You don’t need to give up pasta. Pasta was never the problem. More often, it’s the fact the meal around it is missing balance.

My favourite meal as a kid was (wait for it…) pasta with butter and Wensleydale cheese. When I went plant-based and transformed my health, pasta remained a firm favourite… I just served a little differently.

When meals are low in fibre, protein and vegetables, they can leave you feeling sluggish and unsatisfied, and sometimes even hungry not long later… even if you’ve eaten a big portion. When you build a pasta dish with a little more balance in mind, it feels completely different.

This one is zingy but comforting, with white beans and vegetables folded through a silky basil dressing and charred lemon bringing a softer, sweeter citrus flavour. It is a pasta dish that is perfect warm for dinner or packed up for lunch the next day.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 180 g pasta of choice (choose whole grain, gluten-free or even lentil for a protein boost)
  • 1 medium courgette, sliced into half moons
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 x 400 g tin butter beans or cannellini beans, drained (or the yummy jarred ones)
  • 2 large handfuls rocket
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

Lemon basil dressing

  • 150 g silken tofu
  • Large handful fresh basil, plus extra torn basil to finish
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 1 tsp white miso
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of the charred lemon
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Cook the pasta until al dente, reserving a splash of the pasta water before draining.
  2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the courgette with the olive oil and cook until deeply golden at the edges.
  3. Add the beans to the pan for the final 2–3 minutes so they warm through and lightly catch in places.
  4. Place the lemon halves cut-side down in the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes until lightly caramelised.
  5. Add the silken tofu, basil, garlic, miso, lemon zest, charred lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and a splash of reserved pasta water to a blender. Blend until smooth and glossy. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
  6. Toss the warm pasta with the dressing until coated, then fold through the courgettes, beans and rocket.
  7. Finish with toasted pumpkin seeds, torn basil and plenty of black pepper.