Seasonal Italian fare made all in one pot, this broad bean pasta makes perfect early summer dinner. Light and full of vibrant flavours yet still very comforting. Simplicity at its best.
Who doesn't like simple yet super satisfying recipes that cook all in one pan? I'm definitely a huge fan.
I'm also a fan of broad beans (fava beans), especially early in the season when they're super tender and simply irresistible.
This simple broad bean pasta recipe is my take on Italian "pasta e fave", popular especially in the Southern regions of Italy, although you will find it all over the country with some regional differences of course.
My broad bean pasta is cooked all in one pot, has only few ingredients and is fully plant based but cheesier vegetarian option is available as well.
If you'd like to learn more about cooking broad beans, do check out my guide on How to Cook Broad Beans. It's full of helpful information and tips you might find helpful, especially if you've never cooked broad beans before.
Jump to:
✔️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy peasy one pot midweek dinner.
- Perfect spring/early summer broad bean recipe.
- Seasonal, fresh and light yet cosy and comforting pasta dish for entire family.
- Easy to adapt vegan or vegetarian recipe.
- Truly delicious.
🛒 Ingredients to make One Pot Broad Bean Pasta
Here's what you will need to make my Broad Bean Pasta:
Broad Beans (Fava Beans) - As you can see from the photo below ⬇️ I didn't double pod my broad beans on this occasion. The main reason for that is that I used just picked, very young broad beans from the garden and so didn't feel like I had to. When young they're extremely tender and delicious even in their "shells/skins" and so double podding would be for aesthetic reasons only and that's not how I roll.
Out of season you can use frozen broad beans instead (I would suggest defrosting and double podding those first) or fresh podded peas or frozen peas will work just as well. If using peas add them towards the end when your pasta is almost cooked.
***Quick Tip** If your broad beans are mature and mostly large you might want to double pod them (peel off the outer shell/skin after taking them out of their pods). It's easier to double pod broad beans after cooking (see my How to Cook Broad Beans Guide) but in this one-pot recipe it should be done before cooking. It's a bit fiddly and time consuming but put on some good tunes and simply crack on.
Smoked Tempeh - It's absolutely optional but I wanted that smoky flavour that traditionally might be provided by pancetta (depending on the part of Italy where you eat your broad bean pasta). As a family we all adore both smoked tempeh and tofu and we have it a lot. It's not overpowering at all but gives gentle smokiness and definitely adds to the flavour.
You could use firm smoked tofu instead but I would cook it separately and serve over finished pasta more as a garnish as it's not robust enough to be cooked all in one pan.
Pasta - Use your favourite pasta shape. I went for Casarecce.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I use it here for both sautéing and also serving on top of finished pasta. You can use different oil for sautéing if you want. Cold-pressed rapeseed oil is my other favourite.
Onion and Garlic - Flavour. Feel free to substitute onion for shallot(s).
Fresh Dill - Great partner for broad beans and as I have tons of it in the garden, that's what I went for. Feel free to substitute with mint or basil.
***Quick Tip*** Don't waste the stalk from your dill. Simply separate them from feathery leaves, chop up and add to the pan with onions and garlic for extra flavour.
Spinach - Just a little bit of extra goodness. You could add some chard, watercress or rocket (arugula) instead.
Lemon - Both zest and juice for flavour.
Nutritional Yeast - It's optional but I use it instead of cheese for that lovely nutty flavour but feel free to substitute it with vegetarian parmesan if using.
Water or Stock - I use water in this recipe with 1 vegetable stock cube. I then season my pasta to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. If you prefer using all stock, feel free to do that.
🍳 How to make Broad Bean Pasta
Ingredient quantities & detailed instructions to be found in recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1: Prepare broad beans and all the other ingredients as per recipe card below.
Step 2: Place a large pot/pan with a lid on a medium heat and add olive oil. Once warm add chopped onion, garlic, dill stalks and cubed tempeh followed by a generous sprinkle of salt. Give it all a good mix and cook (stirring frequently) for about 5 minutes, just to soften onions a bit and for the tempeh to catch a little bit of colour.
***Quick Tip*** Don't walk away from the pan at this point as frequent stirring is definitely required or tempeh will stick to the bottom of the pan.
Step 3: Next, add podded (or double podded) broad beans and just enough freshly boiled water to cover them. Give it all a good stir, cover and cook for 3 minutes (if using double podded broad beans, go straight to the next step).
Step 4: Add pasta a stock cube and 1 litre of just boiled water. If using double podded broad beans add them now as well. Give it a good stir, cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Keep checking on the pasta and giving it a stir every now and then. If you see it's getting dry, add a splash of water or stock.
Step 5: Once pasta is cooked, take it off the heat and add spinach and nutritional yeast or parmesan (if using) and give it all a good stir again. The spinach will wilt nicely as you're stirring it in.
Next, add a zest of one lemon and chopped fresh dill. Mix and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and some lemon juice to your taste.
Serve immediately with an extra drizzle of olive oil or a grating of regular or vegan parmesan.
Enjoy!
🥡 Storing Pasta e Fave
Store: If you find yourself with leftovers they will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheat: You can reheat your pasta in the microwave or on the hob/stovetop. You might need to add a little bit of water or stock to loosen its consistency a bit and make it "saucy" again.
Freeze: I wouldn't recommend freezing.
💭 Pro Tips
Don't feel that you have to double pod your broad beans. If you leave them in their skins they might not look all lovely and bright green but if they're young they will still be nice and tender and you save yourself a task.
If using double podded broad beans, don't add them too early but at the same time as pasta.
Keep and eye on the pasta and add extra liquid (water or stock) if needed. You don't want your end result to be dry but rather "saucy".
The amount of seasoning (salt, pepper) will depend on the saltiness of stock used. Make sure to taste before you add more salt to your pasta.
Don't skip lemon juice at the end. I find most dishes can do with at least a bit of acidity and this pasta is no exception. It provides that extra sharpness and vibrancy and brings all other flavours together. Don't be too heavy handed to start with, add a little at a time to suit your taste, you can always add more.
Utilise frozen broad beans out of season. Personally, I would recommend double podding these (after defrosting them first) as I usually find them quite tough if left in their skins.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Serve it simply with a drizzle of quality extra virgin olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper.
Grating of some parmesan cheese or sprinkle of my vegan parmesan won't go amiss either.
More chopped fresh dill or whatever herb you're using will add extra freshness to the dish too.
Last but not least how about some nice crusty bread? My easy breadsticks are perfect with pasta but if you're short on time try these super fluffy easy garlic flatbreads.
❓ FAQ
You can use frozen broad beans which I would suggest to defrost and de-skin first. Alternatively, fresh podded peas or frozen peas (defrosted) can be used as a good alternative to broad beans. Also edamame (soya beans) will work well.
Have you tried my One Pot Broad Bean Pasta?
Please consider giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in recipe card below and share your views or tips in the comments.
😋 More delicious broad bean recipes
📋 Recipe
One Pot Broad Bean Pasta (Pasta e Fave)
Ingredients
- 500 g pasta of your choice I used Casarecce
- 350-400 g podded broad beans feel free to double pod them although it's not necessary if using young broad beans; see notes below
- just enough freshly boiled water to cover broad beans when added
- 100-150 g baby spinach leaves
- 20 g fresh dill (stalks and leaves kept separately) stalks chopped up separately from the feathery leaves; mint or basil leaves can be used instead
- 3-4 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil for sautéing and more to serve if desired
- 1 small onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 200 g smoked tempeh cut into small cubes; see notes
- 3-4 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional) feel free to use vegetarian parmesan instead
- 1 veggie stock cube I use Kallo; see notes
- 1 ltr freshly boiled water see notes
- salt and pepper to taste
- lemon zest and juice to taste
Instructions
- Prepare broad beans and all other ingredients as per instructions above.
- Place a large pot/pan with a lid on a medium heat and add olive oil. Once warm add chopped onion, garlic, dill stalks and cubed tempeh followed by a generous sprinkle of salt. Give it all a good mix and cook (stirring frequently) for about 5 minutes, just to soften the onions a bit and for the tempeh to catch a little bit of colour.20 g fresh dill (stalks and leaves kept separately), 3-4 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 small onion , 2 garlic cloves, 200 g smoked tempeh
- Next, add podded (or double podded) broad beans and just enough freshly boiled water to cover them. Give it all a good stir, cover and cook for 3 minutes (if using double podded broad beans, go straight to the next step).***Quick Tip*** Don't walk away from the pan at this point as frequent stirring is definitely required or tempeh will stick to the bottom of the pan.350-400 g podded broad beans, just enough freshly boiled water to cover broad beans when added
- Add pasta, a stock cube and 1 litre of just boiled water. If using double podded broad beans add them now as well. Give it a good stir, cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Keep checking on the pasta and giving it a stir every now and then. If you see it's getting dry, add a splash of water or stock.500 g pasta of your choice, 1 ltr freshly boiled water, 1 veggie stock cube
- Once pasta is cooked, take it off the heat and add spinach and nutritional yeast (optional) or parmesan (if using) and give it all a good stir again. The spinach will wilt nicely as you're stirring it in.Next, add a zest of one lemon and fresh dill. Mix and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and some lemon juice to your taste.Serve immediately with an extra drizzle of olive oil or a grating of regular or vegan parmesan.Enjoy!100-150 g baby spinach leaves, 3-4 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional), lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (based on 6 servings) and should be treated as a rough guideline only. It will differ depending on the exact ingredients used.
- I had roughly 1kg (2.2lb) of broad beans in pods which gave me just under 400g of beans. If you have less it's ok, use what you've got or bulk it up with some frozen peas if you want. Check out 🛒 Ingredients to make One Pot Broad Bean Pasta for more information.
- This pasta can be made without tempeh. I love it for its flavour and extra protein but you can leave it out.
- I use only 1 veggie stock cube for 1 ltr of water and then adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Feel free to use homemade stock or perhaps make up your own veggie stock using bouillon powder instead.
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the hob/stovetop. You might need to add some water/stock to loosen consistency a bit.
- I don't recommend freezing.
Comments
No Comments