Vegan lemon cream sauce is easy to make and is great with any kind of pasta or even veggie noodles. Great weeknight dinner that comes together in less than 30 minutes.
I made an not-so-usual pasta sauce for day 2 pasta sauce for Day 2 of this week's Kid friendly 'Pizza & Pasta' theme. This vegan lemon cream sauce is great to use for any kind of pasta shape. This is my copycat recipe of Noodles & Co.'s zoodles recipe. I followed suite and served the sauce with zucchini noodles.
Kid Friendly Dish:
Kid Friendly Dish:The first time I made this dish, I wasn't sure if the kids will like it. I don't usually use lemon or lime in pasta dishes. My typical pasta sauces are either tomato base or pesto base.
So I was really surprised to see my kids actually like this combination. I should probably say my 12 year old loved it more than my 7 year old. She didn't really care for the lemon sauce, but she finished her plate without much complaining - that's a win in my book.
Vegan Lemon Cream Sauce:
This sauce cannot be simpler to make. All you need is cream, lemon zest and juice. I used almond creamer, but soy or coconut creamer would also work here.
Use as many veggies as you like - broccoli, asparagus, green beans, peppers etc are all good options.
Make it a complete meal by adding a protein - baked tofu, chickpeas or other beans, edamame are excellent vegetarian choices.
Versatile sauce:
Lemon zest and lemon juice add a nice tang to this creamy sauce. It can be used with any shaped pasta, from penne to spaghetti. I used zucchini noodles in the dish you see in the photos, but I've also made it with other short & long pasta shapes. Do give this unusual sauce a try, I am sure you will family will enjoy it as much as mine.
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Here are a few more pasta dishes you might like:
Vegan Lemon Cream Sauce for Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium Shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 Garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 Small Red or Yellow Pepper, chopped
- 1 Medium Tomato, chopped
- ½ cup Baked Tofu (store bought or homemade)
- ½ cup Vegan Creamer (I used almond creamer)
- 1 Small Organic Lemon, zest and juice
- To taste Salt Pepper
- 4 oz. Dry Pasta (shape of your choice) I used Zucchini noodles
- 2 tbsp Wholewheat Bread Crumbs (optional)
Instructions
- Cook pasta as per package directions. Reserve ½ cup of cooking water - drain.
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, add shallot and garlic - cook for 2~3 minutes or until shallot is translucent.
- Add peppers and cook till crisp tender. Stir in the tomatoes and baked tofu and cook till tomatoes are warmed through - but not mushy. Season with salt & pepper.
- Stir in cream and lemon zest. Cook on medium-low flame until the sauce thickens, about 2~3 minutes.
- Add the drained pasta or zucchini noodles (in my case) and cook till heated through. Add reserved pasta cooking water, if the sauce looks too thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs, if using and Serve warm and enjoy!!
Vaishali Sabnani
Wow ! What a amazing bowl ! Simply loving this bowl - it’s difficult with kids food , it never matches up ! Consider yourself lucky if they agree on one ! Ehe he !
Srividhya Gopalakrishnan
If kids approve a recipe, then no doubt about it all. When we add lemon zest does the vegan creamer curdle? Should we take any precautions?
cookshideout
Vidhya, Lemon zest doesn't curdle the cream. So that can be added earlier. Lemon juice might, so I added that at the very end.
Mayuri Patel
I love experimenting with different kind of sauces when I make pasta. A creamy lemon one sounds really good. I love the flavour of the big yellow Lemons that you get there. Miss them in my home town as we tend to get the Indian variety.
Amara
Love that bowl of healthy pasta Pavani. It's a Kid approved dish so bookmarking it immediately. my daughter likes different sauces with pasta so this is helpful.
Srivalli Jetti
That is surely some dish pavani, your kids are super! Wish I can experiment like this.heheheh.
Malini
Almond creamer with lemon zest, it must have bought a unique flavor and taste. This pasta would definitely please everyone. I love the addition of baked tofu and peppers.
Usha
I should try this almond creamer to avoid dairy cream in my recipes. Lemon cream sauce sounds like a wonderful sauce for pastas. Actually I like lemon in my pastas but usually don't mix it with cream. Need to try it next time.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Many vegans shy away from creamy sauce fearing it will not taste as good. If this recipe is kids approved, you have nailed it. Looks delicious and love the citrus flavor all around!
Harini Rupanagudi
My little one is crazy about lemon sauce and she loves the one at Noodles & co. I haven't tried the vegan version. Looks amazing.
Padma Veeranki
My husband is very picky when it comes to a creamy sauce. This vegan version sounds good...I will try it sometime!! Looks super delicious and love the citrus flavour going around!
Jayashree T.Rao
Never tried the lemon sauce in pasta, sounds and looks so good, I need to make it sometime. Thanks for sharing.
Anshu
Not a vegan though, but this vegan lemon cream sounds quite interesting and I am sure it would have lent that beautiful touch of creaminess and zing to your pasta. Nice share!
Priya Srinivasan
That is one delicious bowl of yummilicious pasta pavani! That sauce sounds so yumm!!! amazing your kid finished her plate, mine are too picky and i have never tried anything different than the white sauce . Love those citrus flavors in the dish!!
Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey
First, let me share this post with my family members as all of them are pasta crazy fans and this lemon cream sauce pasta is right recipe for their lunch. I can just imagine that fresh flavours in this dish which can be done in no time.
Rajani
Lemony pasta sounds delicious! Glad your kids liked it, it’s a definite winner if they finish their bowl 🙂
sasmita
Lemon flavored pasta sounds so different ! Looks delicious and love the citrus flavor all around here .... As I like the citrus flavor so I would love to try this 🙂 Awesome vegan recipe
Simon Andrew
Thanks for sharing this recipe it’s really nice.