch.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Gaelle,
I'm not very knowledgeable in gluten-free cooking, but the flour here is just used to thicken the sauce. So whatever flour you think would work for that should be fine. Hope that helps! 🙂
Drew says
We tried this last night and really loved it! I used homemade oat flour (just finely ground rolled oats).
Your recipes are always so great, thank you for sharing them!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved it, Drew 🙂
Kristen says
Delicious! And what a great tip on prepping the asparagus. Thanks for sharing!
Sam says
You're very welcome, so glad you enjoyed it Kristen!
Casey the College Celiac says
This lemon sauce looks amazing! I have a bunch of lemons on my tree right now, so I definitely want to try out this recipe soon (even though I'm not a huge pasta person! 😉 ) Thanks for the new way to use up all of our lemons!
Sam says
You're very welcome! I hope you enjoy it Casey 🙂
Sherry-Lynn says
Made this tonight! Huge hit! Definitely a keeper!
Michele says
Nice recipe! Just curious, doesn't the sauce, with the flour, need to be cooked through first before adding to the pasta? I would think the flour would still taste a little raw if not actually cooked, but only heated through?
Thanks so much.
Sam says
Once you add the sauce to the pasta and heat it, it will cook through. It only takes a couple minutes, and you can tell the flour is cooked because the sauce will thicken. Flour absorbs better when cooked 🙂
Mary says
Don't throw out those woody stems - save them for your stock pot! Very nice flavor addition.
Sam says
Yes!! Lovely call Mary! I am going to add that into the instructions. Thanks 🙂
Mary says
Love your recipes! Keep up the excellent (and delicious!) work.
Sam says
Aww thank you! I will indeed 🙂
Bethery says
Sam does it again!! A perfect recipe for the working family, (and I have asparagus in the garden!)
Sam says
Yay! Yours will be perfectly fresh, no need to snap off the ends at all I bet 🙂
Kevin Grishkot says
I can't wait to try this!!!
Sam says
Yay! I hope you love it Kevin 🙂