This creamy Red Lentil Pasta Salad is an easy high protein main or side dish with fresh veggies and a creamy lemon tahini dressing. This is great for a summer picnic or as a simple weeknight dinner!
If you're looking for a filling and satisfying pasta dish, you will love this cold lentil pasta salad! Lentil noodles have 2-3x the protein as regular pasta. This is great to make for a main dish for a dinner as well as a good pasta salad for summer picnics.
Find more amazing summer BBQ and picnic recipes including salads, entrees, desserts, and more!
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Ingredients:
- Red lentil penne: This is the most common pasta shape for red lentil. You can find this at most grocery stores. The most common brand I've seen in Barilla red lentil penne.
- Chickpeas: Just one can of drained and rinsed chickpeas is all you need!
- Cherry tomatoes: Freshly washed and halved juicy cherry tomatoes taste amazing in this dish!
- Red onion: Just a small amount of diced red onion adds a little kick to this pasta salad!
Lemon Tahini Sauce:
- Tahini: I recommend a high quality tahini (To know if its high quality check the ingredients - it should only be sesame seeds! High-quality tahini will also have minimal oil separation, and should have a rich, nutty taste with a hint of bitterness. Low-quality tahini might taste bland, rancid, or overly bitter.
- Plain unsweetened vegan yogurt: This will give the sauce some creaminess and balances the fat of the tahini.
- Dijon mustard: Dijon helps to deepen the flavor of the sauce
- Lemon: You will need one large fresh lemon
- Red wine vinegar: Just a splash of red wine vinegar helps to balance the flavors of the tahini.
- Garlic clove- crushed: Fresh is best!
- Pinch of salt and black pepper to taste
- Nutritional yeast, optional but adds great flavor!
- Cold water
- Fresh dill: Dill is one of my favorite fresh herbs and adds so much flavor to this pasta sauce!
Are lentil noodles healthier than regular noodles?
Lentil noodles have a lot of health benefits compared to regular noodles.
- High Protein: Lentil noodles have 2-3x the protein compared to regular wheat noodles. (Lentil noodles generally contain around 15-25 grams of protein per 2-ounce (56-gram) serving. In comparison, regular wheat-based noodles usually provide only about 7-8 grams of protein per 2-ounce serving.)
- High Fiber: Lentil noodles are higher in fiber than regular noodles. Fiber is important for digestive health, helps regulate blood sugar levels, and promotes feelings of fullness, aiding in weight management.
- Lower Glycemic Index: Lentil noodles have a lower glycemic index compared to regular pasta. This means they cause a slower and more gradual rise in blood sugar levels, which can be beneficial for individuals with diabetes or those who want to maintain stable energy levels.
Substitutions & Additions
- Red lentil penne: If you don't want to use red lentil pasta you could also use whole wheat pasta, regular pasta, or another variation of gluten-free pasta (such as chickpea pasta)
- Red wine vinegar: Use white wine vinegar to apple cider vinegar
Add in some extras:
- Feel free to add in more veggies such as artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, cucumbers, red bell pepper, and more!
- Top with a little feta cheese.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Large skillet
- Small blender or food processor
Instructions
Step 1: Start by cooking your pasta to package instructions. Meanwhile, sauté your zucchini in a large pan over medium cook for 6-7 minutes until lightly browned (feel free to use a small amount of oil and salt if desired). The zucchini should still have a slightly firm texture and not mushy (it will hold up better in the pasta salad).
Step 2: In a small blender or food processor, add your lemon tahini sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.
Step 3: In a large bowl combine cooked pasta with chickpeas, diced red onion, cooked zucchini, and halved cherry tomatoes. Pour lemon tahini sauce on top and gently stir to combine.
Step 4: Add salt and pepper to desired taste. Refrigerate red lentil penne pasta salad for 1-2 hours until chilled. Enjoy!
Storage
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you pasta seems like it's drying out the next day add a little extra tahini and lemon juice.
I don't recommend freezing this pasta salad.
FAQ
Red lentil pasta has a mild, slightly nutty flavor. It is often described as having a taste similar to regular pasta but with a subtle earthiness. It is slightly chewier than regular pasta.
Yes, because red lentil pasta is made with lentils and no wheat, it is gluten-free friendly! Make sure to check it is specifically labeled as gluten-free, as some brands may process their products in facilities that also handle gluten-containing ingredients.
Yes, it is high in plant-based protein and has fresh veggies. It is also oil-free.
Pro Tips
- Use a high quality tahini for your dressing. It shouldn't be clumpy or grainy. High quality is smooth and creamy and shouldn't require excessive mixing.
- Cook the pasta al dente. Red lentil pasta can become mushy if overcooked. Follow the package instructions and cook the pasta until it is just tender, while still retaining a slight bite. This helps maintain the texture and prevents it from becoming too soft in the salad.
- Consider texture and crunch. To add texture and crunch to the salad, consider incorporating ingredients like toasted pine nuts, slivered almonds, or sunflower seeds. These elements provide a nice contrast to the softness of the pasta and vegetables.
Try out these other great pasta dishes:
One of my fave noodles dishes of all time is Creamy Miso Peanut Noodles with a savory creamy peanut sauce that coats chewy udon noodles!
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Red Lentil Pasta Salad with Lemon Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 oz red lentil penne
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium zucchini diced
- ½ small red onion finely diced
- 1 cup chickpeas
Lemon Tahini Sauce
- ⅓ cup good quality tahini
- ¼ cup plain unsweetened vegan yogurt
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- juice of one large lemon about 2 tbsp
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional but recommended
- ¼ cup cold water
- 3 tablespoon fresh dill
Instructions
- Start by cooking your red lentil pasta to package instructions. Meanwhile, sauté your zucchini in a large pan over medium cook for 6-7 minutes until lightly browned (feel free to use a small amount of oil and salt if desired). The zucchini should still have a slightly firm texture and not mushy (it will hold up better in the pasta salad).
- In a small blender or food processor, add your lemon tahini sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl combine cooked pasta with chickpeas, diced red onion, cooked zucchini, and halved cherry tomatoes. Pour lemon tahini sauce on top and gently stir to combine.
- Add salt and pepper to desired taste. Refrigerate red lentil penne pasta salad for 1-2 hours until chilled. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a high quality tahini for your dressing. It shouldn't be clumpy or grainy and instead smooth and creamy.
- Cook the pasta al dente. Red lentil pasta can become mushy if overcooked. Follow the package instructions and cook the pasta until it is just tender, while still retaining a slight bite. This helps maintain the texture and prevents it from becoming too soft in the salad.
- Consider texture and crunch. To add texture and crunch to the salad, consider incorporating ingredients like toasted pine nuts, slivered almonds, or sunflower seeds. These elements provide a nice contrast to the softness of the pasta and vegetables.
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