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Red lentil marinara

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword camping food, dehydrated sauce, trail pasta, vegan backpacking meal
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
A protein-rich tomato and red lentil sauce dried at home and cooked with pasta on the trail. Serves two to four.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups broth
  • 1 (15oz) tomatoes & juices
  • ½ cup dried red lentils
  • 1 clove garlic minced fine
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dried pasta
  • Packed separately: 4 packets parmesan cheese (omit for vegan); 4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

At home

  • Put the broth, tomatoes with their juices, lentils, garlic, oregano, and basil in a pot and bring to a boil.
  • Simmer over medium-low heat until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. Adjust the flavor with salt and sugar.
  • Spread the sauce thinly on lined trays. Dehydrate at 135F for 8 to 12 hours, until completely dry (overnight is fine).
  • Keep the dried sauce airtight. Pack the pasta with the sauce, and pack 1 parmesan packet and 1 tablespoon olive oil per serving on their own.

On the trail

  • Put the sauce, pasta, and oil in the pot with just enough water to cover.
  • Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 12 minutes, stirring, until the pasta and lentils are tender; it thickens as the water soaks in. Top with parmesan.

Nutrition

Serving: 247g | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 1.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 530mg | Fiber: 4.8g | Sugar: 4.2g | Vitamin A: 901IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2.6mg

Nutrition is an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central, for 4 servings; cups broth counted as beef broth, ½ cup dried red lentils counted as dry lentils (one 1-lb package 454 g), dried pasta counted as dry pasta. Brands and portions vary, so use it only as an approximation.