Spicy Red Pasta with Lentils

Just made for lunch. Did not have carrots, so I added more diced tomatoes. Stevia leaf for sweetener. Teenager approved!

I added half an onion we needed to use, but otherwise made this as written. Fast, easy, and delicious.

I gotta say, I make this recipe like, once a week! It’s my go to pasta recipe because I find it so flexible! I also love the use of lentils as I’m trying to get more protein and iron in my diet. It’s so tasty and when I’ve made it for my roommates, they can’t get enough either!

This is hands down my absolute favourite pasta recipe now! I didn’t have tomato paste or chilli flakes and I didn’t use sweetener but it still turned out amazing! As a gluten free vegetarian it is difficult to find recipes with protein that still taste lovely and this is the best I’ve found. Thank you!

Yes! Superb, as always. You get the seasonings so perfect!

Unbelievably tasty!! I definitely cook this again! Thank you!!!

I made this with yellow split peas instead of lentils, which worked well. I really liked the texture, very similar to a meat sauce. I’m not vegetarian/vegan but try to cook meatless most nights, I would make this again. :)

This was simple, quick, delicious and very nourishing/satisfying! I pretty much followed the recipe as directed except I used Swerve brown instead of sugar and I add some finely chopped brown mushrooms with the carrots and tomatoes. I served it over Banza chickpea cavatappi for extra plant based protein. This will definitely become a regular part of my rotation. Thank you for sharing. P.S. This fueled me for an excellent run the next morning! :-)

Really great meal! I omitted the carrots and added a shallot but otherwise made it as is. Family loved it and appreciated the “hidden” protein.

Delicious and will make again!

Delicious! My husband (omni) and I (vegan) both loved it! Added a little garlic granules and onion powder (and snuck in a couple plant-based sausages), paired with roasted lemon garlic broccoli and, OMG, it was divine! I wish I would’ve made some vegan parm to go with it, but definitely will next time. Thank you for such simple, flavorful and healthy recipes!

A quick and delicious meal – thank you!

This was a perfect meal with ingredients I had on hand. It was spicy, flavorful and best of all EASY! I’m pretty full and my husband says it’s a repeat. Yum!

Great recipe! I seriously cheated and added only a little bit of finely sliced beef, diced onions, mushrooms, diced red bell peppers and, of course red wine! But all fundamentals of this recipe really sound. Thanks!

Oops I thought I did leave a rating !
Thanks again !!

This was my first time having lentils in pasta sauce. Delicious !

This was delicious! Hearty and satisfying. It will definitely be a regular part of our dinner lineup. Thank you so much!

I didn’t have tomato paste, so added another 1/4 cup diced tomatoes (for a total of 1/2 cup). I used dried basil and oregano and so did 1 tsp of each. Otherwise, I made exactly as written.

Most disgusting meal I’ve ever made even following the instructions!

Hi from Toronto!

I just made this for dinner tonight and it was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS.

Its savory and packed full of flavor! I omitted the sugar since I thought the carrots provided enough sweetness and I honestly couldn’t tell the difference :) Its now going to be a staple meal at my home. I’ve been searching your website for more lentil dishes I can incorporate into my dinner meals. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

Absolutely reccomend this recipe is delicious will definitely make again ?

I love this recipe!! So quick and so so tasty!! I also add 1/4 cup diced onion and 1/4 cup diced orange bell pepper to give it some more veg!! I serve it over chickpea noodles too which adds even more protein!!! Best marinara ever!!!!!

Made it literally just a second ago… and god! This was incredible! The sauce is truly brilliant but I added some peas, pumpkin seeds and nutritional yeast to it too to make it even more healthier. This was a serious mouthwatering dish and quick, which is always a plus for me.
Now my stomach is overly full and happy :)

My just about to leave his teenage years behind son asked for a vegetarian pasta for dinner and suggested lentils for a meat substitute. I had red lentils in the cupboard so a quick “Lentil pasta” search later here I was. I added onion and celery to the carrot, used fresh basil, oregano and parsley from my garden. Maybe increased the chili flakes because he likes it hot. My son was back to scrape the pot for seconds before I was half way through mine. Delicious. Yum and two thumbs up from us in New Zealand.

Sooo delicious! I love how nutrient-packed this pasta dish is. I added veggies that I had on hand, cauliflower and red bell pepper. Will definitely be making this again!

Great sauce! I left out the chili flakes because of the kids and added some cashew cheese sauce instead of the vegan parmesan. We are not vegan so I added about 5 anchovies. Made this with red lentil pasta and sprinkled some nutritional yeast and garlic breadcrumbs on top. The whole family really enjoyed it.

Just made this pasta for supper, and it was SO STINKIN’ GOOD!! Only substitution that I made was adding half of a red pepper, half of a yellow pepper, and quarter of a Spanish onion. I also like (ie. LOVE) heat, so I also added a dash of cayenne and extra chilli flakes. Will most DEFINITELY be making this again! Even my 9yo son (who hates all food but PB sandwiches lol) loved it… And had seconds! Thank you for sharing!!

My boyfriend and I made this for dinner and we both loved it – it will definitely be our new go-to pasta sauce! We added some chickpeas for even more protein!

I have made this today and it was like heaven to my taste buds. It was perfect for me because i’m vegan.

I made this yesterday, exactly as the recipe stated and it was so good I just had to comment. I used coconut sugar for the sweetener and cooked the lentils for 15 minutes. I tasted it just after making & it was good. I served it for a late dinner over penne pasta so it sat for about 6 hours & it got even better! Just excellent. Thanks for the best pasta sauce recipe that I will be making again & again.

Considering there was no meat involved, this was a surprisingly delicious dish! Hearty and flavorful :) I think I will try reducing the lentils just a little bit next time since I think it takes away from the sauce, but I’m thrilled to have found a pasta recipe that’s more nutritious than usual! Thank you for sharing!

I found this sweet enough, because of the carrots, that I didn’t need any sugar, or sugar substitute.

I generally can’t stand sugar or things made sweet with it.

I don’t eat cookies, candy, or drink sodas at all, or juice with sugar in it.

If sugar is called for in a recipe, I use pureed apples, pears, apple or other fruit juices instead.

The recipe tastes really good. I am not quite sure I understand where the 700+ calories per serving are coming from (if it makes two servings, each serving would have 1/4 c. of lentils which is about 200 calories).
Three changes to the recipe:
1) I added an extra 1/2 onion that I had in my fridge.
2) Instead of the suggested sweeteners, I used 1 packet of stevia.
3) Instead of regular noodles, I used spaghetti squash.
All changes ended up tasting really good!

Two words………flippin delicious! I made this for dinner tonight and it was so good, thank you.

Oh, Dana, this recipe is the bomb! So hearty and filling… how could anyone miss the meat? Some vegan Parmesan took this to a whole new level. I like this recipe as a staple because it’s super high in protein and will fill my picky husband up. As a bonus, these are mostly ingredients I have on hand in the cupboard so it’s a great recipe when groceries are dwindling and I can’t get to the store. Thank you!

I found this recipe a little while ago, and gave it to my husband to try – he likes cooking easy meals that don’t take too much time/effort! This is now one of his go-to recipes and we both love it!

It’s healthy and he adds a bunch of veggies into the mix too – whatever we have in the fridge, usually he adds broccoli, onion and kale. It’s really yum! It’s super customizable too in terms of spices and extra ingredients.

Oh my goodness. I came across this recipe while searching for a recipe to satisfy my recent lentil craving. The reviews are not lying – this recipe is AMAZING! Absolutely divine. It’s my new favourite pasta dish. So easy to make, so hearty, sweet and spicy and just damn delicious.

I only had plain tomato sauce, so I added an extra sprinkle of oregano and chilli flakes plus a pinch of onion and garlic powder too.

Thank you for making my Friday night a whole lot better! YUM! x

Really enjoyed this, will be adding lentils into spaghetti sauce from now on. Did a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes instead of sauce and paste as that’s what I had on hand. Otherwise no changes. Delish!

Hearty and full of flavour. I was surprised how lovely the texture was. Will make again!

I make variations of pasta and legumes and thought that I was a freak. Not anymore. Keep them coming. Better than most baked meats!

So delicious! I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I was looking for a recipe to use my red lentils and I LOVE pasta. I did not include the crushed tomatoes, and I added some mushrooms (because they are about to go bad). I served it over super green pasta (a new variety of rotini pasta which has different green veggies in it). I also served with some roasted cauliflower because I have been craving them. My new go-to pasta sauce. I wonder if I can add some more tomato sauce and cook the lentils in the pot.

I make this all the time and everybody loves it! It’s filling, flavour full and easy :D Love adding a sprinkle of this and that, like fresh spinach, some nuts, mushrooms, anything I can think of. A staple in my house and a good one. Keep it coming!

Made this tonight! Had a hunch I’d want more, so doubled the recipe. I omitted the sweetener and it turned out great! Served with Jovial brand gluten free rice pasta. The lentil sauce made five servings (what I would consider anyway). Thanks for this recipe!!

I’m talking to the meat eaters now. And the people trying to leave meat in their past. This is the recipe you need to try. It is healthy and satisfying and feels indulgent. And you won’t miss the meat! Also teenager approved!

Fantastic, I will be making this a lot, thank you!

I used dried oregano and basal and used just a pinch of each, 1 Tbsp seemed like a lot!

yummy as always! Your blog is simply a vegan heaven! :-)

A really nice variation on pasta with tomato sauce. Added some toasted sunflower seeds and they were a great addition.

This recipe is forgiving – I multiplied it by approximation and just dumped in a can of tomato paste (no tomato sauce) and added water. Came out delicious! Great in its own, over pasta, or scooped up with (gluten free) bread

I just made this with fresh basil and oregano from my garden. Absolutely delicious!

Such a delicious recipe Dana, like always! :) It even worked with green lentils, sooo yummy. Definitely planning to make such a recipe for my blog as well. Love your blog and as well your food photography school. I recently started my own blog using your photography school and tips you provide on your blog. I’m so thankful, it’s really helping a lot. Maybe you have time to check it out.

I made this tonight for dinner and it turned out great. I used green lentils, and next time I would definitely cook them longer before adding to the sauce. But overall it was easy to make and very delicious! It is also very filling.

Delicious! Next time I would kick up the heat alot more though :) thanks for sharing !

So delishhhh

I’ve made this a couple of times… and will definitely make it again. It’s very tasty, easy, cheap and filling! I also added some smoked paprika in the sauce and my boyfriend asked me whether there’s sausage in it….

The first time I made this, I was multi-tasking toooo much and added 3 TBSP salt instead of sugar to the double recipe I was making. Totally inedible!!!! But I tried again, and it was well worth it! It was great! No salt this time :) -plenty of saltiness from the tomato sauce, and less chili flakes to keep it mild for the kids. My 1 and 3 year olds both loved it and so did my husband and I! Thanks for the great recipe.

I made this with crushed tomatoes and added extra diced tomatoes. I loved it. It was so filling and leftovers were great. I will definitely make it again.

Just made this, and it was amazing. Substituted dried lentils for tinnes (cause lazyness) and omitted a thing or two but in any case a great recipe, will make again soon!

YUM! I added a pack of pre-cooked/unseasoned chicken strips for a lil punch of protein.

Made this today for thanksgiving (Canadian one) and it was pretty good! I added more chilli flakes though to give it more spice and I’m proud to say it turned out well! It’s definitely a dish that makes you full pretty fast and I think it’s due to the addition of the lentils. But this is fine since it means you’re consuming less carbs in one go ;)