How to make tomato and courgette pasta bowl

For a quick vegetarian meal, this Italian dish uses courgettes that are just coming into season with carrots and basil leaves

To make a gluten-free version, swap the conchiglie for cooked beans

Tomato and courgette pasta bowl

This is a light, one-pot dinner, where the taste of simply cooked vegetables shines through. If you can’t find small pasta shapes, break spaghetti into small lengths.

Serves 4

Sunflower or light olive oil, for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1tbsp tomato puree
5–6 tomatoes, depending on size, skinned and diced
2 courgettes, cut into 2cm dice
2 carrots, cut into 2cm dice
1 litre chicken or good veg stock
200g small pasta shapes eg orzo, small conchiglie or macaroni
Handful of basil leaves
50g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Heat three tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and fry very gently, stirring now and then to stop it catching, for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 2 minutes.

Add the tomato puree, tomatoes, courgettes and carrots and stir for 2 minutes. Add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Add the pasta, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the pasta is just tender.

Shred the basil leaves and stir them into the sauce, with half the parmesan. Check the seasoning and serve drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with the rest of the cheese.

Variation: Swap the wheat pasta for some rice pasta or cooked beans, such as cannellini, to make a gluten-free version.

Recipe from riverford.co.uk/recipes