Vegan recipe

Creamy Lemon-Garlic Butter Bean Orzo

Name: Creamy Lemon-Garlic Butter Bean Orzo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved; 250 g dried orzo; 750 ml hot vegetable stock, plus a little extra if needed; 1 × 400 g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed; 100 g baby spinach; 1 unwaxed lemon, finely zested and juiced; 3 tbsp nutritional yeast; 2 tbsp unsweetened oat cream or plant-based crème fraîche (optional); A small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bright, creamy and ready in 35 minutes

Tender orzo, creamy butter beans, sweet cherry tomatoes and spinach come together in one pan, lifted with lemon and plenty of black pepper. It is cosy enough for a rainy evening but fresh enough for any day of the week.

A bowl of creamy lemon-garlic orzo with butter beans, cherry tomatoes, spinach and parsley

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 35 mins
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

What you’ll need

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
250 g dried orzo
750 ml hot vegetable stock, plus a little extra if needed
1 × 400 g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
100 g baby spinach
1 unwaxed lemon, finely zested and juiced
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp unsweetened oat cream or plant-based crème fraîche (optional)
A small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 clear steps

Method

Warm the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion with a small pinch of salt and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and cherry tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the garlic smells fragrant and the tomatoes begin to soften.
Stir in the orzo, then pour in the hot vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring often so the orzo does not catch. Add a splash more stock or hot water if the pan becomes dry before the pasta is tender.
Fold in the butter beans and spinach. Cook for another 3–4 minutes, until the beans are hot and the spinach has wilted.
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon zest, half the lemon juice, nutritional yeast and oat cream, if using. Season generously with black pepper and add salt and more lemon juice to taste.
Spoon into warm bowls, scatter with parsley and finish with an extra twist of black pepper. Serve straight away while the orzo is loose and creamy.

Make it yours

Useful notes

No oat cream?

Leave it out for a lighter finish, or stir in two tablespoons of unsweetened soya yoghurt after taking the pan off the heat.

Change the greens

Chopped kale works well; add it a few minutes earlier so it has time to soften. Frozen peas are another easy option.

For leftovers

Cool promptly and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days. Reheat thoroughly with a splash of water or stock, as the orzo will thicken.

Allergen information

Contains gluten (orzo). Depending on the products used, vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, oat cream and plant-based crème fraîche may contain celery, gluten, mustard or soya. Check individual labels if cooking for someone with an allergy.

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