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Lemony Protein and Pea Pasta- Vegan

The best spring time pasta that is protein packed and so satisfying to all your senses. Healthy and full of freshness that you can't stop eating.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients
  

  • Pasta- of your choice use whole grain pasta
  • water to boil pasta

Sauce

  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup whole cashews if nut allergy, can use just pumpkin and sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds optional, add extra creaminess
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 1/2 cup oat milk - can use any plant based milk
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 cup edamame blanched
  • 1/2 cup green peas - frozen but left outside for 15 min
  • 2 tsp whole white pepper can use black pepper as well
  • salt per taste
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice - fresh

Mix ins

  • 1 cup edamame blanched
  • 1 tsp dry parsley
  • 1 tsp lemon zest - optional
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes or more black pepper -optional for more spice

Instructions
 

Blanching edamame

  • Boil water in a pot to submerge the edamame and let them cook for 5-6 min. Drain the water and keep the edamame aside.
    You can just let the frozen peas rest on the counter to thaw.

Making Sauce

  • Soak cashews and pumpkin seeds in hot water (just enough to submerge them about 1/2 cup) for 10 min.
    In a blender jar, add the cashews, pumpkin seeds along with the water, garlic, plant based milk, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice.
    Also add the blanched edamame, and thawed peas.
    Now blitz into a smooth paste.

Boil pasta

  • Take a deep pan , and fill with water. Let water boil. Then add a pinch of salt, pasta to cook.
    Per the al dente time listed on pasta package, cook the pasta and drain the water. Save the pasta water.

Bringing them together

  • In a deep skillet, add little bit of pasta water or olive oil ( if using). Once hot, add the extra edamame. Then add the cooked pasta. After a minute, add the yummy sauce and mix gently. Add the left over past water for desired consistency. Then add fresh lemon juice, dry parsley any extra lemon zest if desired. Stir it all together.
    The pasta does tend to thicken up and absorb the water with time, so have the pasta water on hand if you need to retouch the consistency.
    Add more pepper or red pepper flakes if more heat is desired.