Vegetarian Lentil Pasta Sauce

A thick and healthy vegetarian red lentil pasta sauce to blanket a bowl of low carb zucchini noodles or baked spaghetti squash. Packed with plant based protein and fibre.

Healthy ingredients in a lentil pasta sauce

Red lentils: High in fibre and plant-protein. Red lentils give this satiating sauce its hearty texture

Canned tomatoes: Use a large can of diced, crushed or whole tomatoes. As the sauce cooks, simply break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Tomatoes are an excellent source of fibre and phytonutrients

Vegetables: We added carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in this pasta sauce. Chop the veggies as chunky or as fine as you like. Feel free to add zucchini, broccoli, or any of your favourite vegetables to make this sauce your own

Herbs and spices: Typical Italian herbs like oregano and basil make this sauce flavourful and add extra nutrients. Red pepper flakes give it a bit of heat. You can use dried or fresh herbs here and also adjust the red pepper flakes to suit your taste

A touch of maple syrup: Adds a bit of sweetness and balances the acidity in the tomatoes. You can leave it out, or sub with coconut sugar, if you prefer

How to make this amazing red lentil pasta sauce

All the ingredients cook in one big pot, including the lentils:

1. Heat olive oil over low heat in a deep pot or Dutch oven
2. Saute diced onion, carrot, and celery until tender. Add in garlic and spices, dry lentils, maple syrup, a can of tomatoes, water or broth, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and let the sauce cook uncovered until the lentils are tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. When the lentils are easily smashed with a fork, they are done
3. Serve the sauce over spiralized zucchini noodles, butternut squash noodles, baked spaghetti squash or traditional pasta noodles

What to serve red lentil pasta sauce with

• Over baked spaghetti squash
• Over spiralized zucchini or butternut squash noodles
• With traditional pasta noodles or noodles made from beans, quinoa, rice, or whole wheat
• Open-faced on toast or a bun like a sloppy Joe!