PASTA WITH LENTILS
This Italian pasta with lentils is one of the best nourishing meals you can cook using a few cupboard essentials such as dried lentils and pasta. It's an easy yet delicious 1-pot recipe, healthy, vegan and amazingly GOOD.Note: chose US customary or metric/tap on servings to scale quantities!
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cupdried brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 1 ¼ cupshort pasta shapes (ditalini, elbows, orecchiette, mezzi rigatoni...)
- 5 cupsvegetable or chicken broth, plus more if needed
- 8cherry tomatoes, cut into halves ((see notes)*)
- 1 tbspolive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- 1small-sized onion, diced
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- ¼ tspground cumin
- fine salt, to taste ()
- ⅛ tspblack pepper, plus more to taste
Directions
- 1
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute' for 5 minutes.
- 2
Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves and stir for a minute (If you use canned tomatoes or only tomato paste rather than fresh tomatoes, add them along with the ingredients listed below).
- 3
Add lentils, cumin, tomato paste, broth, and pepper.
- 4
Increase heat and bring to simmer. Place lid on and turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until lentils are soft.
- 5
Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your liking (see notes).*
- 6
Add pasta, cook gently over medium heat until al dente. Stir frequently!
- 7
If the stew seems too thick, gradually add a touch of water or broth and thin to desired consistency (note: the longer it sits on the stove, the thicker it will get). Taste, you might want to adjust again the seasoning before serving.
- 8
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and grated parmesan cheese if you don't keep it vegan. Also, garnish with chili flakes and chopped parsley for extra flavor if you like. Enjoy!