Simple pasta and lentils is a real hug, perfect on cold days but not only!
My ultimate comfort food.
I love lentils; they are the legumes I cook most often.
Preparation times vary depending on whether you use dried lentils or lentils that are already cooked.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Adjust the quantities of pasta and legumes according to your meal plan.
- 4 oz spaghetti (whole-wheat, broken)
- cooked lentils (2 servings, weight according to your diet plan)
- as needed water (approximately 3/4 to 1 2/3 cups)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (for finishing)
- 1 shallot (or half an onion)
- stems parsley
- stems celery
- 1 bouillon cube (homemade vegetable cube, optional)
- as needed tomato sauce (homemade)
- vegetables (raw or cooked)
Suggested tools
- 1 Saucepan with lid, preferably glass
- Pot for pasta
Preparation
Prepare the lentils following the procedure described in cooking lentils | basic recipe or, if they are already in the freezer, defrost them.
Alternatively, you can use pre-cooked packaged lentils.
Remember to rinse them well under running water: canned legumes often contain additives, salt and sometimes sugar [always check the label].
Among packaging types, glass containers are preferable to tins [glass does not release substances into the contents].
Pour the cooked lentils into a saucepan, add water if necessary until they become brothy and bring to a boil.
You can keep them simple.
You can add a shallot or half an onion, parsley stems and/or celery stems or a vegetable bouillon cube.
You can add a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce.
Adjust the salt.
Cook with a lid [preferably glass] for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.For brothy first courses, to avoid glycemic spikes, it is advisable to cook the pasta separately and then rinse it before adding it to the brothy sauce prepared separately; in this way the starch released by the pasta in the cooking water is removed.
In another pot, cook the pasta al dente, rinse it briefly under running water to reduce surface starch and drain it.
While the pasta cooks, bring the lentils back to a boil.
Pour the pasta into the saucepan with the lentils and mix well to combine the flavors.Plate the dish.
Grind the pepper and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.Your simple pasta and lentils is ready.
Enjoy your meal!
It is a complete dish; add your portion of vegetables to compose a balanced meal or one-dish plate that helps keep blood sugar stable.
Storage, tips and variations
Storage
Pasta absorbs the broth and overcooks quickly – better to consume it immediately.
Tips and variations
Use whole-wheat pasta to increase the fiber content.
If you want a creamier texture, blend part of the lentils.
During preparation you can add raw or cooked vegetables [for example: Swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower, chicory, leeks, spinach, pumpkin] that you have in the pantry.
Turn off the heat and add a sprig of rosemary and a few sage leaves.
FAQ – Questions and Answers
If you need to reduce fiber
Pass the cooked lentils through a food mill: it separates the skins without creating air bubbles.
Or use split (decorticated) red lentils and prepare pasta and decorticated lentils.
