Mediterranean Lemon Pasta

Finished pasta in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spoon

Vegan Mediterranean Pasta! It’s a light and refreshing pasta dish made with angel hair pasta, tomatoes, olives, and artichokes. It's all tossed with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and vegan parmesan cheese for a simple vegan meal made in under 20 minutes!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 423kcal

Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

8 oz spaghetti
1 ½ tsp. salt, divided
3 tbsp. Bari Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 14oz can artichoke hearts, quartered
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
¼ cup packed sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
¼ cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup basil chopped
pinch of red pepper flakes
pepper, to taste
vegan parmesan, optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring 2 quarts of water to boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and pasta noodles. Cook, uncovered, for 7-9 minutes until pasta is al dente. Remove from heat, strain through a colander. Immediately toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.
Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-low. Add garlic and tomatoes sauté for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomatoes begin to break down. Stir in artichoke hearts, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts. Cook for one more minute until the vegetables are heated through and pine nuts are slightly browned. Stir in the cooked pasta.
Remove from heat and add lemon juice, the remaining one tablespoon olive oil, and fresh basil. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and vegan parmesan, if using. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.

Notes

Serving and Storing - The pasta is best served fresh and hot from the skillet. I like to serve it with a side of bread or breadsticks. You could serve it with roasted or steamed vegetables or a big Caesar salad. Store leftover pasta in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Before storing, allow the pasta to cool completely. Seal the container(s) and place it in the fridge.

Reheating – To reheat, you can cover and place in the microwave until the noodles and veggies warm through. You could also toss it in a skillet with a little bit of extra olive oil over medium-low heat until the veggies are warmed through.

Recipe Tips

Use your preferred pasta. Any will work! I updated this recipe with thin spaghetti noodles but I have also used bow tie, rotini, and fusilli pasta.
Cook the pasta to al dente to avoid mushy pasta. If you use thicker or thinner noodles, I recommend following the box’s instructions to cook the pasta al dente. Cook times can range from 5 to 6 minutes to 12 or more depending on the variety.

Nutrition