Pasta e Lenticchie: Hearty Italian Comfort Food
This cozy, one-pot lentil stew with pasta is Italian home cooking at its finest. What makes this dish shine is its texture: creamy lentils, chewy pasta, an herb-infused tomato broth, and crispy bits of pancetta for a little crunch in every bite. It’s rustic, deeply flavorful, and ideal for chilly evenings. Plus, you can adapt it easily with whichever pasta or vegetables you have on hand. Here’s my go-to Dutch oven if you’re in the market.
Is it a soup or stew? The broth is slightly thickened by the starches from the lentils and pasta, so to me its more stew-like. If you want it a bit thinner, feel free to add additional broth or water. It’s almost like a rustic pasta sauce!
Make It A Complete Meal 👩🏻🍳
Planning an Italian-themed dinner party? I got you! 💃🏻 Start the evening with crispy arancini with mozzarella, follow it up with this Italian-style lentil soup, and the perhaps these tender ground beef and ricotta meatballs on the side. To end, you can never go wrong with my light-as-air ricotta almond cake. Buon appetito!
Helpful Ingredient Notes
- Choose the right lentils: Green or brown lentils work best here. They hold their shape well and don’t turn mushy. Avoid red lentils — they’ll disintegrate into the broth.
- Pasta shape matters: Short, sturdy shapes like ditalini, elbow macaroni, or small shells are traditional because they hold up well in the thick broth and are easy to scoop up with a spoon. (Though orzo will work in a pinch!)
- If using water instead of broth, go heavy on the herbs to help boost the flavor.
Step-by-Step Overview (Trust Me, It’s Really Simple!)
Making this restaurant-quality dinner at home is easy, inexpensive, and bound to set you up with leftovers for the week. Yes, please! 🙌🏻
Stir while cooking the pasta: Because the pasta cooks right in the stew, give it a stir every few minutes to keep it from sticking
The lentils are tender and creamy without falling apart (the trick is to keep it a steady simmer, not a rapid boil), the pasta perfectly al dente, and the pancetta adds bursts of richness throughout.
I love serving this lentil and pasta stew in a shallow bowl (I’m obsessed with these!) just like in your favorite Italian restaurant. It’s earthy, savory, and just a little peppery, especially if you finish it with freshly cracked black pepper and a drizzle of your best olive oil, which I strongly recommend.
How To Serve
This stew is a meal in itself, but it pairs beautifully with a few Italian-inspired sides:
- Toasted or grilled bread brushed with olive oil and garlic — perfect for dipping. This is my favorite ciabatta recipe!
- A simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette to balance the richness.
- A glass of Italian red wine (Chianti or Montepulciano) would be 💯.
Hearty, rustic, and full of flavor — this cozy Italian classic is comfort food at its finest! If you give it a try, please be sure to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating, review, and photo below if you snapped one! I love hearing from you when you try new recipes!
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Italian Lentil Stew with Pancetta & Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (225g) dried green or brown lentils
- 3 Tbsp (45ml) extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 oz (113g) pancetta, cubed
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced or cut into thin rounds
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 stalk of celery, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
- 6 cups (1.4L) vegetable broth, chicken-broth or water (or a combination)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 dried bay leaf
- Parmesan rind, optional
- 8 oz (225g) dried small pasta, such as orecchiette, pasta shells, or ditalini
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For serving
- High-quality extra virgin olive oil
- Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Toasted bread, like sourdough, but really use anything you like!
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils. Place lentils in a fine-mesh sieve, then run under cool water, using your hands to swish them around and remove any debris. Discard any small stones or damaged pieces before cooking.
- Cook the pancetta. Heat 1 Tbsp (15ml) olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add 4oz (113g) cubed pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, about 5–7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a small bowl.
- Sauté the veggies. To the pot, add the remaining 2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil. When hot, add diced carrots, onion, and celery. Season with ½ tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cloves of chopped garlic, then cook 1 minute more.
- Add tomatoes. Stir in 1 Tbsp tomato paste. Once dissolved, add a 28oz can of tomatoes. Use the wooden spoon to break them up into smaller pieces (or use your hands to crush them directly into the soup).
- Add lentils. Next, add the green lentils and 6 cups (1.4L) of broth or water. Use kitchen twine to tie the fresh herbs together, then add to the pot along with dried bay leaf and Parmesan rind.
- Simmer. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the pasta. Remove the lid, add the pasta, then season with ½ tsp kosher salt. Stir well, then continue cooking uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir every few minutes to prevent the pasta from sticking. Remove the herb bundle and Parmesan rind, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Finish, then serve! Divide into bowls, then drizzle with a bit of high-quality extra virgin olive oil, top with a little shaved Parmesan and remaining pancetta, then finish with freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with toasted bread on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include any bread.
- Make-ahead: You can prepare the base (everything up to adding the pasta) up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in the fridge, then reheat and add pasta just before serving to keep it from becoming too soft.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The pasta will continue to absorb some of the liquid, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating to loosen it up.
- Freezing: Lentil stew freezes well without pasta. If you plan to freeze, cook the pasta separately when ready to serve. Store frozen portions for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Photography by Meghan McKeehan.
You forgot to say what to do with all the pancetta! Do you just add it at the end? Thanks
Laura, thanks for catching this! The pancetta is simply added at the end for serving. It adds a delicious crispy and salty bite. The instructions have been updated to make this clear. Definitely follow up and let me know what you think! It’s a really delicious, hearty dish! Ari