Salad Leaf Pesto Pasta

If you're looking for an excuse to use up leftover salad leaves, here is your answer. Whether it's spinach, rocket, watercress or lettuce, we put them to good use by bulking out this gorgeous pesto pasta, which we combine with sun-dried tomatoes and butter beans.

Ingredients

-1 people+

Metric

Method

1. 1

   First cook the pasta until al dente in salted boiling water.

   
2. 2

   Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a large pan on a medium heat until they begin to brown, then add them to a food processor with the mixed salad leaves, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, 4 tablespoons of olive oil and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Process until smooth, then set aside.

   
3. 3

   Wipe clean the pan you used earlier to toast the pine nuts, then return the pan to a medium heat. Add a small splash of olive oil, then add the sun-dried tomatoes and butter beans. Cook for a couple of minutes, then reduce the heat.

   
4. 4

   When the pasta is ready, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta straight into the pan, adding a small amount of the pasta water as you go to loosen the pesto. Give everything a good stir, then plate up. We love to top with extra olive oil and grated vegan parmesan.