Lentil Bolognese with zucchini noodles or regular pasta à la Nadja

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 100 g lentils, red
• 2 m.-sized onion(s)
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 2 cans of chopped tomatoes (400 g each)
• 100 g tomato paste
• 2 handfuls of spinach, fresh and cut into strips
• 10 mushrooms, sliced, or 3 – 4 carrots
• 1 bell pepper(s), sliced, or 1 – 2 celery sticks
• 1 handful of basil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• 4 zucchini or 500 g whole wheat spaghetti

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

Pre-cook the lentils according to the package instructions (usually max. 10-15 minutes). Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic, and fry them with the oil in a large pan or wide pot until translucent. Also finely chop the bell peppers and mushrooms and add them. Fry briefly, then add the spinach and fry until it collapses. Briefly fry the basil, thyme, and tomato paste and deglaze with the canned tomatoes. Add the cooked red lentils. Season with spices (cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, chili flakes). Reduce the sauce until the desired consistency is reached. Meanwhile, for the zucchini noodles, spiralize the zucchini and fry briefly in a pan with oil, or cook whole-wheat pasta according to the package instructions. Tip: If you prefer something more classic, feel free to replace the mushrooms and bell peppers with 3-4 carrots and 1-2 stalks of celery.