by This Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta recipe is bright, garlicky and packed with plant-based protein! The best part? It comes together in less than 30-minutes!
As the weather warms up and days become longer, I’ve found myself craving all the spring produce. There’s something so special about the first signs of life after a long winter, and as a natural food lover, I tend to crave seasonal produce like asparagus, artichokes and new potatoes.
Maybe you find yourself craving lighter meals throughout the spring and summer months, too, and this is totally normal! As the weather gets warmers, it’s natural to crave more hydrating foods, which fruits and vegetables definitely are! This Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta is the perfect lightened-up version of pasta- Like my Sheet Pan Brussel Sprout and Gnocchi pasta recipe! It’s packed with plant-based protein and fiber from the chickpeas, a bright, lemony tang and asparagus for that classic spring flavor.
This Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta isn’t your classic heavy pasta recipe- It uses white wine, garlic, lemon and pasta water as the base, which results in a super fresh, light pasta. But don’t worry, it’s still packed with flavor!
If you’re craving more light, springtime meals, I recommend trying my Pesto Pasta Salad, Chickpea Salad with Prune Dressing, or Apple Dill Chickpea Mash!
Why You’ll Love this Asparagus Pasta:
- It’s packed with flavor, but still super simple to make!
- It uses asparagus, which pairs perfectly with lemon and garlic!
- It has chickpeas in it, which take on the flavors in the pasta while also providing a source of plant-based protein and fiber.
- Did I mention it’s seriously quick and easy to make?
Main Asparagus Pasta Ingredients
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Asparagus: Of course! Asparagus adds some delicious flavor, nutrients and fiber to this dish! Make sure you snap off the woody bottoms of the asparagus, and I recommend cutting your asparagus in half for ease of eating.
Linguine: I’ve chosen to use white linguine in this recipe, but feel free to use whatever pasta you like best!
Chickpeas: Chickpeas add some plant-based protein, fiber and iron to this asparagus pasta while also taking on the flavors of the dish. If you don’t have chickpeas on hand, white beans would also work well. We also use chickpeas for protein and fiber in recipes like my Sticky Sesame Chickpeas, Vegan Cauliflower Chickpea Curry, and Vegan Caesar Salad with Chickpea Curry!
Garlic: This asparagus pasta is definitely garlicky! I’ve used four cloves in the dish, but feel free to add more or less based on your preferences.
Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a brightness to the pasta recipe, while also increasing the absorption of plant-based iron from the chickpeas!
White wine: I’ve used white wine to add some acidity to the dish, but feel free to swap with vegetable stock if you prefer.
Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast adds a savoury, parmesan-like flavor to this asparagus pasta!
Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 165 grams asparagus spears, about 15 spears, with bottoms removed, cut in half
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 250 grams linguine
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 540 mL canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 tbsp white wine, can be subbed with vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes, optional
- 3/4 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta as per package instructions, leaving al dente.
- Meanwhile, add oil to a large pan over medium heat. Add halved asparagus, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until bright green and softened. Meanwhile, cook pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Add chickpeas, white wine and juice of 1/2 lemon to pan of asparagus. Sauté for 3-4 minutes more, until chickpeas are heated through.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and add cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to the asparagus and chickpea mixture. Add juice of other 1/2 of lemon, chili flakes, nutritional yeast. Adjust salt, pepper, chili, lemon and nutritional yeast based on taste preferences. Serve and enjoy!
