One Pot Butter Bean Pasta With Spring Onion Pesto

Peel the broccoli stalk, then separate it from the head. Break the head into florets, trimming any large stalks from them. Set the florets aside for later, and finely chop all the stalks.

Next, finely chop the white parts of the spring onion and set the green parts aside for later.

Add a splash of olive oil to a large casserole pot or saucepan on a medium heat. Add the broccoli stalks, white spring onion and garlic. Cook for 5-6 or until it’s softened and lightly golden, but not brown.

Next add the vegetable stock and the hot water to the pot, then bring it to a boil. Add the pasta, lemon zest and pinches of salt and pepper. Cook the pasta at a moderate boil for 8 minutes or until it’s almost al dente - it should be tender around the edges but still noticeably firm in the center. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Meanwhile, add the green parts of the spring onion to a food processor, followed by most of the basil leaves (save half a dozen or so for topping), pine nuts and pinches of salt and pepper. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil, then process into a thick and slightly runny texture, adding more oil if necessary. Set aside for later.

Next break or chop the broccoli florets into small 2cm (0.8”) pieces. Add them to the pot with the butter beans, including all the juices from the tins, followed by the nutritional yeast. Stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the pasta is al dente, topping up with more hot water if necessary so there’s a fair amount of sauce in the pot.

When the pasta is cooked, add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the pasta sit in the pot for 3-4 minutes so the sauce thickens, then spoon into bowls, top with the pesto and finish with a drizzle of olive oil (optional), freshly ground black pepper and the remaining basil leaves. Enjoy!