This French-inspired stew is hearty, comforting and full of flavour. While traditional versions tend to use bacon or pancetta to deepen the savoury note, this one makes the most of nutritional yeast. It can also be made totally vegan by using coconut oil instead of butter. Ready in under 30 minutes, it makes for a quick and healthy mid-week supper!

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 tbsp butter or coconut oil
2 leeks, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed and diced
2 cans cannellini beans, drained
½ litre vegetable stock
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard
3 large handfuls spinach
Black pepper

Method

1. Pop a large saucepan on a medium heat and melt the butter or coconut oil.

2. Pan fry the sliced leeks for 5–10 minutes, or until soft.

3. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, and then tip in the cannellini beans. Stir to mix through.

4. Pour over the vegetable stock and bring to the boil for a couple of minutes. Turn down to a simmer.

5. Add the nutritional yeast and mustard and stir through. Grind over lots of black pepper.

6. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the stock has cooked down and the bean mixture has thickened. Two minutes before serving, stir through the handfuls of spinach.

7. Serve with a few more grinds of black pepper.

Tip: this makes a lovely side dish for salmon or trout. If you eat a plant-based diet, pair with some tofu sautéed with pesto.