Name: Creamy Vegan Lentil Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 5.8 ounces lentil pasta (or chickpea pasta or any other pasta of your choosing); 1 onion (chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 9 ounces mushrooms; ½ teaspoon sea salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper (ground or cracked); 7 ounces fresh spinach; ¼ cup tahini (or cashew butter); 1 lemon (the juice); 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast; 1 cup reserved pasta water; 1 pinch red chili flakes (or to taste, optional); 1 pinch cracked pepper (or to taste, optional)

Lentil Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms in a bowl with a dark green napkin and a golden fork - close up

This creamy lentil pasta recipe is vegan, gluten-free, high in protein and fiber, and ready in just 20 minutes! The perfect healthy lunch idea for your busy days.

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5 from 18 votes

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s made with pantry-friendly ingredients
It’s gluten-free and high in fiber
It includes 39 grams of protein per serving!
it’s ready in just 20 minutes!
It’s the perfect healthy yet comforting lunch idea

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Lentil pasta: lentil pasta is both gluten-free and high in protein. You can also use chickpea pasta or any other pasta of your choosing such as oat or rice pasta.
Onion & Garlic: you can also use onion and garlic powder.
Olive oil: any neutral oil will do.
Fresh Mushrooms: I used button mushrooms, but any other kind of mushroom such as shiitake, portobello, or oyster mushroom will work as well.
Sea salt & Pepper: feel free to add any additional spices you like (such as smoked paprika).
Fresh spinach: you can use baby spinach or chopped regular spinach. Other options include kale and collard greens.
Tahini: also known as sesame butter. I find seed and nut butters easiest to use since they don’t require soaking and blending seeds and nuts beforehand. If you have a tree-nut allergy, be sure to use tahini or sunflower seed butter. If tree nuts are not a concern, then cashew butter or blanched almond butter would work very well too.
Lemon Juice: fresh lemon juice is best!
Nutritional yeast: nutritional yeast adds a little nutty and cheesy flavor to this lentil pasta recipe. You can find it at larger supermarkets and health food stores.
Red chili flakes (optional): these add a nice little extra kick as a garnish. You can also add fresh chopped herbs or toasted seeds.

Creamy Vegan Lentil Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms in a pot

Recommended Equipment

Stock Pot with Strainer Lid

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How to Make this Creamy Vegan Lentil Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms

Creamy Vegan Lentil Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms in bowls with a dark green napkin and a golden fork

Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions (this should take about 6 to 9 minutes, depending on the brand and kind of pasta you’re using), then reserve some of the pasta water, drain, and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, sauté the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in the oil in a nonstick pan or pot over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Lower the heat to low, then mix in the salt, pepper, and spinach and mix until the spinach has reduced in volume (about 1 minute), before adding the tahini, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and pasta water.
Once everything is well incorporated, cook for 2 more minutes, then add the pasta, mix, and serve.
Enjoy!

Creamy Vegan Lentil Pasta with Spinach and Mushrooms overheat shot in a pot

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