simple creamy-miso lentil pasta {v+gf}

This simple creamy-miso lentil pasta is one of my go-to weeknight recipes that comes together with items you probably already have in your pantry, save maybe the miso…but don’t leave it out, it’s the star ingredient here, and gives the dish that nice umami flavor. The pasta is relatively bright for the fall, brought on by the citrus notes from the lemon and peppery arugula, not to mention packed with protein and healthy fats from the lentil pasta, olives and cashews. Californians will definitely want to add an avocado to the dish (I do, and you should!), but it’s not necessary.

All the ingredients for the sauce are mixed together in a high-speed blender, so there is minimal clean up. And, the entire dish can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less. Because this dish has limited ingredients, quality is important. I always have these jarred, sliced kalamata olives stocked in my pantry—they come from Greece and are fresh and flavorful. They sell them at Whole Foods as well as other specialty markets. Olives are a flavorful, healthy addition to any dish, especially if you are running low on fresh ingredients. For the lentil pasta, I like this brand because there is no xanthum gum—just two ingredients: red lentil flour and quinoa flour.

Did I mention this pasta is delicious AND healthy AND gluten-free AND vegan??? Not much to think about here.

Bon appetit!

Tools

high-speed blender

cutting board

knife

measuring cups and spoons

deep pot for pasta

strainer

slotted spoon

Simple Creamy-Miso Lentil Pasta

{Vegan, gluten-free}

Makes 2 Servings

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 6-7 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 box of lentil fusilli pasta or pasta of choice
• 1/2 cup cashews, soaked in boiling water for at least 5 minutes
• 1/2 cup filtered water
• 1 tablespoon white, organic miso
• 1 clove of garlic
• juice of one large lemon (about 3 tablespoons), halved
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• fresh ground pepper to taste
• optional red pepper flakes for added heat
• 1/4 cup organic sliced kalamata olives, or to taste
• 3-4 cups arugula
• optional 1 avocado sliced into cubes
• high-quality olive oil
• nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds or to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare the quick soak for the cashews by covering them in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta. Cook the lentil pasta according to instructions, I typically do one minute less than the minimum amount of time (usually about 6-7 minutes). Be careful of the water bubbling over due to the starches.
2. When the cashews having finished soaking, drain and rinse them. In a high-speed blender, combine the cashews, water, miso, garlic, half the lemon juice, dijon, fresh ground pepper and optional red pepper flakes (the miso is salty so it’s not necessary to add any additional salt). Blend together until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Pour the sauce into the empty pasta pot and add in the lentil pasta; stir everything together.
3. Divide the arugula into two bowls; drizzle with olive oil and the remaining lemon juice. Spoon the pasta over the arugula and scatter the olives on top. Toss everything together and add the optional avocado. Top everything with a quick vegan parmesan of nutritional yeast and hemp seeds, fresh ground pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.