Lentil pasta is a healthy, tasty, and wholesome Italian dish made with pasta and lentils (pasta e lenticchie), pappardelle pasta, and a delicious stew.
Using essential cupboard components in a single pot makes the meal simple to prepare and healthful. It’s a kid-friendly main dish with all the macros you need to stay full and healthy. This is an ideal choice for lunch or dinner. It’s also great for dinner preparation.
Lentil Pasta: What Is It?
Pasta e lenticchie, often known as lentil pasta, is a classic Italian dish passed down through the generations. Like pasta e fagioli and pasta e ceci, this meal cooks the pasta and lentils in the same pot and is incredibly creamy.
Lentil soup and curry lentil soup are two more recipes that will fill you up and give you a sense of well-being. The dish dates back hundreds of years. It could not have been more adapted for the needs of the present world, when heart-healthy plant-based meals, like legumes, reappearance because of their delicious flavor and nutritious qualities.
Lentils, which have been cultivated by humans for the longest time, are a powerful source of nutrients. See our guide on cooking lentils for additional information. They are a cheap method of obtaining every vitamin required for maintaining good health. Paired with pasta, they create a flavorful and nourishing dinner, mainly when cooked in the same pot as this recipe.
You can prepare pasta or lenticchie for a nutritious weekday meal in less than 45 minutes because most lentil varieties don’t need to be soaked.
Ingredients Required to Make Lentil Pasta
The following ingredients are needed to make this lentil pasta recipe:
- Lentils! This pasta is abundant in nutrients, including fiber and plant-based protein. We like to use French green lentils for this recipe since they cook with a beautiful Regular brown or green lentils can also work in a pinch. Red lentils are too soft and mushy to work well in this red lentil pasta dish.
- Pasta: Our preferred noodle is Pappardelle. The thick lentil pasta sauce has wide, chewy ribbons that we adore. If unavailable, tagliatelle serves as a fantastic substitute.
- The savory foundation of the sauce is made up of onion, carrots, and garlic.
- For a delicious, deep complexity, try cremini mushrooms.
- To enhance the umami flavor of the mushrooms, use tamari and balsamic vinegar.
- The veggies are sautéed in extra virgin olive oil.
- We enjoy making our marinara sauce from scratch using essential components like garlic, crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Parmesan cheese: Sprinkle over the pasta. It gives the finished meal a deep, nutty, salty flavor.
- Add fresh parsley to the pasta to give it a lively, new look!
- Add some salt and pepper to enhance the flavors of everything
Recipe for Lentil Pasta
It’s easy to create this lentil pasta recipe! Here are a few pointers to make it very simple and quick:
- Apply prepared marinara. Even though we adore making our marinara sauce, it takes an additional half an hour to complete this dish. It gives this recipe an incredible flavor and speed!
- Store cooked lentils in the freezer for easy access. They’ll be useful for grain bowls and salads, as well as this lentil pasta dish! If you don’t already have cooked lentils on hand, cook 1/2 cup of dry lentils to begin this dish.
Once these ingredients are prepared, the remaining recipe is simple to follow:
- To begin, cook the pasta in a big pot of boiling salted water. Drain the pasta after it’s al dente and mix it with olive oil to avoid sticking.
- Sauté the vegetables next. In a big skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot, and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring periodically, until they become soft. After that, add the mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for five to eight minutes or until the mushrooms are soft.
- Simmer after adding the remaining sauce ingredients. Add the lentils and marinara sauce after stirring in the tamari and balsamic. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until the sauce is thoroughly mixed and heated.
- Lastly, add the pasta and stir well. Toss it in the sauce after adding it to the skillet. Adjust the seasoning to taste, and top with Parmesan cheese and parsley!
Serving Recommendations
A modest serving of lentil pasta will satisfy you for several hours, making it a satisfying and nutritious main dish. Serve it in a bowl and garnish with vegan or parmesan cheese or a squeeze of lemon juice. It is best enjoyed as a significant course at lunch or dinner. It can be eaten on its own or served with a simple side salad or a side dish of vegetables.
