Craving a genuine, tasty, and economical dish? Today we bring to the table this delicious pasta soup with lentils and cherry tomatoes. A simple yet nutritious dish rich in vitamins! Did you know that lentils are rich in iron, phosphorus, and B vitamins? The lentil, in Latin Lens culinaris Medik, is an ancient plant. It is cultivated worldwide and year-round. There are several varieties of lentils in Italy. The most famous ones are those from Castelluccio di Norcia, Altamura, Colfiorito, etc. Lentils, as tradition says, symbolize prosperity and wealth due to their coin-like shape. For this reason, it is considered good luck to consume them on New Year’s Eve! The pasta soup with lentils is a dish that will warm our hearts on cold winter evenings! Are you ready to prepare it together?! Oh, I almost forgot, here are some recipes for economical and delicious soups and stews!
1) Turnip and Bean Soup.
2) Onion Velvet Soup with Potatoes and Leeks.
3) Bean and Pumpkin Soup.
4) Creamy Pasta and Beans.
5) Cannellini Bean Soup with Tuscan Kale.
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz spaghetti (or pasta of choice)
- 10.6 oz dried lentils
- 1.1 oz leek
- 1.4 oz onion (grated)
- 7.1 oz cherry tomatoes
- to taste chopped parsley
- dried chili pepper (only if desired)
- pepper (only if desired)
- dried oregano
- salt
- olive oil (1 tablespoon per person)
Preparation
Usually only thick-skinned lentils are soaked before cooking.
The cooking time of lentils varies according to the variety, from a few minutes to over an hour.
For example, red lentils, already hulled, cook quickly and do not need to be soaked.
Dried lentils, on the other hand, must be soaked for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
Those in a hurry can use pre-cooked lentils, and the soup will be ready in less than 30 minutes!
An important tip is to salt the lentils only at the end of cooking so they remain soft.
For this recipe, I chose to use dark dried lentils.
Take a bowl, put in the lentils, cover with water and soak.
Follow the times specified on the package, and in any case, no less than an hour.
After soaking, rinse the lentils well and boil for 10 minutes in a pot of water.
Meanwhile, in a large pan, pour some olive oil and sauté the sliced leek and grated onion.
Add the well-washed cherry tomatoes cut into quarters and a pinch of dried chili pepper (only if desired).
Let the cherry tomatoes wilt over a very low flame, then add the lentils.
Pour about 2 quarts of water (adjust the quantity according to the size of the pot).
Add some dried oregano, pepper, plenty of fresh chopped parsley, and bring to a boil.
Cook for another 10 minutes, then break the spaghetti by hand and cook according to the time indicated on the package.
Adjust the salt and once it’s ready, serve your delicious pasta and lentil soup.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Come back to visit me soon!
P.S. Soaking is recommended for all types of legumes to reduce cooking times.
As for the amount of lentils, usually about 2.8-3.5 oz of dried lentils are used per person.
