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Vegetarian, Italy

Pasta e lenticchie

Pasta e lenticchie is a thick Italian soup made with green lentils and small pasta simmered in a tomato based broth. It serves 4, takes 50 minutes, needs no real skill, and costs about €1.20 per person. The key step is mashing a ladle of cooked lentils to thicken the base before the pasta goes in.

A thick soup of lentils and small pasta in tomato, finished with a drizzle of olive oil, a rustic and comforting dish.

Pasta e lenticchie
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.20
Calories per person
700 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Pasta e lenticchie is the kind of dish that warms you up without any fuss. Green lentils slowly soften in a broth flavored with tomato, carrot, and celery, while small pasta shapes finish cooking right in that liquid and soak up its flavor. The result is a thick soup, almost a stew, nothing like a thin broth.

It is a weeknight staple, the kind of meal you throw together on a cold autumn or winter evening with whatever is already in the pantry. At Mon Chou, we like suggesting it when both your budget and your time are tight, without giving up on a comforting dinner.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Green lentilsoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Small pastaoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Bay leafoften in the pantry 1
  • Vegetable brothoften in the pantry 1.2 l
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Carrot 1
  • Celery stalk 1

Allergens Gluten, Celery

The step by step recipe

  1. Chop the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté them in the olive oil with the bay leaf. 8 min

    Let them pick up a little color, it adds flavor.

  2. Add the rinsed lentils, the crushed tomatoes, and the broth, then let it simmer. 25 min

    Add salt only at the end of cooking, salt toughens the lentils.

  3. Mash a ladle of lentils to thicken the soup.

    A fork is all you need.

  4. Add the small pasta and cook it right in the soup. 10 min

    Stir in a bit of hot water if it gets too thick.

  5. Remove the bay leaf, adjust the seasoning, and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

    A few drops of balsamic vinegar are a pleasant surprise.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick short small pasta shapes like ditalini or small shells, they mix better with the lentils than long pasta would.
  • Check the texture before adding the pasta, the soup should already be thick but still fairly liquid, since the pasta will soak up more liquid as it cooks.
  • If you are making this ahead, cook the pasta separately and stir it in right before serving, otherwise it keeps swelling in the broth.

The variations

  • Swap the small pasta for rice for a pasta free version, adjusting the cooking time to the rice you use.
  • For a richer version, add a piece of bacon or pork rind while the vegetables cook, then remove it before serving.
  • For kids, blend part of the soup before adding the pasta, the texture becomes smoother and easier to eat.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for dipping
  • A simple green salad
  • An extra drizzle of olive oil

Storage

Pasta e lenticchie keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, ideally before adding the pasta, which turns soft once thawed. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of water or broth, since it thickens as it cools.

Questions about this dish

Do you need to soak green lentils before cooking them?

No, green lentils do not need soaking. They cook directly in the soup in about 25 minutes, which makes this recipe quick to put together.

Can you use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth?

Yes, chicken broth works well and adds a bit more flavor. The dish simply will not be vegetarian anymore in that case.

Why does the soup get so thick?

Mashing a ladle of cooked lentils naturally thickens the base. The small pasta then soaks up some of the liquid as it cooks, which adds to that thick texture.

Can you make this dish the day before?

You can make the lentil base a day ahead without any issue. It is best to cook the pasta at the last minute so it holds its texture.

How long does it take to make a pasta e lenticchie?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a pasta e lenticchie?

About 700 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pasta e lenticchie cost?

About €1.20 per serving, or €4.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, celery. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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