New Year's Day Good Luck Pasta
After the year we’ve had, I thought why not combine a whole bunch of foods that are considered lucky around the globe into one delicious dish? I mean, it’s worth a try, right? Instead of just Hoppin’ John or eating 12 grapes at midnight, I’m going to put them all in and hope for the best.
This dish has four lucky ingredients in it: Long pasta (believed to symbolize longevity); leafy greens (thought to bring prosperity); lentils (shaped like coins, they expand and amplify the feeling of prosperity); even balsamic vinegar, to stand in for the grapes, eaten in Spain and several Latin countries, that are supposed to bring good luck. I did not use black-eyed peas because I was more in a lentil mood, and swapped in kale for the more traditional New Year’s Day collards for the same reason, but it is all up to you. This dish requires a few different pots, but is super easy to make, adaptive and utterly delicious. Twirl some on a fork on January first and I cannot promise good luck for the upcoming year, but I can promise a tasty meal for starting it.
1½ cups green or brown lentils, picked through to remove pebbles and soaked for 30 minutes
5 cups vegetable broth
8-to-9-ounces long pasta, like fettucini or linguini
Sauté:
1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 - 4 shallots, minced (about one cup – yellow onion also works)
2 - 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 cups chopped kale or collards
Sauce:
28-ounces crushed tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Drain the lentils. Place in a large saucepan with the broth and bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, lower the temperature and cook the lentils over a low simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, or until tender but retaining their shape.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta and start your sauté. (You can cook the lentils at a different time – I did.)
In a large pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and carrots. Sauté together, stirring often, for five minutes. Add the garlic, sauté for a couple of minutes, then add kale or collards and stir until wilted. Lower the heat.
In a blender, combine the tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, nutritional year and sugar. Blend until you reach your desired smoothness.
Add the sauce to the sauté along with the cooked pasta and prepared lentils. Turn up the heat a bit and cook through until ready to serve. Season to taste with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and maybe some more nutritional yeast.
After the year we’ve had, I thought why not combine a whole bunch of foods that are considered lucky around the globe into one delicious dish? I mean, it’s worth a try, right? Instead of just Hoppin’ John or eating 12 grapes at midnight, I’m going to put them all in and hope for the best.
This dish has four lucky ingredients in it: Long pasta (believed to symbolize longevity); leafy greens (thought to bring prosperity); lentils (shaped like coins, they expand and amplify the feeling of prosperity); even balsamic vinegar, to stand in for the grapes, eaten in Spain and several Latin countries, that are supposed to bring good luck. I did not use black-eyed peas because I was more in a lentil mood, and swapped in kale for the more traditional New Year’s Day collards for the same reason, but it is all up to you. This dish requires a few different pots, but is super easy to make, adaptive and utterly delicious. Twirl some on a fork on January first and I cannot promise good luck for the upcoming year, but I can promise a tasty meal for starting it.
1½ cups green or brown lentils, picked through to remove pebbles and soaked for 30 minutes
5 cups vegetable broth
8-to-9-ounces long pasta, like fettucini or linguini
Sauté:
1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 - 4 shallots, minced (about one cup – yellow onion also works)
2 - 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 cups chopped kale or collards
Sauce:
28-ounces crushed tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Drain the lentils. Place in a large saucepan with the broth and bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, lower the temperature and cook the lentils over a low simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, or until tender but retaining their shape.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta and start your sauté. (You can cook the lentils at a different time – I did.)
In a large pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and carrots. Sauté together, stirring often, for five minutes. Add the garlic, sauté for a couple of minutes, then add kale or collards and stir until wilted. Lower the heat.
In a blender, combine the tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, nutritional year and sugar. Blend until you reach your desired smoothness.
Add the sauce to the sauté along with the cooked pasta and prepared lentils. Turn up the heat a bit and cook through until ready to serve. Season to taste with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and maybe some more nutritional yeast.
Vegan, Recipe, New Year's Day, Pasta, Noodles, Lentils, Casserole, Entrée, Main Dish, Warming, Good Luck