Balsamic Basil Lentil Penne

This recipe for Balsamic Basil Lentil Penne is fresh, delicious and super simple to make. I only use one pot to cook the pasta and sauce in, which means less dishes in the sink as well. Balsamic Basil Lentil Pasta is made with fresh basil and tomatoes, so it is a perfect dish to enjoy in the summertime when these ingredients are plentiful and easy to come by. The minimal cooking time also helps on hot days when you don’t feel like turning on the oven or standing over a hot stove for hours.  

I have recently started incorporating more gluten-free foods into our diet. Not because anybody in our home is allergic to gluten, but because I want to incorporate more protein rich foods into our meals. With a very picker eater who loves her pasta, it was suggested to me to try cooking with chickpea pasta or lentil pasta. I have to be honest, the first time I tried cooking with chickpea rotini, I mixed it in with some regular wheat based pasta, and my daughter ate around it; but since then, I have made chickpea rotini and lentil penne several times on their own, and my daughter has gladly finished her bowl of pasta, and I think they are delicious!

Ingredients in Vegan and Gluten Free Balsamic Basil Lentil Penne:

 The main ingredient in this gluten-free pasta dish, is of course the pasta. I use lentil penne in this recipe, but you could use any bite-sized pasta of your liking. The lentil pasta works fantastically in this particular recipe because of the slight peppery flavor that the lentil penne has. If you opt for a wheat-based pasta, then I highly recommend adding a pinch or two of black pepper to make up for the flavor.  

Tomatoes in this recipe could be substituted with grape or cherry tomatoes, just be sure to slice them in half so their juice gets a chance to mix in with the other ingredients.   

It is important to use fresh basil in this recipe, so if you don’t have it, you’ll be best to hold off and wait until you do. Dried basil simply won’t do this dish justice; I promise, it’s worth waiting for the fresh basil in this instance. 

How to Make Balsamic Basil Gluten-Free Pasta:

Cook lentil pasta as per cooking instructions on the package (or approximately 8 minutes in boiling water).  Pour the pasta into a colander to drain the water from the pot. Rinse the pasta with cold water. 

Transfer the empty pot back to the stove, over medium heat.  Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, diced tomatoes, salt and nutritional yeast, whisking the ingredients together. Bring just to a simmer. Add the pasta back to the pot, and stir in lots of fresh basil. Remove from heat. Serve immediately. 

Yield: 4

Balsamic Basil Lentil Penne

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This vegan friendly recipe is made with gluten-free lentill pasta tossed with a quick and easy pasta sauce made with balsamic and basil.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Package Lentil Penne ( 8oz / 227g )
• 2 Vine Tomatoes, Diced
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Basil, diced (Approximately 10 Large Leaves)
• 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook lentil pasta as per cooking instructions on the package.
2. Pour the pasta into a colander to drain the water from the pot. Rinse the pasta with cold water.
3. Transfer the empty pot back to the stove, over medium heat.
4. Add the olive oil, balsamic, tomatoes, salt and nutritional yeast, whisking the ingredients together. Bring just to a simmer.
5. Add the pasta back to the pot, and stir in the basil. Remove from heat.
6. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 300mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 8g