1Get your onions nice and brown to build a savory base for the pasta sauce.
2Get your onions nice and brown to build a savory base for the pasta sauce.
3Get your onions nice and brown to build a savory base for the pasta sauce.
4Add in some garlic and dried herbs.
5Add in some garlic and dried herbs.
6Add in some garlic and dried herbs.
7Cook down an entire tube of tomato paste.
8Cook down an entire tube of tomato paste.
9Cook down an entire tube of tomato paste.
10Add a generous glug of red wine (optional).
11Add a generous glug of red wine (optional).
12Add a generous glug of red wine (optional).
13Add red lentils and walnuts to the flavor base.
14Add red lentils and walnuts to the flavor base.
15Add red lentils and walnuts to the flavor base.
16Cook until you end up with a thick and rich sauce.
17Cook until you end up with a thick and rich sauce.
18Cook until you end up with a thick and rich sauce.
19Toss the sauce with cooked pasta.
20Toss the sauce with cooked pasta.
21Toss the sauce with cooked pasta.
Ingredients
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried thyme
1.5 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1.5 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1.5 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
5 oz tube of tomato paste
5 oz tube of tomato paste
5 oz tube of tomato paste
0.5 cup dry red wine
0.5 cup dry red wine
0.5 cup dry red wine
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup red lentils, soaked for 30 minutes
1 cup red lentils, soaked for 30 minutes
1 cup red lentils, soaked for 30 minutes
0.25 cup walnuts, crushed finely
0.25 cup walnuts, crushed finely
0.25 cup walnuts, crushed finely
14.5 oz canned crushed tomatoes (or whole peeled tomatoes)
14.5 oz canned crushed tomatoes (or whole peeled tomatoes)
14.5 oz canned crushed tomatoes (or whole peeled tomatoes)
12 -16 oz long, wide pasta (tagliatelle, pappardelle, or fettuccine) OR rigatoni
12 -16 oz long, wide pasta (tagliatelle, pappardelle, or fettuccine) OR rigatoni
12 -16 oz long, wide pasta (tagliatelle, pappardelle, or fettuccine) OR rigatoni
1 tablespoon high-quality aged balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon high-quality aged balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon high-quality aged balsamic vinegar
Fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Tips
Since this recipe uses a lot of tomato paste, seek out tubed tomato paste instead of canned. Tube varieties are preserved with salt (canned tomato paste usually use citric acid) so the flavor is purer, richer, and more seasoned. And there’s no tinny aftertaste.
The red wine adds a richer body and flavor, but if you can’t have alcohol, just skip it.