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    Home > Vegan Italian Recipes > Vegan Pasta Recipes

    Vegan Lentil and Pasta Salad

    Posted: Sep 7, 2014 ยท Updated: Aug 18, 2021

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    A smoky, rich, satisfying and delicious vegan Lentil Pasta Salad made with orzo pasta and puy lentils. Flavored with garlic, oregano, cumin and cinnamon, and packed with veggies.
    Vegan Lentil Pasta Salad in an oval plate with lentils and olive oil in background.

    A smoky, hearty and vegan Lentil and Pasta Salad is just the kind of food that keeps me fueled and satisfied during a long workday. And when I come home, after battling D.C.'s rush-hour Beltway traffic,  I still have enough energy to take on anything, from a dog with an upset tummy (poor Opie) to cooking for an army.

    Okay, just slightly kidding on that last one. But most evenings find me in the kitchen cooking something up for dinner -- something that will hopefully brown-bag beautifully for lunch the next day. And nothing makes me happier than when that something is pasta.

    This past week, I put together two of the heartiest staples in my pantry -- orzo pasta and puy lentils -- to make this deep, rich, flavorful vegan Lentil and Pasta Salad.

    Vegan Lentil Pasta Salad in an oval plate inside a copper pan.

    To create the smokiness in my pasta, I relied on some old favorite ingredients, and some new. Old favorites: cumin and cinnamon, two spices that never fail to add infinite loads of deliciousness to just about anything. New favorite: smoked paprika.

    I love my chillies as you probably already know if you've read through past recipes. But while some chilli favorites like habaneros and chipotle peppers tend to add a ton of heat along with the flavor, smoked paprika adds flavor and color without searing your tastebuds into numbness. And it adds depth and richness to just about any recipe, right out of the bottle. Perfect.

    Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

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    Vegan Lentil and Pasta Salad

    Vegan Lentil Pasta Salad in an oval white plate with olive oil on the side.
    Lentil Pasta Salad

    Lentil and Pasta Salad

    A smoky, rich, satisfying and delicious vegan Lentil Pasta Salad made with orzo pasta and puy lentils. Flavored with garlic, oregano, cumin and cinnamon, and packed with veggies.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Main Course/Pasta
    Cuisine: Italian inspired
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Lentil and Pasta Salad
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 30 mins
    Total Time: 45 mins
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 374kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 

    • 12 ounces orzo (cooked until al dente)
    • 2 cups puy lentils (cooked or canned)
    • 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 medium red onion (finely chopped)
    • 2 medium carrots (cut into a small dice)
    • 1 stalk celery (cut into a small dice)
    • 8 cremini mushrooms (or button mushrooms, finely chopped)
    • 4 plum tomatoes (diced)
    • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (finely chopped)
    • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ยฝ cup parsley (finely chopped)
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • Fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste
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    Instructions

    • Drain the soaked lentils and place in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the lentils by an inch, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer. Let the lentils cook until they are perfectly tender but still holding their shape. This should take anywhere between 10-15 minutes.
    • Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
    • Add the onions, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper and saute for about five minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.
    • Add the mushrooms, plum tomatoes, oregano, paprika, cumin and cinnamon. Saute until the tomatoes start to soften, about five minutes.
    • Add the cooked, drained lentils with a cup of water or the cooking liquid. Bring the sauce to a boil, cover and cook for 10 more minutes over medium-low heat.
    • Add the cooked orzo pasta and parsley and stir well. Turn off the heat.
    • Serve hot, warm or cold. It's delicious every way.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 27mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3275IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 5mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    About Vaishali


    Hi! I am so happy you're here. I'm Vaishali, and I've been sharing recipes for delicious vegan food at Holy Cow Vegan since 2007. Every one of the more than 1,000 recipes on this blog has been tried and tested -- and loved -- by my family and I. I hope you will find something here to share with your loved ones. Thanks for stopping by!
    Read more about me here.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kristen

      June 28, 2020 at 12:18 pm

      Do I sautรฉ the garlic with the carrots, onions and celery?

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        July 10, 2020 at 2:29 pm

        Yes!

        Reply
    2. Matt

      September 16, 2014 at 10:53 am

      This looks wonderful, and I want to make this tonight, but I want to make sure I have it right: I'm adding water toward the end? Won't this make it a soup, not salad, especially since I'm covering it and not boiling the liquid away?

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        September 16, 2014 at 11:18 am

        Hi Matt, you are not adding the water at the end-- you add the water and lentils and allow it all to cook together before adding the pasta. It definitely won't be a soup if you follow instructions. Hope you try it! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    3. Thalia @ butter and brioche

      September 08, 2014 at 5:41 pm

      You can never go wrong with a good pasta salad! Looks delicious!

      Reply
    4. Charmaine @ Not Another Model Blog

      September 08, 2014 at 11:33 am

      This looks absolutely delicious! I love how simple the ingredients are.

      Yum! x

      Reply
    5. Gita Jaishankar

      September 08, 2014 at 2:03 am

      5 stars
      Wow the salad looks too good...I too love the flavor of smoked paprika...sometimes I even add them in baingan bharta to get the smoked flavor without going through all the trouble of roasting the eggplants...on lazy days ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    6. Deb @ Saving the Crumbs

      September 07, 2014 at 3:16 pm

      I've heard a lot of people mention smoked paprika, but I think you've now convinced me to go out and give it a try!

      Reply
    7. The Dane

      September 07, 2014 at 2:58 pm

      5 stars
      Looks great! I'll try this tomorrow!

      Reply
    8. The Vegan Scholar

      September 07, 2014 at 9:14 am

      5 stars
      Looks absolutely awesome!!!!

      Reply

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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