If you want a guilt free pasta experience, then this red lentil zoodle recipe is for you. It has less than 200 calories per serving and is loaded with nutrition.

Zoodles are a great pasta alternative if you want to avoid carbs or if you want to eat less calories. They also make for a zero waste pasta if you buy the zucchini without packaging. I have a spiralizer that I use that I bought from TJ Maxx a few years ago. With my spiralizer, you only have to cut off the ends and then the device turns them into zoodles. I dry them off with a kitchen towel to remove as much excess water as possible before adding a little bit of olive oil to a pan and cooking until they begin to turn translucent. Then I repeat drying them before I add sauce.

 

For the sauce, you cook the red lentils in water and then add all of the ingredients into a high speed blender. If it is too liquid-y, you can always add flour to thicken it. 

If you are not ready to try zoodles or want something a little more filling, you can substitute the zoodles with your favorite pasta noodles.

 

Feel free to like or share this post and comment to let me know if you liked it.

Vegan Red Lentil Sauce with Zoodles

Yield: 5 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Red Lentils | 1 cup dry

Vegetable broth | 2 cups

Roasted Red Peppers | 15 oz jar or 4 cooked bell peppers

Tomato Paste  | 6 oz can

Almond milk | 1 cup

Nutritional Yeast | .5 cup

Minced Garlic | 2 tsp

Italian Seasoning | 1.5 tsp

Black Pepper | 1.5 tsp

Zucchini | 6 medium

Olive Oil | 1 - 2 tbsp

Directions

1. Cut both ends off the zucchini and use a spiralizer to turn the zucchini into zoodles. Dry the zoodles with a towel to remove excess water.

2. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the zoodles and let them cook for about 10 minutes while stirring frequently. They should begin to turn translucent and release more water. 

3. While the zoodles are cooking, put the lentils and water into another pot and bring to a boil. Then simmer about 10 - 15 minutes until water has been absorbed.

4. Once the lentils are ready, add lentils, tomato paste, almond milk, red peppers, nutritional yeast, and spices to a blender. Blend until smooth.

5. Dry the cooked zoodles with a towel and top with sauce. 

6. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Per 1 serving:

Calories: 127 | Fat: 1.5 g | Saturated Fat: .2 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg |

Sodium: 339 mg | Total Carbs: 20 g | Dietary Fiber: 7 g | Sugars: 12 g | Protein: 9 g