This Vegan Tahini Lemon Pasta Primavera is packed with colorful veggies, protein, and fiber for a fun and satisfying meal. It takes only 40 minutes to make and is completely plant-based, gluten-free, and oil-free!
This recipe was made in partnership with CatholicTV. All opinions are my own.
I'm obsessed with this plant-based pasta primavera. Why?
Because it's so beautiful and incredibly flavorful, yet super simple.
There are no complicated ingredients and the recipe only takes about 40 minutes to make. It's a great weeknight dinner packed with vegetables and fiber!
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What is pasta primavera?
So what even is pasta primavera?
Primavera is the Italian word for springtime. Pasta primavera, though, was invented in America.
Pasta primavera is a basically a pasta and vegetable dish. It usually has veggies, pasta, and parmesan.
How to make pasta primavera vegan
Many pasta primavera recipes use oil, butter, and parmesan in the cooking and sauce. To make this pasta primavera vegan, we're omitting the oil and using a simple lemon tahini sauce instead.
Tahini has a rich, nutty flavor. And while it doesn't have a cheesy flavor like parmesan, the richness adds that same depth of flavor you get with cheese.
A kick of acid from the lemon juice brings the dish together.
Why I love this Vegan Tahini Lemon Pasta Primavera
- Dietary needs - this lemon tahini pasta primavera is vegan, dairy-free, oil-free, and sugar free. It can also easily be made gluten-free
- Colorful dinner - choose a variety of colorful vegetables for a vibrant dish with beautiful colors
- High protein - edamame adds a healthy serving of protein to the dish. For even more protein, choose a bean-based pasta
- Simple ingredients - pasta, veggies, tahini, lemon juice - that's it!
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta: choose any shape of pasta you like! I used ziti, but penne, farfalle, or linguine would also work well. Choose a chickpea or lentil-based pasta for extra protein!
- Vegetables: red onion, carrots, broccoli, bell pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red onion. Feel free to add your favorite veggies or leave out ones you don't like.
- Edamame: don't skip the edamame! It's important to eat beans regularly, and edamame is the main source of protein in the dish
- Garlic: feel free to use freeze dried garlic or garlic powder as a substitute for fresh
- Tahini: tahini is a sesame seed paste, like nut butter but with sesame seeds. It's the key ingredient for the rich flavor of the dish, so don't skip it!
- Lemon Juice: fresh is best!
- Salt & Pepper
- Parsley: for garnish
How to make Vegan Pasta Primavera
Step 1. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water while boiling. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
Step 2. In a large non-stick pan, sauté the onion, carrot, and broccoli for 5 minutes, until starting to soften.
Step 3. Add the edamame, pepper, squash, zucchini, garlic, and tomatoes. Cook another 5-7 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.
Step 4. Add the cooked veggies to the pasta then stir in the tahini, lemon juice, and ¼ cup of the pasta water. Stir to coat the vegetables, adding the remaining ¼ cup of water as necessary to create a creamy sauce.
Step 5. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
FAQ & Expert Tips
For a gluten-free dish, use a bean based or brown rice pasta. I like using a bean based pasta for extra protein.
You can use any shape you want: traditionally this recipe uses penne, but any shorter pasta or a longer pasta can be good too.
When sautéing vegetables, you usually don't need any cooking liquid. The veggies will naturally release the water inside them and become the cooking liquid.
If your veggies start to stick, simply add a splash (i.e. 1-2 tablespoons) of water to the pan. The water will help the vegetables cook and quickly evaporate, leaving the veggies cooked but not watery.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this dinner. Thank you for making food that has beautiful colors for us to enjoy. We love the beauty of your creation. Amen.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Tahini Lemon Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Bean-Based or Regular Pasta of choice penne, ziti, farfalle, linguine, etc.
- ¼-1/2 Cup Pasta Water
- 1 Medium Red Onion sliced
- 1 Large Carrot julienned or thinly sliced
- 1-2 Broccoli Crowns cut into florets
- 12 Ounces Frozen Edamame (about 2 cups)
- 1 Red Bell Pepper thinly sliced
- 1 Medium Yellow Squash sliced and quartered
- 1 Medium Zucchini sliced and quartered
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
- ½ Cup Grape or Cherry Tomatoes halved
- ⅔ Cup Tahini
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package directions. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water while boiling. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
- In a large non-stick pan, sauté the onion, carrot, and broccoli for 5 minutes, until starting to soften.
- Add the edamame, pepper, squash, zucchini, garlic, and tomatoes. Cook another 5-7 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.
- Add the cooked veggies to the pasta then stir in the tahini, lemon juice, and ¼ cup of the pasta water. Stir to coat the vegetables, adding the remaining ¼ cup of water as necessary to create a creamy sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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