Vegan Lemon-Butter Fettuccine with Parsley and Pine Nuts
Think back to your early 20′s. Fresh out of college, in your first apartment (probably with 2-3 roommates), and your focus was more on having fun with your friends than grocery shopping. You probably ate a lot of ramen noodles (with frozen veggies mixed in if you were “health conscious”, ha ha) and, if you were like me, a lot of spaghetti with melted butter and salt. These Lemon-Butter Fettuccine with Parsley and Pine Nuts are my grown up answer to that admittedly delicious dish.
No way could I have afforded pine nuts back then! It was bad enough that I was always borrowing money from my mom to make my bar tab rent, I doubt she would’ve been amused if I had hit her up to buy seeds too.
Whatever your age, these noodles are delicious. Pair them with a green salad and a glass of crisp white wine and I’d call that just about the perfect meal. It also reheats nicely for workday lunches (hold the wine. Or not.)
PS: Just kidding about that bar tab joke, mom!
PPS: Stop squinting at my pictures, looking for the pine nuts. I forgot to put them in there. I don’t want to talk about it.
Lemon-Butter Fettuccine with Parsley and Pine Nuts (6 servings)
Ingredients:
- 1 box fettuccine
- 4-5 Tablespoons Earth Balance (or vegan butter of choice)
- 1 large lemon (juice and zest!)
- Generous 1/4 cup parsley, minced
- S&P
- 4-5 tablespoons pine nuts
Directions:
- Boil the pasta per package instructions, then drain. While they’re working, chop your parsley and get that lemon ready! A little trick is to roll it back and forth on your cutting board under your palm, it loosens up the juices.
- When the pasta is done, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the lemon juice and the pasta, and mix well. Let the pasta sit in there for a minute or two and make sure everything is all warm and mixed.
- Mix in your parsley, S&P, and top with the lemon zest. I recommend waiting to add the pine nuts until you’ve already plated the fettuccine to make sure they’re evenly distributed- a little less than a tablespoon per bowl.
Enjoy!
Cadry says:
Okay, I’ve stopped squinting. I promise.
Buttered noodles was my favorite way to eat spaghetti growing up, but now I haven’t eaten it in probably 15 years. Funny how those things fade away and are replaced. Your noodles with pine nuts sound simply delicious.
Barb says:
Thanks! It’s fun to not only veganize old favorites, but also to update them and make them a little more “grown up”.
heather says:
Hahaha the Bar Tab – I love how you had to assure your Mom you were joking
This looks amazing! I love how lemon brightens up a dish 
My poor college student days I ate a lot of Rice a Roni, Pasta with Sauce or Alfredo – I pretty mush lived on carbs
Barb says:
I could still live on carbs!
Annie says:
Ramen noodles, Kraft Mac-n-Cheese… Amazing I’m still alive
.
Looks delish, Barb! So creamy good!
Barb says:
Why were all our favorites so bad for us!??
Angie says:
This sounds so yummy!
Connie Fletcher says:
Your dishes always look wonderful, Barb….with all the junk we all ate back “in the day”…it truly is a wonder we’re all still alive….
Barb says:
I know… but we’re vegan now, so we’re making up for it
Reia@TheCrueltyFreeReview says:
Buttered noodles (usually elbow macaroni)were my mom’s staple dinner when we were out of food and waiting for the next batch of food stamps. And I still love them to this day. I occasionally indulge in them at Noodles and Company, but the addition of pine nuts and lemon upgrades this to a truly adult meal (oh and the wine does that too
)Do you toast the pine nuts first?
Barb says:
I didn’t, but you certainly can!
Sophie33 says:
MMMMMMMMMM! I woul add tossed veggies in here for added yummyniess!
RubyShooZ says:
Great recipe; so simple and fine. I like to add a variety of things to my own simple noodle dishes such as lemon-pepper, lemon juice, Earth Balance, nutritional yeast and maybe some more lemon juice.
And always parsley.
(We still see pine nuts as pretty expensive and haven’t bought any in a long time but now you’ve got me a ‘lil obsessed here about pine nuts. Mmm!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says:
I just had a very similar meal to this the other day! Simple, yet comforting : )