Red Lentil Fusilli with Bacon, Butternut Squash, and Spinach

This post was created in partnership with Pasta Lensi. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Vibrant pasta made from red lentils brings a boost of protein and fiber to this scrumptious, salty-sweet bowl of comfort food.

A few months ago, I went to a rooftop pasta party in NYC to celebrate the launch of a line of single ingredient pastas from Pasta Lensi.

I was really intrigued by the idea - dried legumes that are ground and mixed with water to form lower carb, higher protein and fiber versions of some of my favorite pasta shapes.

Plus, it was a rooftop.pasta.party. How could I refuse?

There are currently 4 varieties: Chickpea Casarecce, Red Lentil Fusilli, Black Bean Sedani, and Yellow Lentil Penne Rigate. Since these pastas are made from an ingredient that has more flavor than standard pasta, you can treat it as an ingredient instead of a blank canvas.

At the dinner party, we were served 4 courses - 1 dish made with each variety of legume pasta, created by the charming Chef Walter.

I was excited to find that each of the pastas had a nice texture, and really played off of the other ingredients of the dish well.

This line of pastas is good news for people who have gluten sensitivities, those looking to cut carb intake, and vegans. And bonus points for it being Non-GMO Project Verified.

I decided to recreate one of Chef Walter's dishes at home, and it did not disappoint! The red lentil pasta is nice and colorful, and worked beautifully with the flavors of the squash and spinach.

Of course, a little bacon grease never hurt anyone either.

This dish was pretty easy to put together, but I did tweak it a bit from the recipe I was given.

The original recipe calls for the garlic, sage, and spinach to be stirred in at the end. I put the garlic and sage in the pan to sauté a bit with the squash, then wilted the spinach down in the same pan before adding the pasta and liquid to the pan. It brought the flavors through more in the final dish, and my Italian husband absolutely loved it!

This dish is perfect for autumn, and it's one I'll definitely make again and again. I think some crispy sage leaves would be a fun garnish, too. And I love that I can eat a big bowl of it and not feel like I ate a giant bowl of carbs.

Pasta Lensi Legume Pastas are currently available nationwide at Walmart, and they're hoping to branch out to more retailers in the future. I definitely recommend giving them a shot. I'd love to see what kind of meals they inspire in your kitchen!

📖 Recipe

Red Lentil Fusilli with Bacon, Butternut Squash, and Spinach

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• Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen - Ashley Covelli (adapted from Pasta Lensi)
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

Vibrant pasta made from red lentils brings a boost of protein and fiber to this scrumptious, salty-sweet bowl of comfort food.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 package (10 oz.) Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli
• 6 slices bacon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 sage leaves, roughly chopped
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, partially cook the pasta for 7 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 ½ cups of the pasta cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, in an extra-large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.
3. Add the olive oil and squash to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, for about 7 minutes. Add garlic and sage to skillet and sauté 1 minute. Add spinach and sauté, stirring, until it wilts down, about 1-2 minutes longer.
4. Add the partially cooked pasta and 2 cups of the reserved pasta cooking water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the pasta and squash are cooked, about 5 minutes, adding additional pasta cooking water if needed.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in parsley and cream. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
6. To serve, place pasta in a large serving platter (or divide between 4 bowls), sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and crumble bacon over top. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

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Notes

Recipe adapted from Pasta Lensi

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 506
• Sugar: 2.4 g
• Sodium: 392.7 mg
• Fat: 30.2 g
• Saturated Fat: 9.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 53.6 g
• Fiber: 4.7 g
• Protein: 13.6 g
• Cholesterol: 39.8 mg

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