Quick and easy Vegetable and Herb pasta with Red Lentil Fusilli is what I call a mouthful of win-win. The first win is how delicious it is, the second win is that it is loaded with nutritious herbs and vegetables.
Along with using fresh vegetables in the recipe, I also used Pasta Lensi’s Red Lentil Fusilli which is a great source of protein and fiber. And you know my love for simple ingredients; this pasta is simply made with red lentil flour.
This post is sponsored by Pasta Lensi! Thank you so much for supporting the brands who support Veggie Peggy. All content and opinions are my own.
Research from Harvard Medical School indicates that many Americans (1 out of 10 adults) are not eating enough vegetables. Not eating enough vegetables can harm our health and put us at risk for many illnesses. Making small, daily efforts to add more vegetables in our meals goes a very long way. For this recipe, not only is the sauce filled with vegetables,but the pasta is also filled with plant-based protein. Again; win-win!
There’s something about chopping up vegetables and cooking with herbs and spices that is very therapeutic for me. I think it is a mixture of creating something nourishing while being surrounded by the delicious and bold aroma of fresh vegetables, spices, and tomato sauce. It’s both mouth-watering and nourishing. Pasta Lensi’s Red Lentil Fusilli was easy to prepare, which made it convenient to focus on whipping up this delicious, colorful, flavorful, veggie-filled sauce.
Vegetable Herb Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 box 10oz Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt or add to taste
- ½ cup of boiled pasta water or more to thin out tomato paste
- 1 zucchini chopped small
- 1 squash chopped small
- 10 oz baby bella or cremini mushrooms sliced
- **Garnish with fresh basil finely minced (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli in salted water as indicated in package directions. Boil pasta to preferred texture, remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, in a medium to large pot heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add salt and oregano to season the onions and cook for about 30-60 seconds.
- Pour in tomato paste and ½ cup of water from the boiling pasta. Stir together and gently raise heat so that the sauce boils. If needed add more boiling water, but do so ¼ cup at a time.
- Simmer the sauce in medium-low heat and add mushrooms, zucchini, and squash. Stir and cover pot for about 10-15 minutes allowing vegetables to soften. I prefer my vegetables with a little crispness to the bite. Use a fork to puncture the vegetables to gauge desired softness.
- Pour the drained Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli into a large mixing bowl and then pour your vegetable herb sauce on top and mix until your Red Lentil Fusilli is coated. (Alternatively, instead of using a mixing bowl, you can pour your pasta directly into the pot with the vegetable and herb sauce). Garnish with minced basil leaves and enjoy!
