Hearty Spaghetti with Lentils & Marinara

Name: Hearty Spaghetti with Lentils & Marinara
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ½ cup dry lentils (French green lentils or regular brown lentils), or 1 ½ cups cooked lentils (leftover or from a can, rinsed and drained); 1 bay leaf; 1 large garlic clove, peeled but left whole; ¼ teaspoon salt; 2 cups vegetable broth or water; 2 cups marinara sauce; 8 ounces whole-grain pasta (or 12 ounces, if you like your pasta less saucy than mine); Optional garnishes: grated Parmesan or vegan Parmesan and/or chopped fresh basil

This hearty spaghetti combines tender lentils with marinara sauce and whole-grain pasta for a vegetarian dinner that's protein-rich, budget-friendly, and ready in under 30 minutes.

🌍Italian 🥗Vegan 🥗Vegetarian 🏷️Vegetarian marinara with lentils and spaghetti

Hearty Spaghetti with Lentils & Marinara

Total

35 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$17–$28

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Cookie And Kate · by Cookie and Kate

Ingredients

½ cup dry lentils (French green lentils or regular brown lentils), or 1 ½ cups cooked lentils (leftover or from a can, rinsed and drained)
1 bay leaf
1 large garlic clove, peeled but left whole
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups vegetable broth or water
2 cups marinara sauce
8 ounces whole-grain pasta (or 12 ounces, if you like your pasta less saucy than mine)
Optional garnishes: grated Parmesan or vegan Parmesan and/or chopped fresh basiloptional

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Instructions

1
To cook the lentils, first pick through the lentils for debris (I once bit into a tiny rock) and then rinse them in a fine-mesh colander. In a small saucepan, combine the lentils, bay leaf, garlic, salt and broth.
2
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer until the lentils are cooked through and tender, which will take somewhere between 20 to 35 minutes, depending on the age and variety of the lentils. Drain the lentils, discard the bay leaf and garlic, and set the pot aside, uncovered.
3
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, then return the pasta to the pot and set it aside.
4
Stir the marinara into the lentils and warm them together over medium heat. Divide pasta into bowls, top with warm marinara and lentils, and garnish with Parmesan and/or chopped fresh basil, if you’d like. Serve warm. Leftovers will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Boil lentils with the bay leaf and whole garlic clove for deep flavor; remove both before mixing with marinara.
Stir lentils into marinara sauce 5 minutes before serving to let flavors meld without breaking down the lentils.
Cook whole-grain pasta 1–2 minutes under the package time to keep it slightly al dente, since it will soften in the warm sauce.
Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed after tossing—lentils absorb liquid as they sit.

Substitutions

Whole-grain pasta → regular or gluten-free pasta (cooking time may vary)
Marinara sauce → crushed tomato sauce with Italian herbs (use 2¼ cups to account for more liquid)
Vegetable broth → water (flavor will be milder; add ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning to compensate)

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, as lentils absorb liquid when cooled.