Perfect for “Meatless Monday’s” this Puy Lentil Recipe Healthy Pasta Sauce is a great alternative to meat-based sauces. Nutritious, gluten-free and budget friendly too. This sauce is also tomato free!
French Puy lentils, onions, peppers, and goat cheese combine to make a flavourful pasta sauce. For this healthy lentil recipe, I used spaghetti squash for a low carb dinner.
Have you cooked with green lentils? Last year my Green Lentil Mini Cream Cheese Balls were the hit of the holiday parties. Appetizers can be healthy!
Lentils are so easy to prepare. Healthy lentil recipes are perfect for helping you in the “weight loss” department. Chock full of nutrition, fiber and a great protein alternative to meat that works for gluten-free and vegan diets too.
We enjoy meat dishes, but also know that we should “limit” our meat intake. Lentils are the perfect meat substitute. They can be used in a variety of recipes. Soups, sauces, even in baking. Readily available and easy on the budget, healthy, nutritious lentils are a win all the way around.
Puy Lentil Recipe Ingredients
Old school French lentils combine basic ingredients that produce wonderful, nutritious meals. This green lentil recipe is no different. You will need a few simple ingredients:
- Puy lentils
- onion
- peppers
- vegetable broth
- goat cheese
- fresh herbs (for garnish)
Have you ever wondered how to pronounce “Puy” lentils? These cute little French lentils keep their shape after cooking, and David Lebovitz refers to them as “cheap caviar”. They have a peppery taste, can be eaten hot or cold, a great addition to soups, sauces, and salads. These little gems are grown in France and also know as Le Puy lentils.
Cooking Puy Lentils
Similar to cooking rice, this easy to prepare recipe for Puy lentil pasta sauce is perfect for busy weeknights. Everything is done in one pot (except the pasta), or in this case the spaghetti squash.
Dice your onions and peppers. Saute for 5-7 minutes. Add lentils and broth. Cook for about 30 minutes.
Add in the goat cheese and stir to combine. This hearty, fiber-packed sauce is ready for your favourite pasta (great on rice and potaotes too). Garnish with fresh herbs (like thyme).
Puy Lentil Substitutes
If you cannot find Puy lentils, you can substitute green lentils. Another GREAT alternative is black beluga lentils! This type of lentil is another variety that holds it’s shape and has a nice meaty texture to it.
I have used these in my Spicy Beluga Pasta Sauce and Poached Eggs and Lentil Hash. Two additional great “meatless recipes”.
You can also use brown or red lentils. Both of these varieties produce a “mushy” sort of texture. The red lentils were the perfect variety for my Red Lentil Meatless Mock Tourtiere. A GREAT healthy alternative to the French Canadian classic dish.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly meal that is healthy and nutritious, try this Puy Lentil Recipe. I guarantee even the meat lovers will not miss the meat in this delicious healthy pasta sauce.
What is YOUR favourite lentil recipe? I would love to hear from you. Let me know how you like my healthy Puy lentil pasta sauce.
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Puy Lentil Recipe Healthy Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
For the Puy Lentil Sauce:
- 1 cup Puy lentils (rinsed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 ounces onion (diced)
- 7 ounces red pepper (diced)
- ¼ teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 5 ounces goat cheese (I used herb flavoured)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- fresh thyme (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions and cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Add the peppers and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add the seasonings, broth, and lentils.
- Bring to boil, reduce to medium and cook until done (about 30 minutes). Mix several times during the cooking process.
- When done, add the goat cheese. Mix to combine the cheese in the sauce.
- Remove from heat.
- Spoon over your choice of pasta.
- Garnish with fresh herbs.
- ENJOY!
Dominique | Perchance to Cook
I always wonder what to do with lentils and now I know what to do! This recipe looks so good. I love that use of goat cheese too to add some creaminess to tit.I’m going to try this with spaghetti squash because it just sounds so good!. 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
Lentils are awesome. Healthy, nutritious, budget-friendly too. You can do so many wonderful things with them. Hope you give this recipe a try.
Amanda
I LOVE Le Puy lentils! They’re my favorite of all lentil varieties and I keep them in constant supply in my pantry. How delicious they must be as a pasta sauce, especially paired with spaghetti squash and herbed goat cheese. This will be going in our dinner rotation very soon!
Homemade & Yummy
OMG…the goat cheese/lentil combination is sooooo good. This is a healthy, hearty and delicious meal.
Toni | Boulder Locavore
It looks so healthy and packed full of flavors!
Homemade & Yummy
This is such a delicious meatless sauce that is hearty and nutritious as well. Hope you give it a try.
Stephanie Simmons
I love meatless monday! The combination of lentils and spaghetti squash is so delicious! This is a great recipe
Homemade & Yummy
This is a great meatless meal for sure.
Chef Mireille
I love lentils and experimenting with all the various types though I’ve heard a lot about puy I have yet to try this variety. I use red lentils a lot in soups and other foods.
Homemade & Yummy
All kinds of lentils are delicious for sure. Some types work well in certain recipes. Puy lentils keep their shape and have a nice meaty texture.
Helen
I adore lentils – always have several different jars in the cupboard. I usually braise Puy and often serve with sausages, but it is an inspired idea making a sauce with them. All the yum.
Homemade & Yummy
Lentils are so nutritious and easy to work with too. Hope you give this PUY lentil recipe a try soon.
Sasmita Sahoo Samanta
What a lovely vegetarian meal ! looks absolutely wonderful … Bookmarking to try my hand soon 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
ENJOY…we really like this recipe a lot.
Heather
Been looking for some healthy recipes for the week…and LOVE the goat cheese addition!
Homemade & Yummy
Goat cheese makes everything so delicious. Hope you give this recipe a try.
Jessica Freimann
I’ve been learning to like Spaghetti Squash lately and this looks like the perfect dish to try! I love lentils!
Homemade & Yummy
It is the most fun squash of all. Works so well as a pasta alternative in this healthy recipe.
Mirlene
I enjoy goat cheese but I never thought about combining it with lentils. I have to try this recipe. It has lot of bold flavors.
Homemade & Yummy
It works really well in this recipe…hope you give it a try soon.
Kari Heron
I LOVE lentils. They are a staple larder item in my kitchen. Never thought of adding cheese to them. Will try this!
Homemade & Yummy
Hope you do…this is such a great recipe. Lentils and goat cheese work so well together.
Lisa Huff
Great timing! I’ve been meaning to make lentils more often. This is a perfect one to try!
Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much, hope you give this a try.
Marisa Franca
We are going to the grocery store this morning and I will be buying the goat cheese. When I saw this recipe the other day I knew I had to make it so I bought the lentils. We ate the rest of the goat cheese yesterday so I have to buy some more ASAP so I can make the lentil sauce. I never thought of using lentils for a sauce. What a great idea.
Homemade & Yummy
Enjoy….this is such a hearty and nutritious sauce. I can eat it by the spoonful.
Donna
My kids lentils, so we have been adding them to everything lately. They are so easy to prepare, it always makes for such an easy meal. LOVE the goat’s cheese in here, what a great way to get a tangy yet earthy flavor pairing with the lentils. Yum.
Homemade & Yummy
That is awesome that your kids love lentils. The goat’s cheese works well in this recipe.
Sues
I’ve cooked with green lentils before, but never in a sauce like this one. This looks seriously awesome… I love the addition of the goat cheese and the fact that you used it on spaghetti squash!
Homemade & Yummy
Nutritious and delicious all the way around. Enjoy!!