High-Protein Penne with Spinach & Lentils
168 grams of spinach sounds like a side salad. Cooked down with lentils in a garlicky bouillon sauce, it collapses into a dark green coating for every piece of whole wheat penne. 532 kcal, 24g of plant protein, and 14g of fiber in 15 minutes.
The base builds fast: garlic and onion sautéed in olive oil, then spinach and lentils stirred through until the greens wilt. A splash of water and half a bouillon cube tie it into a light sauce that coats the penne without drowning it.
Ingredients
- garlic 1 clove
- onion 0.25
- spinach 6 ounces
- lentils, canned 4 ounces
- penne, whole wheat 3 ounces
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- water 0.5 cup
- vegetable bouillon 0.5 cube
Method
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Chop the garlic, onion and spinach finely. Rinse the lentils under cold water in a colander, letting them drain.
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Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
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Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
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Add the spinach and lentils. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the lentils are warmed through.
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Then add the water, bouillon cube and stir well. Let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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Add the pasta to the pan and mix everything well so the pasta is coated with the spinach-lentil mixture.
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Serve the pasta warm.
That mountain of raw spinach looks like it will never fit in the pan. It will. Spinach loses about 90% of its volume when it wilts, so 168 grams collapses in under two minutes. Add it in batches if your pan is small, or just pile it high and press it down with a spoon.
Sautéing garlic and onion before adding the lentils is not just a flavor sequence. A 2010 study found that garlic and onion increase how much iron your body can absorb from pulses by up to 73%. The sulfur compounds in the garlic and onion grab hold of the iron and keep it in a form your gut can take in, instead of letting it get locked away by natural plant compounds in the lentils.
Garlic and onion boost iron absorption from pulses by up to 73% · DOIWhy This Works
Behind this recipe
Is 24g of protein enough from a plant-based meal?
For most people eating multiple meals a day, yes. A meta-analysis of 9 trials and a 12-week study both found that plant protein and animal protein produce the same muscle gains when total daily intake is matched. If your other meals hit a similar range, the daily total adds up.
Read the full evidence reviewCan my body actually absorb the iron from spinach and lentils?
It can, but not all of it. Both spinach and lentils contain compounds that make their iron harder to absorb. That is where the garlic and onion come in. A study found that allium vegetables increase iron bioaccessibility from pulses by up to 73%. The sulfur compounds form soluble complexes with the iron, keeping it available for absorption. Sautéing the garlic and onion in olive oil before adding the spinach and lentils puts those compounds right where they need to be.
Is there enough fiber in this recipe to matter?
14 grams per serving, roughly half of what most guidelines suggest per day. It comes from three sources: the lentils contribute soluble fiber and resistant starch, the whole wheat penne adds insoluble fiber, and the spinach rounds it out. Pooled data from 62 trials linked higher fiber intake to accelerated fat loss when calories were controlled.
Read the full evidence review
