My Spaghetti with Meaty Lentil Sauce is a nutrient packed vegetarian dinner that comes collectively shortly. This hearty pasta recipe is nice for a simple weeknight meal that the entire household will love. The lentils assist bulk the sauce up and add each fiber and protein to this dish. Serve with a aspect of salad and bread for a full meal.
Spaghetti with marinara sauce is one in every of my go-to dinners when brief on time, or feeling lazy. It’s straightforward to make, I all the time have the components available and it comes collectively shortly. I’ve been actually into utilizing canned lentils in my recipes recently, as a result of they’re a very handy method so as to add iron, fiber and protein to meals. I made a decision so as to add a pair cans of them to my common spaghetti recipe and so they actually up the heartiness. Not solely do they add nice taste, in addition they make this cozy pasta dish filling and nice for a simple winter dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Hearty Vegetarian Dinner
- Straightforward to make – This vegetarian pasta comes collectively shortly and there are just a few steps. My meaty lentil spaghetti recipe is one which I make typically as a final minute, weeknight, dinner as a result of it’s so straightforward to make. I often have all of the components available and it goes nice with a aspect of breadsticks and salad.
- Makes use of pantry staples – One more reason I make this recipe typically is as a result of it makes use of principally pantry staples, that are components that I attempt to all the time maintain stocked. The canned lentils are such a time saver and dried spices add a lot taste to the sauce.
- Hearty and filling – Spaghetti is already such a comforting dish, nevertheless it will get even cozier while you high it with my meaty lentil sauce. Lentils are full of protein and fiber and are a fantastic plant-based technique to bulk up your pasta.
Why Your Physique Will Love This Iron Packed Pasta
Iron is a necessary mineral that helps keep wholesome blood in our our bodies. Iron helps to hold oxygen out of your lungs to different elements of your physique. With out ample iron within the blood, the physique is unable to move oxygen as effectively, leading to a situation known as anemia. There are a number of sorts of anemia, however I’m referring particularly to Iron Deficiency Anemia. Anemia may cause a number of totally different signs, together with fatigue, straightforward bruising, dizziness, shortness of breath, pale pores and skin, and coronary heart palpitations. In case you expertise any of those signs, please carry them to your physician’s consideration. Anemia is recognized with a easy blood take a look at.
There are two sorts of iron, heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron is simply present in animal protein, like poultry, shellfish, and different meats. Non-heme iron is present in plant-based merchandise, similar to lentils, spinach, and nuts. Sadly, for us vegetarians, heme iron is extra readily absorbed by the physique. A weight loss plan wealthy in non-heme iron requires further elements for absorption, similar to vitamin C. This salad recipe is wealthy in non-heme iron sources, so I made positive so as to add further vitamin C to assist in its absorption.
Spaghetti with Meaty Lentil Sauce Recipe Components
- Spaghetti – I simply used common spaghetti noodles that I cooked in effectively salted water. This recipe will be made utilizing chunk sized pasta as effectively.
- Lentils – I used two cans of brown lentils for this recipe. Canned lentils are handy so I take advantage of them lots, however you may also use house cooked lentils. If utilizing lentils that you simply cooked your self, use about 2-3 cups.
- Walnuts – Walnuts are an non-compulsory ingredient, however I do like so as to add about 1/4 cup of chopped, uncooked walnuts to the sauce. They’ve a pleasant “meaty” texture and add wholesome fat to the recipe.
- Marinara Sauce – I used one jar of marinara sauce, however tomato sauce can even work. I prefer to pour the sauce in after which add about 1/4 cup of water to the jar, shake it, after which pour that in additionally. It helps stretch the marinara and helps loosen up the sauce. I additionally like so as to add in a couple of teaspoons of tamari, for further taste depth.
- Spices – I prefer to season up this meaty lentil sauce with a mix of dried spices, together with: paprika, smoked paprika, garlic, onion, dried oregano, salt and pepper. I additionally prefer to stir in some recent parsley on the finish of cooking.
- Onion + Garlic – Sautéed onion and garlic add plenty of taste to the bottom of this lentil sauce. I favor recent garlic over the jarred garlic, however both will work.
How To Make Meaty Vegetarian Spaghetti
- Spaghetti will be cooked forward of time, or on the similar time the sauce is cooking. To prepare dinner spaghetti, warmth a big pot of water till boiling. Add within the pasta, together with an enormous pinch of salt, and prepare dinner in line with bundle instructions. As soon as pasta is cooked to desired texture, drain and put aside.
- Warmth a big skillet over medium warmth and add in 1 tablespoon olive oil. As soon as oil is scorching, add within the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Combine collectively and prepare dinner onion till softened and translucent, 3-4 minutes. Subsequent, add in minced garlic, in addition to the entire spices, together with: paprika, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, onion powder, dried oregano, and purple pepper flakes, to style. Combine onion and spices collectively for prepare dinner for simply 1-2 minutes.
- Subsequent, add within the lentils and chopped walnuts. Combine the whole lot collectively effectively and prepare dinner for 2-3 minutes earlier than including within the marinara sauce. Add the entire jar in after which add 1/4 of water to the empty jar, place the lid on and shake effectively after which pour what’s left into the pan, together with the tamari. Combine the whole lot collectively effectively and let sauce and lentils prepare dinner collectively for 4-5 minutes. Give the sauce a style and season with salt and purple pepper flakes, to style.
- Serve meaty lentil sauce over spaghetti, or your favourite pasta noodles. You can even combine the spaghetti immediately into the sauce if you want. High with recent parsley and grated parmesan and revel in with a aspect of salad and bread.
Recipe Regularly Requested Questions
- Make this recipe gluten free by utilizing your favourite gluten free spaghetti noodles.
- This recipe is vegan. If topping with parmesan, use your favourite vegan model.
- What number of servings does this recipe make? The sauce makes sufficient for about 4 massive servings, when served over your favourite pasta, however may simply be stretched to five or 6 servings if wanted.
- Does this pasta freeze effectively? Sure, you may simply freeze this pasta recipe. You may both simply freeze the lentil marinara sauce by itself, or you may combine the sauce with the spaghetti effectively and freeze all collectively. Freeze in an air-tight container for as much as 3 months.
- How lengthy do leftovers final? If saved in an air-tight container, within the fridge, leftovers ought to final about 4 days. Re-heat leftovers within the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
Have a query I didn’t reply? Ask me within the remark part beneath and I’ll get again to you ASAP!
Trying For Extra Straightforward Vegetarian Pasta Recipes?
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Spaghetti with Meaty Lentil Sauce
Whole Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4-6 1x
Weight-reduction plan: Vegetarian
Description
My Spaghetti with Meaty Lentil Sauce is a nutrient packed vegetarian dinner that comes collectively shortly. This hearty pasta recipe is nice for a simple weeknight meal that the entire household will love. The lentils assist bulk the sauce up and add each fiber and protein to this dish. Serve with a aspect of salad and bread for a full meal.
- 350–400 grams raw spaghetti (sufficient for about 4 individuals)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 small diced yellow onion (about 1/2 cup)
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
- 2 teaspoon tamari, or soy sauce (non-compulsory)
- 2 (15 oz) cans brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup chopped uncooked walnuts (non-compulsory)
- Elective toppings: grated parmesan cheese, chopped recent parsley
Directions
- Spaghetti will be cooked forward of time, or on the similar time the sauce is cooking. To prepare dinner spaghetti, warmth a big pot of water till boiling. Add within the pasta, together with an enormous pinch of salt, and prepare dinner in line with bundle instructions. As soon as pasta is cooked to desired texture, drain and put aside.*
- Warmth a big skillet over medium warmth and add in 1 tablespoon olive oil. As soon as oil is scorching, add within the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Combine collectively and prepare dinner onion till softened and translucent, 3-4 minutes. Subsequent, add in minced garlic, in addition to the entire spices, together with: paprika, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, onion powder, dried oregano, and purple pepper flakes, to style. Combine onion and spices collectively for prepare dinner for simply 1-2 minutes.
- Subsequent, add within the lentils and chopped walnuts. Combine the whole lot collectively effectively and prepare dinner for 2-3 minutes earlier than including within the marinara sauce. Add the entire jar in after which add 1/4 of water to the empty jar, place the lid on and shake effectively after which pour what’s left into the pan, together with the tamari. Combine the whole lot collectively effectively and let sauce and lentils prepare dinner collectively for 4-5 minutes. Give the sauce a style and season with salt and purple pepper flakes, to style.
- Serve meaty lentil sauce over spaghetti, or your favourite pasta noodles. You can even combine the spaghetti immediately into the sauce if you want. High with recent parsley and grated parmesan and revel in with a aspect of salad and bread.
Notes
*Spaghetti noodles will be tossed with oil, or butter, to ensure they don’t stick collectively, however that additionally could deter the pasta from sticking to the noodles effectively.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Prepare dinner Time: 20 minutes
- Class: Dinner, Vegetarian
- Technique: Stovetop
- Delicacies: American
