Pasta with Lentils and Chard

A slow-cooker lentil and Swiss chard sauce with cumin, garlic, and red pepper, tossed with linguine and creamy Neufchatel cheese. Hearty vegetarian comfort food.

MediterraneanVegetarianIntermediate300 minBy Northstar

Ingredients

Servings
4
  • 12 oz Swiss chard
  • 1 cup lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely crushed
  • 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 cup water
  • 12 oz dry linguine
  • 6 oz Neufchatel cheese, room temperature
  • 0.3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. 1

    Trim coarse stems from chard; cut stems into ¼-inch strips. Refrigerate the leaves.

  2. 2

    In slow cooker, combine chard stems, lentils, onion, garlic, cumin, red pepper, and black pepper. Add water.

  3. 3

    Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours until lentils are tender.

  4. 4

    Cook linguine per package directions. Chop reserved chard leaves and stir into lentil mixture.

  5. 5

    Toss pasta with lentil sauce and Neufchatel until creamy. Top with Parmesan.