Easy High-Protein Pasta Sauce
10-Minute Easy High-Protein Pasta Sauce. Quick and easy stovetop and Instant Pot directions, for a wholesome dinner packed with fiber, iron, antioxidants, and protein. Freezer-friendly.
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 541kcal
Equipment
- Instant Pot or saucepan
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes undrained
- 6 ounces tomato paste no salt added
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon marjoram or oregano
- 1 teaspoon capers reduced in sodium, rinsed
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion small dice
- 1 cup red lentils dried, rinsed
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth low-sodium, (or 2 ½ cups water plus one vegetable bouillon cube)
- Salt or salt substitute, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Date syrup or maple syrup, to taste
Optional Hemp Seed Sauce for serving:
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 6 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 2 tablespoons nutrition yeast
- 1 tablespoon mellow miso (white miso)
- 1 large clove garlic
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 small lemon juice
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon date syrup or maple syrup, or to taste
- Salt or salt substitute, to taste
Optional for serving:
- 9.6 ounces green lentil penne or pasta of choice, to taste
Instructions
- Blend: Transfer the tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, garlic, nutritional yeast, marjoram, and capers to the canister of a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan or the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Add the rinsed lentils, onion, and broth. Mix well.
Stovetop Method:
- Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 20 to 40 minutes*, stirring frequently, and adding more broth as needed. Mix well and add date syrup to taste.
InstantPot Method:
- Set to high pressure and cook for 4 minutes. (The Instant Pot will take about 8 minutes to build up pressure before cooking starts.) When the timer ends, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then manually release any leftover pressure. Carefully remove the lid, keeping it angled away from you. Mix well and add date syrup to taste.
Optional for Hemp Seed Sauce topping:
- Transfer the red wine vinegar, hemp hearts, nutritional yeast, mellow miso, garlic, chives, parsley, lemon juice, water, and date syrup to the canister of a blender. Blend on high until smooth.
Notes
- Nutrition facts above include Hemp Seed Sauce and pasta. For the tomato sauce only: Per serving (5 servings): 198 kcals, 37g carbohydrates, 13g protein, 1g fat, 15g fiber.
- *Stovetop cooking time: The longer you cook the tomato sauce, the more the flavors meld, and the tastier it is. However, you can cook it for 20 minutes, or until the lentils have softened.
- Serve with lentil pasta for more protein. I used one box of green lentil penne (14 grams of protein per serving).
- Add the Hemp Sauce for a flavor boost and more protein.
- For an extra longevity boost, sprinkle a pinch of ground long pepper and black cumin seeds. Check out the blog post for purchasing details.
Nutrition
Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 1710mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1585IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 13mg
