A rich simmer of tomatoes, onions, earthy mushrooms, red wine and aromatic herbs. With just-tender red lentils and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes—a mouthwatering spicy red lentil pasta sauce. Toss into wide toothsome pappardelle noodles for this robust and satisfying meatless meal!
Click here to PIN Spicy Red Lentil and Mushroom Pasta!
The red lentils add an egg’s worth of protein to the sauce. Plus, lentils are fiber, mineral, and vitamin rich, a powerful food for any diet, from vegan to meat-inclusive.
The mushrooms, sautéed to rich golden color, shrink from what seemed like a copious amount to a realistic volume. In the cooking, they take on a pleasing meaty quality.
Salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and the fifth taste, umami, dance around our tongues when we eat. Umami (oo-MOM-ee), more mysterious than the other four, adds complexity to food, and has been described as tasty, meaty, and savory.
Spicy red lentil and mushroom pasta employs all kinds of umami.
- Fermented foods like soy sauce increase umami in any dish they flavor. It’s amazing how much the tamari enhances this tomato sauce!
- Especially when sautéed to deep golden, mushrooms are umami-famous.
- A bit of maple syrup, the red wine, and a long simmer–these too convey umami power.
This pasta is my vegetarian variation of the robust wine-enhanced Italian meat and vegetable sauce called ragù. The name ragù stems from the verb ragoûter, which means, “to excite the appetite.” How about that? Spicy red lentil and mushroom pasta most definitely arouses the taste buds!
This healthy, lighter and meatless pasta begs to be served family style, in a large bowl passed around the table. For a complete meal, pass a second big bowl of crisp green lettuce with colorful veggies.
Just so you know, some of the links below are affiliates. When you purchase products via my links, it doesn’t cost you anything and I earn a tiny commission, which helps me continue to provide free content here on Letty’s Kitchen. Thank you!!
Spicy Red Lentil and Mushroom Pasta details and notes:
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta. (Affiliate link.)
- This recipe is vegan. If your diet includes dairy, serve with grated aged cheese, like Parmesan. (Aged cheeses also have umami.)
- Use a wider noodle, like pappardelle or tagliatelle. (Affiliate links.) Fettuccine is thinner, though sometimes easier to find.
- Time saving tip: Slice mushrooms with a food processor slicing attachment. The slices won’t be uniform but it doesn’t matter. Then, since your food processor bowl is already dirty, switch to the metal blade and blend the tomatoes.
- Idea: Turn the pasta and sauce into a lasagna-like casserole: Spread the sauced pasta in an oiled 9 x 13-inch dish. Poke dollops of ricotta or soft goat cheese around and about. Bake at 350°F until very hot, about 20 minutes.
- You might also enjoy these Lentil Quinoa Veggie Burgers. And these Spicy Greens and Lentil Tacos.
To get my latest recipe posts and newsletters, subscribe here. (I hate Spam too and will never share your email with anyone.)
- Follow me on Instagram!
- Peruse my Pinterest boards for more vegetarian recipe ideas.
- Find daily vegetarian and healthy living ideas on my Facebook page.
This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase products via my links, it doesn’t cost you anything and I earn a tiny commission, which helps me continue to provide free content here on Letty’s Kitchen. Thank you!!
Spicy Red Lentil and Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
Lentils:
- ¾ cup red lentils, rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound sliced mushrooms
- 1 each onion, chopped, about ¾ cup
- 1 each carrot, chopped
- 1 each rib celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans (14-ounce) diced tomatoes, blended until almost smooth but a bit chunky (see note)
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or organic cane sugar optional
- 2 teaspoons tamari soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Grated Parmesan cheese. optional
Pasta:
- 12 to 13 ounces pappardelle, tagliatelle, or fettuccine pasta
Instructions
- Put the lentils in a large pot with water, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and gently cook until the lentils are just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Test a bite after 5 minutes, and each minute after. Red lentils go from perfect toothy texture to mush very quickly and you want the lentils to be soft, yet still have texture. Drain. Stir the teaspoon of oil. Set aside.
- While the lentils cook, heat the first tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high flame. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle them with salt; cook, stirring occasionally. The mushrooms will release liquid—cook until they turn golden and all of the liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Add the onions, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the blended tomatoes, the sautéed mushrooms, basil, oregano, thyme, red wine, salt, and red pepper flakes. Add the maple syrup, if using.
- Simmer on medium flame 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened but is still moist. Add the cooked lentils, tamari and parsley. Cook until heated through. Season to taste with more salt and red pepper flakes, if you think they are needed. heat through. Keep warm.
- Cook pasta in well-salted water, according to package directions. Drain. Toss pasta with sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
*** Nutrition information is meant to be an estimate only. The numbers will vary based on the quantity consumed, brands used and substitutions that are made.
Oh I need to try this! I’m not a big fan of meat sauces, so this looks like a great hearty vegetarian option! Love all the texture from the lentils and mushrooms! · 9 April, 2018
Thank you Liz–you will love it! · 9 April, 2018
I love this vegetarian version of ragu and it looks so hearty and full of flavor! Lentils and mushrooms are such a nice for meat here — I would never miss it! · 9 April, 2018
Thank you Marcie. I’d always wanted to try a veggie ragu and I’m really pleased with how this came out! · 9 April, 2018