Tomato Red Lentil Pasta Sauce

Recipe characteristics

• Quick and easy to make
• Rich and flavorful
• Ideal for a quick lunch or dinner and serves 4 people
• Dietary requirements: plant-based, gluten-free, soy-free with no added oils.
• For grain-free option, serve with mashed potatoes.

Notes on ingredients

• Cashews: Raw cashews are the perfect dairy-free alternative for heavy cream.
• Tomato puree: Tomato puree is super helpful when making any tomato based dish. It is made from cooked and strained tomatoes and generally does not include added water. Note: Tomato puree often gets confused with tomato paste or tomato sauce. The difference between tomato paste or sauce and tomato puree is the added ingredients and consistency. Tomato sauce is usually thinner than tomato puree and has added spices or other ingredients. On the other hand, tomato paste is much stronger and thicker than tomato puree.
• Red lentils: This recipe uses dry red lentils. The best substitute is yellow lentils.
• Garlic: Garlic gives an additional flavor.
• Parsley: Parsley enhances flavors and adds balance.
• Dried oregano: Spices can transform a meal by adding a range of flavors. Feel free to customize this recipe by adding more of your favorite spices and herbs.
• Date syrup: Date syrup is a great natural plant-based sugar alternative when a recipe calls for a liquid sweetener.

How to make it

Cashew cream

• Drain cashews well and put them into a high-speed blender along with water.
• Blend until very smooth. Set aside.
• Note: You can also use an immersion blender to achieve a smooth texture.

Tomato red lentil sauce

• Thoroughly rinse red lentils in a mesh strainer.
• Place all the ingredients for the sauce (including lentils and cashew cream) into a large pot, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer for about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
• Stir frequently to prevent the sauce on the bottom of the pot from burning.
• Check the seasonings and add more salt, date syrup, or herbs if needed.
• Also, if needed, add more water.

Serving suggestion

• Serve with your favorite pasta.
• Top with cherry tomatoes and garnish with parsley.
• For grain-free option, serve with mashed potatoes. 

Storing leftovers

• Store leftover sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Tomato Red Lentil Pasta Sauce

Nensi Beram

Tomato Red Lentil Pasta Sauce is ideal for a quick lunch or dinner. It's rich, flavorful, and quick and easy to make.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan

Servings 4

Calories 411 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Cashew cream

• 60 g cashews
• 200 ml water

Tomato red lentil pasta sauce

• 600 ml tomato puree
• 400 ml water
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons date syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 240 g red lentils

Instructions

 

• Soaking cashews:  Put cashews in a bowl and add enough water to cover. Soak at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Cashew cream

• Drain cashews well and put them into a high-speed blender along with water.
• Blend until very smooth. Set aside.
• Note: You can also use an immersion blender to achieve a smooth texture.

Tomato red lentil pasta sauce

• Thoroughly rinse red lentils in a mesh strainer.
• Place all the ingredients for the sauce (including lentils and cashew cream) into a large pot, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer for about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
• Stir frequently to prevent the sauce on the bottom of the pot from burning.
• Check the seasonings and add more salt, date syrup, or herbs if needed.
• Also, if needed, add more water.

Serving suggestion

• Serve with your favorite pasta.
• Top with cherry tomatoes and garnish with parsley.
• For grain-free option, serve with mashed potatoes. 

Storing leftovers

• Store leftover sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

Tomato puree often gets confused with tomato paste or tomato sauce. The difference between tomato paste or sauce and tomato puree is the added ingredients and consistency. Tomato sauce is usually thinner than tomato puree and has added spices or other ingredients. On the other hand, tomato paste is much stronger and thicker than tomato puree.

Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below and let us know how it was. We are very grateful for your feedback.

Nutrition facts

Nutrition Facts

Tomato Red Lentil Pasta Sauce

Serving Size

 

4

Amount per Serving

Calories

411

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

8

g

12

%

Sodium

 

61

mg

3

%

Carbohydrates

 

69

g

23

%

Fiber

 

22

g

92

%

Sugar

 

21

g

23

%

Protein

 

21

g

42

%

* The nutritional information provided is calculated automatically and should be used as an estimate.

Keyword red lentil tomato sauce, tomato pasta sauce