Simple pasta and lentils is a real treat, 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 the use of dried or already cooked lentils.
Use whole-grain pasta to increase fiber content.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Adjust the quantities of pasta and legumes according to your dietary plan.
- 4.2 oz spaghetti (whole-grain, broken)
- cooked lentils (2 servings, weight according to dietary plan)
- to taste water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (raw)
- 1 shallot (or half an onion)
- stalks parsley
- stalks celery
- 1 bouillon cube (homemade vegetable, optional)
- to taste tomato sauce (homemade)
- cooked vegetables
Suggested Tools
- 1 Casserole with glass lid preferably
Preparation
Prepare the lentils according to the procedure described in cooking lentils | basic recipe or, if you already have them ready in the freezer, defrost them.
Alternatively, you can use packaged pre-cooked lentils.
Remember to rinse them well under running water: canned legumes often contain additives, salt, and sometimes sugar.
Among the types of packaging, glass containers are preferable to tin containers as they are less subject to spoilage.
Pour the lentils into a casserole, add water if needed and bring to a boil.
You can leave them plain.
You can add a shallot or half an onion, parsley stalks, and/or celery stalks or a vegetable bouillon cube.
You can season with a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce.
Adjust the salt.In another pot, cook the pasta al dente, drain it, and quickly rinse it under running water.
In case of brothy first courses, to avoid glycemic spikes, it is advisable to cook the pasta separately and then rinse it and add it to the prepared brothy sauce separately; in this way, the starch released by the pasta in the cooking water is removed.Meanwhile, bring the lentils back to a boil.
Add the pasta and mix.Plate.
Grind the pepper and drizzle with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.Your simple pasta and lentils is ready.
Enjoy your meal!
Pasta and lentils is a complete dish; add your portion of vegetables to create a balanced meal or single dish that helps keep blood sugar stable.
If your portions of pasta and lentils do not satisfy you, add raw or cooked vegetables that you have in your pantry during preparation.
For example:
– celery;
– chard;
– boiled broccoli or boiled cauliflower;
– chicory;
– leeks;
– spinach;
– pumpkin.Your plate of pasta and lentils will be even more flavorful and filling.
Storage, Tips, and Variations
If you want a creamier consistency, blend part of the lentils.
Use whole-grain pasta to increase fiber content.
Delicious even lukewarm.
FAQ
If you need to reduce fiber
Pass the cooked lentils through a food mill: it ensures separation from the skins without creating air bubbles.
Or use hulled red lentils and prepare pasta and hulled red lentils.
