A weeknight pasta that leans on a good pesto to carry everything. Fresh green beans add body and vegetal balance to the rich basil and pine nuts, turning shelf staples into something that tastes like you lingered over it.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 740 calories a serving, 20 g protein, 93 g carbohydrate, 32 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 oz pasta and cook until two minutes before tender. Trim 6 oz green beans and add them to the pot, then cook until the pasta is tender and the beans are bright and just yielding, about two minutes more.12 min
2. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Return the pasta and beans to the pot off heat, then stir in 1/2 cup vegan pesto and 2 tablespoons reserved pasta water until it coats everything loosely.
3. Divide between two bowls and taste for salt and pepper.

Note Swap green beans for trimmed zucchini or thin broccoli florets. Leftovers keep two days cold or reheated gently with a splash of water. Serve with a wedge of lemon and crusty bread to catch the sauce.