Pasta and Lentils (Pasta e Lenticchie)

Leaving the cooked pasta in the soup overnight is a great way to have slimy overcooked pasta with your leftovers. I prefer to cook the pasta separately, and add only as much as we are going to eat that day. The lentils (without pasta) keep really well for another day.

I love lentil pasta and I want pasta, not soup. Skip the canned tomatoes. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste with the lentils to the sautéed onions and sauté for another 3 min. Then add about 10 to 12 cups of hot broth. Continue cooking the lentils until just about al dente. Add the pasta and cook per directions. I prefer linguini. The broth can be chicken or vegetable, Thyme and laurel are not optional. When done, strain the pasta and lentils. Add the Parmesan and oil.

You seem to have missed the reference to this being a true pantry meal; using a variety of leftover pastas from other recipes. Add a few ounces of leftover pasta to finish off a carton of broth, add a few chopped veggies and there's a quick meal. Surely you buy other things that are not used for one recipe only.

A delicious staple from my sicilian grandmother. Although, of course, I think grandma made it better. Begin with a standard soffritto of diced onion, carrot and celery- all the same size, sautéd in evo. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and ample garlic. A few tbs of tomato paste and your rinsed brown lentils. To this add your water and a small bit of leftover sauce that you made earlier in the week. Serve over ditalini w/ romano. Watch your family eat just like gma would. Escarole optional

A fav for us, using Bob's Red Mill browns, with modifications derived from 'fooling around' with this over time. *We add diced carrot & celery in with onion in step 1 & sometimes deglaze w/ madeira. *We don't add pasta with the tomatoes in step 2 but cook pasta separately to shy of al dente then add to finish in the lentils after step 2. For make ahead ease, we sometimes cook the lentil mixture in advance and freeze it. Easy to thaw and heat then add cooked pasta to finish later.

I used shells, it definitely took at least 20 mins for the pasta to be cooked (al dente). Added 1/4 cup of water twice after adding the pasta, once after 10 mins, and the second time after 15 mins. I used Parmesan because I didn’t have any pecorino, but next time I’d like to try the recipe with pecorino instead. Looks good and tasted great :)

Really enjoyed this, perhaps even more than pasta e fagioli, of which it is reminiscent. Had parmesan rinds, so threw them in. Also had some spinach to use up and put that in at the end. Broke up some lasagna noodles to make the 10 ounces needed and different shapes was fun. Might add some red pepper flakes next time.

my favorite…a one pot pantry staples meal! adaptable, hearty and vegetarian. do throw in a parmesan rind if you have one, add a diced carrot or two and serve over baby spinach.

Regarding the”slimy” effect of pasta cooked not separately— I see it as not slimy but a nice goopy comfort food. Good that you raise the issue as it is a consequential choice. For max goopy factor, rice noodle spirals are really silky.

Also, don't forget to rinse the lentils!

Lentils and pasta, a family favorite. My mom's hand-me-down recipe is right from the old country and uses no tomatoes in any form. It is simply olive oil, garlic, brown lentils and pasta all brought together with water and cooked until the lentils meld into a sauce and the pasta is just right. No salt until it is ready for the table.

If cooking for one person, 2 oz or 56 grams is the recommended portion. Dried pasta really doesn't go bad so having leftover pasta in a bag or box is mighty useful to have on hand.

Very nice! Chopped carrot (from a large carrot) makes a very nice addition - combines well w green lentils - added when onion/garlic about done. Pasta needs careful minding as it cooks. Took the full 20min over low heat to get to Al dente; stirred often and added 1/4c water whenever I detected stickiness at bottom of pot.

This recipe looks as though it could be easily converted to vegan and oil- and salt-free: sautée without the oil, skip the salt, and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan. I would probably cook the pasta separately (it’s quick and easy in the microwave) and add when the lentils are cooked.

Made this tonight with whole wheat fusilli and green lentils. I used crushed tomatoes, because, whatever. I also used romano, not parmigiano, and that was good too. We loved it. I had planned to add anchovies to the onions and garlic but forgot, so will do that next time. It took about an hour, start to finish, but on the plus side I used only one pot.