Zucchini Spaghetti with Easy Lentil Marinara

zucchini being shredded into noodles
Prep Time: 
10 minutes prep + 40 minutes cook
Number of Servings: 
4
Recipe Source: 
Sonnet Lauberth, courtesy Natural Vitality

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried French lentils
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 15-ounce cans organic tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 12 tsp dried thyme
  • 6 medium zucchini, spiralized into pasta*
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Add lentils and water to a medium pot. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender and liquid is evaporated, about 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic cloves and sauté for an additional minute, until fragrant.
  3. Add the tomato sauce, basil, oregano, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.
  4. When lentils are done cooking, add them to the sauce and simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
  5. In a separate pan, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the zucchini pasta for 5 to 10 minutes, until desired tenderness is achieved.
  6. Divide the pasta among four plates and top with lentil marinara. Serve hot.

Notes

  • *If you don't have a spiralizer just create ribbons by peeling the entire veggie.
  • Fresh zucchini will often lose moisture as the zucchini pasta cooks, so be sure to drain any liquid that has built up in the pan. The recipe holds well as leftovers, but the zucchini does tend to release extra moisture as it sits; so the pasta should be drained before serving.

Contributor

Calmful Living

Calmful Living is brought to you by Natural Vitality, a purpose-driven human nutrition company. Natural Vitality Calmful Living offers fun tips, delicious recipes, inspiring profiles and features to empower readers to find balance in a stressful world. Visit the Calmful Living Blog for more content that will get you eating, drinking, gardening, shopping and learning in a whole new shade of green.