The typical pasta dish has LOTS of pasta and little veggies. This can mean LOTS of empty calories and a little nutrients. Boooo. ?
This recipe swaps that scenario and loads up on the veggies. Bonus – it also includes chickpeas! A plate filled with whole grain, beans and veggies means a well-rounded and filling meal!
Did you know that herbs also supply a healthy dose of nutrients? Not only do they offer tons of flavor, they’re packed with antioxidants. While we recommend fresh herbs in this recipe, feel free to use dried if you must (substitutions provided).
Nutritional yeast (*affiliate link) adds flavor and nutrients and it thickens the sauce at the end of the cooking process. If this is a new ingredient to your pantry, check out our nutritional yeast post to learn more.
We used JOI (*affiliate link) when making this tasty dish. It’s a nut-base with no additives that can quickly be made into a dairy-free milk. We shared our thoughts on JOI HERE, feel free to check it out!
Garlic is a flavorful and nutritional powerhouse, although peeling and mincing garlic cloves can seem tedious when you’re in a rush to get dinner on the table. For this reason, I typically buy minced garlic (*affiliate link). Simply scoop out what you need and toss it in!
Although there is quite a list of ingredients in this recipe, overall it’s simple and quick with just 5 steps. After your veggies are chopped, all there is to do is combine ingredients and cook. Foolproof!
Pro tip: Be sure to prep your ingredients BEFORE starting the cooking process. Since this is a throw-everything-in-at-once kind of recipe, there’s really no time for chopping veggies, rinsing beans, etc. once you get started.
You may even want to set the table first – this meal comes together that fast!
Looking for other plant-based pasta dishes? Check out some of our favorites!? One-Pot Pasta, The Creamiest Mac-n-Cheese, 3-Step Thai Peanut Pasta Salad, Pesto Pasta Salad, White Pasta Sauce
Plant-Based Creamy Lemon Dill Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz 100% whole grain pasta noodles
- 1 red onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or 1 T minced garlic
- 3 1/2 cups unflavored non-dairy milk we use JOI
- 6 fresh thyme springs, leaves removed or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt
- dash cayenne pepper optional
- 1/2 lb asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 lemon, juiced or 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped or 1 Tbsp dried dill
Instructions
- Add the noddles, onions, garlic, almond milk, thyme, salt and cayenne pepper (if using) to a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Bring to a boil, stir, reduce to simmer, cover and let cook for 4 minutes. Stir every 2-3 minutes.
- Add asparagus and mushrooms, cover and let cook for another 4 minutes.
- Add chickpeas and let cook for another 2 minutes, or until pasta is cooked. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, nutritional yeast and dill.
- Sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve topped with additional chopped dill, nutritional yeast or red pepper flakes.
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