Pasta With Lentils

Pasta With Lentils

Author: Chef Elsa Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30 min Total Time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings Category: Dishes Cuisine: Italian Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Description A cozy, satisfying weeknight dish that combines protein-rich lentils with simple pasta for a hearty yet light meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
  • 1 ¼ cup short pasta shapes (ditalini, elbows, orecchiette, mezzi rigatoni, or similar)
  • 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small-sized onion, diced
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • Fine salt, to taste
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
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Instructions

  1. Rinse lentils under cold water and pick out any debris.
  2. Place lentils in a pot with broth and bring to a boil, then simmer for 20–25 minutes until tender.
  3. In a separate pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve some cooking water before draining.
  4. In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté diced onion until translucent, then add garlic and cook until fragrant.
  5. Stir in tomato paste and cumin, cooking for an additional 1–2 minutes.
  6. Add cooked lentils to the skillet with some reserved broth and simmer for 3–5 minutes.
  7. Toss in the drained pasta and additional reserved pasta water if needed.
  8. Fold in halved cherry tomatoes and heat until everything is warm.
  9. Season to taste and serve immediately, drizzled with olive oil.

Notes

  1. Notes
  2. For added richness, consider topping with grated cheese or a squeeze of lemon before serving.