This One-Pot Creamy Lemon Pasta will be your new favorite 30-minute vegan dinner! This 7-ingredient recipe is quick and easy to make in just one pan. It’s dairy-free, vegan, and easily made gluten-free.

Meet my new favorite quick and easy dinner: creamy, vegan lemon pasta. Easy to make in just ONE pan, done in 30 minutes, and will absolutely make the whole family squeal in happy delight. This one is a people pleaser. Toss in your favorite greens or veggies, serve with a side salad, or devour as-is – anyway, you’ll be happy with this one.

I adore the simplicity of this recipe, both with its ingredients and with the prep! It’s made with ingredients you’ll likely already have on hand, so it’s the perfect meal when you need something on the table ASAP. The pasta cooks right in the creamy lemon sauce, releasing its starch to help create a creamy sauce, which thickens as the pasta absorbs. The whole situation makes this lemon pasta dish SO easy and even more flavorful.

I’m a big fan of lemon in all the ways: on my favorite broccoli, flavoring my favorite lemon cookies, and of course…in this pasta dish :D

Ingredients for Vegan Lemon Pasta

  • Pasta of Choice: I eat a gluten-free diet, so I used brown rice spaghetti. If keeping this GF, I recommend a rice-based noodle, which I find tends to hold it’s shape the best.
  • Oil or Vegan Butter
  • Shallots: you can also use half of a yellow or white onion
  • Garlic: a must – I used 3 cloves, but measure garlic with your heart :)
  • Vegetable Broth: for extra flavor. If you don’t have it on hand, you can use water + bouillion. Plain water will work as well, but you’ll likely want to add some extra seasonings.
  • Coconut Milk: I made this with full-fat coconut milk. Low-fat would likely also do the trick, but would be a little bit less creamy. Once this dish is adequately salted, I don’t find the coconut flavor to come through at all.
  • Fresh Lemon Juice & Zest: for the most lemony dish! Don’t forget the zest, which adds a depth of lemon flavor in addition to the tartness
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste

How to make one-pot pasta

Full amounts and detailed instructions are in the recipe card below!

To start, you’ll want to saute your aromatics, so add the oil and shallots to the pan. Once the shallots are translucent and fragrant, toss in your garlic and cook for a minute until your house smells delicious.

Pour in your vegetable broth and coconut milk. Stir to combine, and add in your pasta. If you’re using spaghetti, it may take a few minutes for it to soften enough to fit into that pan – that’s okay! It will still cook evenly.

Stir every few minutes or so as the pasta absorbs the liquid and starts to form the sauce. It will take about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the type of pasta you’re using.

Towards the end of cooking, add in the lemon juice & zest. Taste, and add salt, pepper, and more lemon to taste. You can also add an extra splash of vegetable broth if needed.

Customize this lemon pasta to your tastes:

Here are some ideas to jazz it up even more if you want to add extra veggies or a fun topping…

  • Top with toasted breadcrumbs like I did! Recipe is in the Notes section of the recipe card.
  • Stir in two cups of mixed greens like arugula, spinach, etc. for an extra veggie boost.
  • Add in your favorite roasted veggies like broccoli or cauliflower.
  • Serve with your favorite protein. Use crispy tempeh or tofu to keep vegan, or add chicken if you’re not vegan!

What to serve with…

If you try this One-Pot Lemon Pasta and love it as much as I hope you do, let me know what you think in the comments below, and don’t forget to rate the recipe! I’d love to hear your feedback.

Bakerita | Rachel Conners

One-Pot Creamy Lemon Pasta

4.91 from 10 reviews
This One-Pot Creamy Lemon Pasta will be your new favorite 30-minute vegan dinner! It’s quick and easy to make in just one pan. It’s dairy-free, vegan, and easily made gluten-free.
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 12 oz. regular or gluten-free pasta, I used brown rice spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, or vegan butter
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2½ cups vegetable broth
  • 1 15 oz. can coconut milk
  • ¼ cup lemon juice from a fresh lemon, plus the zest
  • Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add your chopped shallots to the pan. Once the shallots are translucent and fragrant, toss in the garlic. Cook for a minute until fragrant.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 shallots, 3 cloves garlic
  • Pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Stir to combine, and add in your pasta. If you’re using spaghetti, it may take a few minutes for it to soften enough to fit into that pan – that’s okay! It will still cook evenly.
    2½ cups vegetable broth, 1 15 oz. can coconut milk, 12 oz. regular or gluten-free pasta
  • Once the liquid starts to boil, reduce the heat to low – it should be simmering but not at a full boil. Stir every few minutes or so as the pasta absorbs the liquid and starts to form the sauce. It will take about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the type of pasta you’re using. Start checking for doneness according to the time your type of pasta calls for. 
  • Towards the end of cooking, when the liquid is mostly absorbed, add in the lemon juice & zest. Taste, and add salt, pepper, and more lemon to taste. You can also add an extra splash of vegetable broth if needed.
    ¼ cup lemon juice from a fresh lemon, Salt & pepper
  • Once the pasta is fully cooked and at your desired level of sauciness, serve immediately, and top with breadcrumb topping (in the Notes section below) if using. Enjoy!

Notes

For the breadcrumbs: if you want to make it extra fancy, saute about ½ cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed) in one tablespoon of oil over medium-low heat until golden brown. Add a few tablespoons of chopped parsley and the zest of one lemon. Sprinkle over your finished pasta.
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