Lemony White Bean Vegan Pasta with Broccoli
A creamy, tangy vegan pasta tossed with tender broccoli and a rich, protein-packed white bean sauce. Finished with toasted pine nuts and fresh lemon, it is a wholesome and satisfying weeknight dinner.
Instructions
Step 1: Blend the sauce
In a blender, combine the drained white beans, vegetable broth (or pasta water), fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp of the olive oil, nutritional yeast, minced garlic and onion powder. Blend until completely smooth and set aside.
Step 2: Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain.
Step 3: Sauté broccoli and onion
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the chopped broccoli (florets and stems) and a splash of vegetable broth or water. Cover and steam for 2–3 minutes until bright green and tender.
Step 4: Combine everything
Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour in about ¾ of the white bean sauce (reserve the rest for topping or extra creaminess). Toss to coat, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Season with the salt and black pepper to taste.
Step 5: Serve and garnish
Divide into 4 bowls, drizzle remaining sauce on top, and sprinkle with ¼ cup toasted pine nuts. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Ingredients
- 225g of small-shell pasta (dry)
- 3 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1 small yellow onion (chopped)
- 1 large head of broccoli (chopped into florets and stems, approx. 5 cups)
- 425g can of white beans (drained and rinsed)
- ¼ cup of vegetable broth
- 3 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup of nutritional yeast
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- ¼ tsp of onion powder
- ¼ tsp of salt (plus more to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup of pine nuts (toasted)
- Lemon wedges for serving
Nutritional Info
per serving
- Calories:
- 430kcal
- Protein:
- 20.5g
- Carbs:
- 64g
- Fat:
- 11g