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a single serving bowl of lentils with pasta with grated cheese and fresh chopped green onion,

Lentils with Pasta

Claudia
Lentils with pasta is a hearty, economical, meatless meal. Lentils are simmered with garlic and scallions to make a soup. Adding pasta brings it from soup to a full meal.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, meatless meal
Servings 8
Calories 395 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 12 cups water
  • 1 bunch scallions
  • 1 pound dried lentils
  • 12 cloves fresh garlic
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 pound pasta small shells recommended see notes

Instructions
 

Prepare Ingredients

  • Rinse the lentils under running water and sift through for any small pieces of foreign matter that may be in with them.
  • Peel the garlic cloves. Chop into big pieces if the cloves are large.
  • Chop the top off the green scallion stems to get the dried ends off. Trim the "hairy" end off. Chop the white bulb and stems into 1/4 inch pieces. Leave 3 or 4 inches of the bright green stem, uncut, and put aside. You will be using them as a garnish. Prior to serving, chop the scallion stems that have been put aside into 1/4 inch pieces for a fresh scallion garnish.

Cooking Instructions

  • Add 12 cups of cold water to a large stockpot/Dutch oven
  • Add the lentils, garlic, scallions, olive oil, salt and pepper to the water. Keep 3 or 4 inches of scallion stems aside for garnish.
  • The pasta is not added until the lentils are cooked.
  • Bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Check the lentils after 45 minutes. If the lentils are not tender yet simmer for another 15 minutes. The soup is done when the lentils are tender.
  • When the lentils are tender, in a separate pot boil the small shells as directed on the package. When the pasta is cooked scoop it out of the water and into the lentil soup.
  • Serve in a bowl. Add fresh scallions slices over the top for flavor and texture.
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese is a great complement to the dish.

Notes

You don't need to add a full pound of pasta to serve as a pasta dish. You can use less pasta in the soup if you want. Or you can serve the lentils in the broth as soup without pasta.
The finishing touches really make a difference.. The chopped fresh scallion sprinkled over the top adds a crisp, flavorful bite and grated parmesan cheese adds a salty creaminess. This is a great cold weather meal, and it is very economical. You can feed 8-10 people for less then 10 dollars! 

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 15gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gSodium: 872mgPotassium: 725mgFiber: 18gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 300IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 5mg
Keyword homemade bean soup, lentil soup, less than 10 dollars, meatless meal, meatless soup, pasta and beans, soup in less than 1 hour, soups and stews
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