This creamy, Spicy Lemon Dill Rigatoni is completely dairy-free – but you would never know it! A creamy, completely dairy-free sauce that is a little spicy, yet fresh and springy thanks to fresh lemon and dill!
My recipe for Spicy Lemon Dill Rigatoni is everything you want in a spring pasta dish. It’s creamy, yet light and refreshing thanks to the fresh dill and lemon. Lemon juice always makes anything taste fresher! This recipe uses mostly pantry staple ingredients (garlic, shallot, spices, dry pasta, coconut milk) plus a few fresh ingredients like the dill and lemon. If you’re looking for other ways to use up the lemon and dill, check out my lemon dill potato salad!
As you have probably gathered from my recipes, this is also a pretty simple and easy one to make. It’s not a one pot (although I have lots of those like this one and this one) but it really couldn’t be more straight forward and simple to make! Boil the pasta. Make the sauce in one pan in under 10 minutes while the pasta cooks. Add the pasta and thicken the sauce. Serve it up and finish with an extra sprinkle of chilli flakes and dill.
Tips to Make this Spicy Lemon Dill Rigatoni:
The key to this pasta is using tapioca starch to thicken the sauce. You can definitely use flour or corn starch (although see the notes below if you’re going to do that) but tapioca starch gives it that stretchy, cheesy look while thickening the sauce. It looks and feels so much like a cheese-heavy dairy pasta but it is in fact completely dairy-free! Perfect for anyone with dietary preferences, allergies or lactose intolerance!
Using fresh dill is another reason this pasta is so good. You can use dried for sure, but fresh is just sooo springy and makes it taste 10x better! The freshly juiced lemon and fresh dill keep the pasta tasting bright and springy, despite being total comfort food vibes! The best of both worlds.
Friday Night Easy Dinner!
Your Friday night (and first day of April!) needs this quick and easy Spicy Lemon Dill Rigatoni. Trust me. It is just what we need to get through the last few rainy weeks of winter/spring weather to sunnier, brighter days.
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Spicy Lemon Dill Rigatoni (dairy-free!)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings
Description
This spicy lemon dill rigatoni is creamy, completely dairy-free, a little spicy, yet fresh and springy thanks to fresh lemon and dill!
Ingredients
- 200g rigatoni pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 400 mL can of coconut milk
- 100 mL water
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt (you can always add more at the end once you taste it)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3 tbsp tapioca starch (I really recommend using tapioca starch for that stretchy, cheesy look and feel, but you can sub corn starch or flour, see notes below)
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped dill
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a deep frying pan on medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic, shallots and chilli flakes. Fry a few minutes, until starting to brown.
- Add the coconut milk, water, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and stir.
- Add the drained pasta, nutritional yeast and lemon juice and stir to combine. Add the tapioca starch 1 tbsp at a time, stirring to dissolve. Bring to a simmer and the sauce will thicken quickly so stir frequently and remove from heat once it has thickened to your liking.
- Add the fresh dill and serve. I like to garnish with extra chilli flakes and dill.
Notes
If subbing corn starch: mix 2 tbsp corn starch with 2 tbsp water. Add into the sauce before adding the pasta and let sauce start to thicken before adding in cooked pasta.
If subbing flour: add 2 tbsp flour to the pan just before pouring in the coconut milk mixture in step and stir to coat the onion and garlic. Let cook a minute or two, then slowly add the coconut milk a bit at a time, mixing and letting it thicken as you go.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
So delicious!!!! Simple and fast. Thank you!
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So happy you enjoyed it 🙂 xo
This was so good! Will definitely add this to my favorite recipes. I followed the steps exactly and it turned out so well. Thank you so much!
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We really liked this one, and was even yummy the next day! Will be making it again. With steamed broccoli on the side it was an easy weeknight meal. Thanks!
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sounds delicious!
I’m giving this a 5 even though the version I made was a 3. I made the mistake of subbing light coconut milk and I used cornstarch and water. So it ended up with a kind of watered down taste. I can’t wait to make this again with full fat coconut milk and arrowroot. Also I doubled the recipe and used 1lb of rigatoni and it was still very saucy. I realise that may be a result of the watery light coconut milk and the extra water from the cornstarch. Another delicious recipe 😋
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Made supper for vegan and non vegan folks using this recipe. It was a HIT for EVERYONE! They want me to make it again!!! I am new to cooking vegan. Thanks so much!
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Made this tonight and it’s SO good! Added in some butter beans for a little protein and it was the perfect weeknight dinner. Will absolutely make again!
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this was so tasty and easy! added chickpeas for more protein.
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Delicious!!
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So happy you enjoyed 🙂
This recipe is simple, but yet it somehow tastes absolutely scrumptious- like it belongs on the menu at a five-star resort. Combing dill and chilli peppers in a cream sauce is such a creative way to ignite a delicious flavour profile in the pasta. I will definitely be making this recipe again and again. Try out this recipe today, you won’t be disappointed!
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This recipe was a goodie! Lots of flavour with little ingredients. Thanks Liv!
I’ve made this too many times to count. It’s a family fav! Thanks liv!
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