Pasta and Lentils (Pasta e Lenticchie alla Napoletana)

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Pasta and Lentils (Pasta e Lenticchie alla Napoletana)

A traditional Neapolitan comfort dish, thick and creamy rather than soupy, made with lentils slowly cooked with tomato, garlic, and aromatic vegetables, then finished with pasta cooked directly in the pot. Simple, rustic, and deeply satisfying.
PortataOne-Pot Meal
Cucinanapoletana
Keywordpasta e lenticchie, Neapolitan pasta and lentils, Italian comfort food, pasta with lentils, Naples cuisine, rustic Italian soup, creamy lentil pasta
Preparazione15minuti
Cottura39minuti

Ingredienti

  • 250 g dried lentils
  • 200 g short pasta ditalini, tubetti, pasta mista, or broken spaghetti
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 5 cherry tomatoes or 200 g tomato passata
  • 600 ml vegetable broth or water
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh parsley
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Optional chili pepper

Istruzioni

  • Rinse the lentils thoroughly under cold water.
  • Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot.
  • Sauté the chopped vegetables together with the garlic clove until softened.
  • Add the cherry tomatoes cut into pieces, or the tomato passata, and cook for a few minutes.
  • Add the lentils and stir well to coat them with the flavored oil.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth or water.
  • Cover partially and simmer over medium-low heat until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Add more liquid if necessary.
  • Remove the garlic clove.
  • For a creamier texture, mash a small portion of the lentils with a spoon.
  • Add the pasta directly into the pot.
  • Cook while stirring frequently, adding hot broth or water little by little as needed.
  • Continue cooking until the pasta is fully cooked and the mixture becomes thick and creamy.
  • Adjust salt and black pepper.
  • Finish with chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
  • Let the dish rest for a couple of minutes before serving so it becomes even creamier.

Note

  • In Naples the dish is traditionally “azzeccosa,” meaning dense and creamy rather than brothy.
  • Pasta mista (mixed leftover pasta shapes) is traditionally used.
  • Some older Neapolitan versions use broken spaghetti instead of short pasta.
You can absolutely use canned lentils instead of dried lentils for a faster everyday version of the recipe.
Use about 480–500 g drained canned lentils, which corresponds roughly to 250 g dried lentils once cooked.
If using canned lentils:
  • Skip the rinsing and long simmering phase.
  • Reduce the cooking liquid to about 350–400 ml total.
  • Add the lentils after sautéing the vegetables and tomatoes.
  • Simmer for only 10–15 minutes before adding the pasta.
You can also skip:
  • The long lentil cooking time.
  • Adding extra broth gradually during the first phase.
  • Mashing part of the lentils, since canned lentils are already softer and naturally creamier.
For best flavor, choose small brown or Castelluccio-style lentils rather than very large varieties.

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