Ingredient: Lentils

Pantry Pasta

Photo and Recipe: Anna Gorman – Child Programs and Extra Helpings Administrator

The perfect dinner for sheltering in place: warm, familiar, comforting, and can be made with ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry. In fact, pasta and sauce are included in emergency food boxes going out through some partner agencies and community sites.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp oil
1 yellow onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp tomato paste
1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (or use whole tomatoes and crush them yourself)
2 tsp dried thyme or dried basil
1 lb dried pasta (long pasta like spaghetti or large tubes like rigatoni work best)
Salt and pepper to taste

OPTIONAL: 1 lb ground meat or 1c cooked lentils (turkey, beef, chicken)

INSTRUCTIONS

IF USING MEAT: Brown the meat over medium heat in a large pot or saucepan, about 6-8 minutes. It may be gray in spots and still slightly pink in the center. Transfer to a bowl or plate.

– Wipe out the pot.

IF NOT USING MEAT, START HERE: Heat oil over medium-high heat and add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are becoming translucent, about 5 minutes.

– Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

– Add tomato paste and mix into the garlic and onions so that no big clumps of tomato paste remain. Cook until tomato paste has darkened slightly, about 3 minutes.

– Add the can of tomatoes and herbs (and meat/lentils, if using) back to the pot.

– Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste

– While the sauce is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to the instructions on the bag or box.

– When the pasta is cooked, use a pair of tongs, a slotted spoon, or a fine mesh sieve to move the pasta into the sauce (don’t worry about draining the pasta super well, the starch in the pasta water actually improves the sauce!).

– Combine the pasta and sauce well until there is no extra sauce in the bottom of the pot.

– Serve immediately.

Lentil Soup (Sopa de Lentejas)

Ingredients:
• 1 cup lentils, rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 bay leaf or teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add water, carrots, lentils and seasoning. Bring to a boil 1-2 minutes , reduce heat to simmer until lentils are tender, 20-45 minutes.

Ingredientes:
• 1 taza de lentejas, enjuagado
• 2 1/2 tazas de agua
• 1 cebolla, picada
• 1 zanahoria, picada
• 1 cucharada de aceite
• 1 hoja de laurel o cucharadita de tomillo seco (opcional)
• Sal y pimienta al gusto

Direcciones:
En una cacerola mediana, caliente el aceite a fuego medio. Agregue la cebolla, cocine hasta que se ablanden, revolviendo frecuentemente, unos 5 minutos. Añada agua, zanahorias, lentejas y sazón. Ponga a hervir 1-2 minutos, reduzca el fuego a lento hasta que las lentejas estén tiernas, 20-45 minutos.

Spaghetti with Lentil Sauce (Espagueti con Salsa de Lentejas)

This is a substantial sauce that will stand up to whole wheat pasta and makes an excellent meat substitute. You can use any color of lentil you like- red, brown or yellow- they all add that extra boost of protein.

Ingredients:
• 2 cups lentils
• 2 – 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups tomato paste
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 5 teaspoons dry oregano
• 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoons red pepper and/or cayenne
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti

Directions:
Clean lentils and put in sauce pan, covering them with water about 1/2 inch above the lentils. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cover the pot and cook for about an hour, or until lentils are soft, while the rest of the sauce is cooking. While lentils are cooking, combine tomatoes, tomato paste and water in a large sauce pan. Add salt. Start cooking on medium heat. Add oregano, black pepper, basil, red pepper, garlic and oil when it starts to bubble. Stir to combine spices and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for at least one hour, stirring occasionally to keep ingredients mixed. About 30 minutes before the sauce and lentils are complete, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add spaghetti and cook to package directions. Set aside. When lentils are thoroughly cooked, add them to the tomato base to complete the sauce. Spoon sauce over the whole wheat spaghetti and enjoy. Serves 6.

Note: Feel free to remove spices if you don’t have them or add your own. This recipe is versatile!

Esta salsa es una salsa rica que va bien con pasta integral y es una buena alternativa en vez de carne. Usted puede usar cualquier tipo de lenteja que desee – roja, color café, o amarilla – agregan proteína extra.

Ingredientes:
• 2 tazas de lentejas
• 2 tazas de 15 onzas de tomates cortados
• 1 1/2 tazas de puré de tomate
• 2 1/2 tazas de agua
• 2 cucharaditas de sal (al gusto)
• 5 cucharaditas de orégano seco
• 1/2 cucharadita de pimienta negra
• 1/8 cucharadita de albahaca seca
• 1/8 cucharadita de pimienta roja o Cayena
• 1 diente de ajo, cortado
• 1/3 taza de aceite de oliva
• 1 libra de espagueti integral

Direcciones:
Limpie las lentejas y póngalas en una olla, cubriéndolas con agua. Hiérvalas y reduzca el fuego. Cubra la olla y cocínela por más o menos una hora hasta que las lentejas estén tiernas, mientras el resto de la salsa se está cocinando. Mientras las lentejas se están cocinando, combine los tomates, puré de tomates, y agua en una olla. Agregue sal y cocínelo a fuego normal. Ponga orégano, pimienta negra, albahaca, pimienta roja, ajo, y aceite de oliva. Mézclelo para combinar las especias y reduzca el fuego. Déjela hervir por una hora, revolviéndolo de vez en cuando. 30 minutos antes de que la salsa y lentejas estén cocidas, hierva una olla grande de agua con un poco de sal. Cuando empiece a hervir, agregue el espagueti y cocínelo según las direcciones en la bolsa. Cuando las lentejas estén tiernas, póngalas en la salsa de tomate para completar la salsa. Ponga la salsa encima del espagueti y disfrute. Sirve 6 personas.

¡Ojo!: Usted puede quitar las especias si no las tiene y agregar sus favoritas. ¡Esta receta es versátil!

Ingredient: Lentils

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Stay Connected

Join our E-News list