Name: Creamy, Spicy Rotini and Red Lentils with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved; ½ teaspoon sugar; ⅛ teaspoon plus ¾ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 6 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts sliced thin on bias; 2 teaspoons minced garlic; ¼–½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; ½ cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 8 ounces rotini; 4 ounces (1 cup) goat cheese, crumbled

Why This Recipe Works

Pasta and legumes are economical, nutritious comfort in a bowl. In this recipe, we boil the pasta in a small volume of water, which leaves the water extra-starchy and thus ideal for building a creamy, full-bodied (but light) sauce. After only 15 minutes of cooking, the lentils are soft enough whisk into a sauce-like consistency. Goat cheese lends creamy tang, and macerated cherry tomatoes provide pops of freshness.

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Before You Begin

If you're sensitive to spice, add only ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. We like tubed tomato pastes, such as those from Cento, Mutti, and Amore. You can substitute penne for rotini.

Instructions

Stir tomatoes, sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon salt together in small bowl and set aside. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan.

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add scallion whites, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and scallions are slightly softened, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until paste begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, lentils, pepper, and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and about half are broken down, about 15 minutes. While lentils are simmering, cook pasta.

Add pasta and 1½ teaspoons salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain pasta. Return pasta to pot and cover to keep warm.

Whisk lentils vigorously until coarsely pureed, about 30 seconds. Add lentil puree, ¼ cup reserved cooking water, and goat cheese to pasta and stir until combined. Adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir in tomatoes and half of scallion greens. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, sprinkle with remaining scallion greens, and serve.