A delicious recipe of tender spiced lentils and orzo pasta.
Turmeric Lentils and Pasta
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups water
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
½ cup dry lentils, rinsed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
½ cup orzo or tiny pasta
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Rinse fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat (300 degrees F in an electric skillet). Add onion and garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in water, diced tomatoes with juice, lentils, cumin, turmeric and red pepper flakes, if desired.
- Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low (250 degrees F in an electric skillet). Simmer for 25 minutes.
- Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with cilantro and serve warm.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Serve topped with light sour cream or plain non-fat yogurt.
You might also like...
Succotash
Succotash
Combine sweet corn and tender lima beans with okra and tomato to make the perfect side dish of summer or any time of the year. Succotash is a blend of indigenous and African Heritage foods and we thank those who have shared this recipe with Food Hero.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
30 to 45 minutes
Makes:
5 ½ cups
Taco Seasoning
Taco Seasoning
A 5-minute make-ahead recipe filled with the perfect spices for taco night.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
1 cup
Quinoa Salad
Quinoa Salad
Quick and healthy quinoa salad made with fresh vegetables and a tangy garlic dressing.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
6 cups
Turmeric Lentils and Pasta
Turmeric Lentils and Pasta
A delicious recipe of tender spiced lentils and orzo pasta.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
6 cups
Berry Blast Off
Berry Blast Off
This parfait combines granola, berries and yogurt for the perfect breakfast, snack or dessert!
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Simple salad with fresh dill, a creamy dressing and ready in 10 minutes!
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
4 Cups
Comments
I liked the fact that with this recipe everything goes into the skillet right from the get-go (except the cilantro). It's super easy! I didn't have any remaining liquid in the skillet as mentioned in an earlier comment. Clientelle at the pantry really enjoyed the recipe. I did serve it with (optional) low-fat sour cream as suggested. I have had folks ask about cumin spice and what kinds of recipes call for it, so the Indian Lentils and Pasta is a good reference.
I made this recipe in one of my classes and participants said it contains too much sodium for her diet but the taste was good.
Your comment about the sodium made us re-check our nutrient analysis. We made an error by using a packaged orzo mix instead of plain orzo. So the good news is that the sodium is actually less than the original nutrition facts. We've updated the nutrition facts. In this recipe, most of the sodium comes from canned tomatoes. Using low sodium tomatoes would reduce it some. It's also possible to freeze fresh tomatoes without any added salt. See our Food Hero Monthly on Tomatoes.
I made this and there was still liquid in the skillet. The lentils and orzo were done at 35 minutes so I didn't cook the liquid off. The flavor was a bit bland, but then I added light sour cream and it was WAY BETTER! I'd try again with more spice.