Creamy Mushroom and Lentil Pasta

Article by Layla Khoury-Hanold

Lentils are a nutrition powerhouse and pantry staple in many cultures and a mainstay in plant-based cooking. This vegetarian dish pairs earthy brown lentils with cremini mushrooms and sweet caramelized onions in a creamy pasta sauce, delivering a one-two hit of hearty comfort food flavor. Plus, this mostly hands-off dish comes together in just over an hour making it ideal for a weeknight dinner or impromptu dinner party. With this easy lentil pasta recipe, you’ll learn which lentil variety is best for making a lentil ragu, which pasta to choose, how to build flavor and how to achieve a silky, creamy sauce that pulls everything together.

How to Make Lentil Pasta with Creamy Mushrooms Like a Pro

Reach for brown lentils. Brown lentils take longer to cook, but they soften up to a tender texture and retain their shape. Avoid red lentils, as they cook to a mushy texture.

Choose ridged pasta shapes. Food Network Kitchen recipe developer Julian Plovnick likes to use shells as they perfectly cup the sauce and lentils after cooking. But any pasta shape with nooks and crannies, like fusilli or cavatelli, are great options too.

Dry saute mushrooms for the best texture and flavor. Cooking mushrooms in a dry pan, undisturbed until the mushrooms have released liquid and start to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes, helps prevent sogginess, creates a meaty texture and concentrates their flavor.

Don’t rush caramelizing the onions. To ensure that the onions caramelize and achieve a tender texture, deep golden color and sweetness, you’ll need to cook them for 25 to 30 minutes, keeping a close eye as they cook.

Cook lentils until just tender. The lentils should be soft but still retain their shape so that they don’t get mushy, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Double the sauce’s creaminess factor. A duo of crème fraîche and sour cream make for a luxuriously creamy sauce with a touch of tang to help cut the savory richness of the mushrooms and earthiness of the lentils.

Reserve your pasta water. The starchy pasta water is liquid gold and can be used to loosen the sauce and impart a velvety texture.

Garnish with fresh herbs. Dill fronds offer a pop of green and a bright contrast to the lentil’s earthy flavors.

Store leftover sauce separately. To prevent the pasta and lentils from getting soggy, store sauce in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days. To reheat, Plovnick recommends placing the sauce in a nonstick skillet with 1/2 cup of water over medium heat and heating until it has loosened.

What Are Lentils?

Lentils, also known as pulses, are members of the legume family, which also includes beans, peas, and peanuts. “Unlike other legumes, lentils are very low in fat, high in protein and high in fiber, making them a popular, nutritious choice for plant-based diets and cuisines for centuries,” Plovnick says. “Lentils are typically sold dried, aiding in their preservation and making them a shelf-stable choice that allows them to be stored for years.”

Brown Lentils vs Red Lentils

Brown lentils are the most widely available type of lentils. Generally, brown lentils are the largest and flattest lentils and have the mildest flavor. They soften when cooked yet retain some of their shape, making them a go-to for soups and patties. Red lentils are hulled and split, so they cook faster and yield a creamy, mushy texture that makes them well suited for soups, dal and thickeners. Red lentils also have a mild flavor, but they are sweeter than brown lentils.

Plotnick tested both brown and red lentils for this lentil pasta recipe. “We liked using brown lentils because they held their shape so you could still tell they were lentils, but they softened and became creamy,” Plotnick says. “Red lentils melted completely into mush, and we wouldn’t recommend using them in this recipe.”

Lentil Pasta Serving Suggestions

Pair our Creamy Mushroom and Lentil Pasta with greens like this Simple Green Salad or Wilted Greens, crusty bread for mopping up that luscious sauce and roasted vegetables like Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Broccoli to round out a vegetarian spread.

Lentil Pasta Recipes

Lentils and pasta make a dynamic duo in hearty, easy dishes, from salads to soups to main dishes. Plus, lentil pasta dishes can easily be made vegan (omit dairy, meat and animal products or sub in plant-based options) or made gluten-free (try rice, corn or red lentil pasta), making it a satisfying and versatile dinner option for busy weeknights. Canned lentils are a handy shortcut; they add protein and fiber to Pasta with Pancetta and Lentils and cook alongside pasta in this simple yet hearty Pasta and Lentil Soup. Cooked French green lentils and al dente pasta anchor this bright Summer Pasta and Lentil Salad festooned with grated carrots, sliced scallions, cherry tomatoes, finely diced celery and red bell pepper and a flurry of fresh herbs.