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Lemon & Garlic Pasta with White Beans (Vegan)

A creamy, savory, plant-based pasta with a lemony twist! Tomatoes, arugula, and white beans make this a nourishing, satisfying, weeknight-friendly meal. Just 10 ingredients required!
Author Minimalist Baker
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Bowl of vegan lemon garlic pasta with tomatoes and arugula
4.76 from 25 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 (Servings)
Course Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

SAUCE

  • 2/3 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest

PASTA

  • 12 oz pasta of choice (we like Jovial gluten-free penne)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or sub chickpeas, but they’ll be more firm)
  • 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 6 cups baby arugula

FOR SERVING optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add cashews to a heat-proof bowl and cover with at least 2 inches of boiling water. Set aside to soak.
  • PASTA: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta, stir, and set a timer for the lower end of your package’s al dente recommendation. Proceed with the recipe while your pasta cooks.
  • Meanwhile, heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add olive oil and garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly sizzling — about 1 minute. Add the drained and rinsed beans, tomatoes, and salt and stir to combine. Then reduce to low heat, cover, and let simmer while you make your sauce.
  • SAUCE: Drain the cashews and add them to a high-speed blender along with the other sauce ingredients (water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, and lemon zest). Blend on high until very smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. The sauce may seem thin but it will thicken once added to the pasta.
  • PASTA: Test your pasta for doneness and drain. Then add the arugula to the tomatoes/beans and stir to combine. Once the arugula has wilted, add in the cooked pasta and the cashew sauce and mix well. Turn the heat to medium-low and continue stirring until everything is nicely coated and the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
  • Serve warm garnished with vegan parmesan cheese, if desired. Leftovers keep for 3-4 days. Not freezer friendly.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with Jovial brown rice penne and ~2 teaspoons vegan parmesan cheese per serving.

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 440 Carbohydrates: 65.1 g Protein: 15.6 g Fat: 14.7 g Saturated Fat: 1.9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8 g Monounsaturated Fat: 7.2 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 388 mg Potassium: 789 mg Fiber: 8.1 g Sugar: 3.5 g Vitamin A: 320 IU Vitamin C: 86 mg Calcium: 163 mg Iron: 4.8 mg