High-Protein Vegan Red Lentil Pasta Recipe
This high-protein vegan pasta is a delicious and nutritious take on classic puttanesca, featuring red lentil fusilli, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, black olives, and chickpeas for extra protein. The dish is packed with bold flavors and comes together in under 30 minutes, making it a perfect quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 2–3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes (hot pepper flakes)
- 5 ½ oz cherry tomatoes
- 10 ½ oz passata (sieved tomatoes)
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
- 12 ½ oz canned chickpeas drained
- 10 sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- Handful of Kalamata olives pitted and chopped
- 1 teaspoon salted capers
- 7 oz red lentil fusilli
- Small handful of fresh basil
- Olive oil for frying
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To Serve
- Small handful of arugula or basil
- Plant-based Parmesan-style cheese for topping
Instructions
- Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion, garlic, and chili flakes for 5–8 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the cherry tomatoes, passata, chopped bell pepper, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and capers. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to break down.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the red lentil fusilli according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain the pasta.
- Combine the drained pasta with the sauce, tossing in fresh basil. Stir everything together and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, topped with arugula or basil and a sprinkle of plant-based Parmesan-style cheese.
Nutrition
Protein: 30g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!