Recipes Red Lentil Pasta

This easy red lentil pasta recipe includes sautéed garlicky lemon kale and a vegan walnut “cheese” topping. It’s a quick, nutritious and satisfying way to enjoy a gluten-free pasta dinner.

It’s my comfort food of choice (like a good Italian) and nothing satisfies quite like a big bowl of chewy (because overcooked pasta is a sin) pasta when the craving strikes.

Some people (my parents) swear there’s nothing like regular wheat pasta but I have to disagree. I think the options out there these days from chickpea to rice, quinoa and lentil are pretty darn impressive.

Red Lentil Pulse With Tuna, Fennel, Tomato, Capers & Chilli

I’ll admit, not everything when it comes to gluten-free substitutes (looking at you, pizza crust) does a good job mimicking the real deal. But I just don’t find that to be true with gluten-free pasta options.

Red lentil pasta holds its shape and texture well when it’s cooked. It has the same al dente “chew” to it like the regular pasta.

We’ve all been programmed to think of pasta as just a bowl of carbs but when you make a recipe with red lentil pasta, you get a significant amount of protein too.

Lentil Bolognese With Pappardelle Pasta

The brand I used for this recipe has 21g of protein per serving. That’s pretty much the same as a 3-4 ounce piece of chicken or beef.

The toasted walnuts and nutritional yeast are combined in a small bowl to create a “cheesy” vegan topping for the plant based pasta.

It’s optional and of course you can use actual cheese if preferred like parmesan or pecorino romano, but I love this for a plant-based option.

Red Lentil Pasta With Sausage

The walnuts also add a nice crunchy texture and healthy omega-3 fats while the nutritional yeast brings some impressive stats of its own.

High in B vitamins, fiber and protein, nutritional yeast (or nooch as it’s sometimes called) is a great addition to so many dishes but especially great in pasta dishes for its similarity in taste to real cheese.

First, bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the red lentil pasta and cook according to the directions on the package.

Red Lentil Sedanini With Pesto

I usually drain the pasta a minute before the low end of the cooking time range the package says because I like my pasta al dente.

Drain and rinse with cold water (this helps the pasta not stick) and set aside while the garlicky lemon kale comes together.

The oil gets hot is key to infuse the oil with the flavor and not overcook/burn the garlic. So make note of this as most recipes have you add garlic once the oil is hot.

Red Lentil Fusilli With Bacon, Butternut Squash, And Spinach » Big Flavors From A Tiny Kitchen

Once sizzling, add the kale and vegetable broth. Stir to coat the kale in the oil and garlic mixture and continue cooking until the kale wilts, about 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and zest. Add the cooked red lentil pasta to the skillet and toss everything together until well combined.

Shape really doesn’t matter. I used red lentil penne pasta here but use whatever shape you find or like! I actually like this recipe with linguine or another long strand noodle too. If I’m not making this lemon spinach feta pasta with it, I’ll use it for this dish instead.

Red Lentil Pasta

Good swaps for the kale would be spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens (if you’re not making my favorite spicy collard greens recipe!) or dandelion greens (if you like bitter), even kohlrabi greens would work!

I usually buy dinosaur kale as I find it most tender and easily digestible but I switched it up this time with a gorgeous bunch of red kale.

With brands like Explore Cuisine (who is one of my favorites for all alternative pastas like my creamy pumpkin garlic pasta), Barilla, Trader Joe’s, Tolerant and Ancient Harvest making it now, you can pretty much find lentil pasta anywhere.

One Pot Red Lentil Pasta Recipe

Of course, ordering online from a place like Thrive Market is another easy option. They have their own line of red lentil pasta too!

But, I have to say, with lentil pasta now a normal thing in the pasta aisle, it’s hard for this red lentil pasta recipe to not become my new favorite.

Not to mention, this recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and made with pretty much all pantry/refrigerator items we tend to always have on hand.

Red Lentil Penne With Lemon Garlic Asparagus

For me, that means pairing them with a good dose of fiber, healthy fats and vegetables. That combination tends to tame a blood sugar spike (and subsequent crash).

For more plant based pasta recipes, check out this creamy white bean pasta and this creamy almond butter fall pasta (which can be eaten any time of year!).

I also love this brown rice penne penne with ground lamb. It’s a great recipe with big spring flavors perfect for this time of year!

Vegan Red Lentil Marinara Spaghetti

And my lightened up spaghetti alfredo with broccoli could easily be made with a gluten-free pasta. It’s such a great revamp of a decadent classic.

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

Hey! Thanks for this recipe! We had them yesterday as I had not intention to cook and it was super fast to put together and very flavorful!This red lentil pasta recipe is rich and creamy and completely plant-based! The pasta and vegetables cook in one pot for a delicious dinner that comes together easily.

Easy Red Lentil Pasta Primavera

As a vegetarian, I’m always looking for new ways to add a little more protein to my diet. One of my favorite tricks is to use pasta made from beans or lentils. It’s an easy way to boost the protein in my dinner without any extra work! The red lentil pasta from Barilla has been one of my go-to pantry staples, so I decided to use it as the base for this delicious recipe.

Life has been busy lately, and I’ve been loving the simplicity of one-pot meals, so I decided to create a creamy pasta dish that could cook all together. The pasta simmers in the sauce for tons of flavor, and it helps create a mostly hands-off recipe.

I snagged all of these ingredients at Publix, and right now, they’re running some great deals on a few of my favorite plant-based products! Barilla Red Lentil pasta is 2 for $5, and Kite Hill Plant-Based Butter Alternative is 2 for $8. Mariani Marcona Almonds are on sale, too, so stock up! Check out the

Red Lentil Pasta Salad (gluten Free)

Flyer in the store, or online or look for shelf signs in the store to see the savings during the promotion. (If you don’t see it at the kiosk at the store’s entrance, just ask customer service for a flyer!)

Is this recipe healthy? Yes! This dish is loaded with protein and fiber thanks to the red lentil pasta, and it’s filled with vegetables. You could add additional protein to this dish if you like, but I can tell you it’s quite filling as-is! If you’re concerned about sodium, be sure to use low sodium vegetable broth and no-salt-added diced tomatoes.

Can I freeze this recipe? I wouldn’t recommend freezing the leftovers, as the sauce doesn’t freeze well. But it will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, divide into portions and microwave on 50% power, stirring every minute, until heated through.

Red Lentil Pasta With Homemade Tomato Sauce — Kachen

Can I make this kid-friendly? Absolutely! To make this recipe kid-friendly, I recommend skipping the red pepper flakes. You can always add them to your own plate once you’ve dished up the recipe! The red pepper flakes are the only ingredient that makes this recipe spicy, so it’s easy to make this recipe mild.

If you’re looking for a good side dish, I recommend a salad like this citrus poppy seed salad or a batch of air fryer broccoli. You could also pair it with any of the recipes on this list of the best pasta side dishes!This Garlic Roasted Tomato Red Lentil Pasta with Arugula and Toasted Pine Nuts is a simple and delicious weeknight dinner, packed with tons of veggies and greens! It’s tossed with an incredible garlic oil, burst roasted tomatoes, summer squash, peppery arugula, toasted pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. I love using lentil pasta for a little extra fiber and protein!

I have the best weeknight dinner for you guys! In the form of the most delicious, garlic-infused oil filled, burst roasted tomato filled, arugula filled, toasted pine nut filled, parm filled pasta! I mean, how can you go wrong with that lineup? And we’ve also got sweet, caramelized, roasted summer squash in that mix. I mean…..it’s amazing.

Red Lentil Pasta Salad

I’ve never met a pasta I didn’t like. Pasta probably made up 85% of my diet growing up. No joke. I’d eat it as an afternoon snack after school, for dinner, and any time of day, really. As I got older, I realized I can’t survive off of only white carbs and marinara, SO, I had to come up with other alternatives that still gave me my pasta fix!

Let’s be real – I still eat regular pasta (the good ol, white pasta