Red Lentil Pasta Dough (Vegan and Gluten Free)

Red lentils contain the most protein of all lentils. This makes them a good substitute for gluten-containing wheat and, thus, a gluten-free option for pasta dough.

So far, I have tried two doughs with red lentils:

• Pasta dough with red lentils and water.
• Pasta dough with red lentils and egg

The dough without egg has worked best for me. I adjusted the recipe for the egg dough a bit; now it should work with that too. Both doughs are hard to knead and crumbly at the beginning, like almost all gluten-free doughs. 

Within this article, you will find a related article on how to make red lentil pasta.

Make pasta dough with red lentils yourself (step by step).

Pasta dough with lentil flour is a healthy and protein-rich alternative to traditional pasta dough. In addition to protein, lentil flour also contains fiber and minerals such as iron and zinc.

In the next section, you will find an alternative for lentil dough with egg.

For this recipe, you will need the following:

• A large worksurface
• A dough scraper
• A fork

If you have a food processor, you can make your work much more manageable. More on that later in the article.

Step 1: Empty the flour onto the work surface and form a well.

First, empty the flour onto the work surface and add salt and water.

Step 2: Gradually add the water and mix in the flour.

Then mix in the water with a fork to form a crumbly mass.

You can then form it into a lump with your hands.

If the mass does not want to form a lump, you can add water in large quantities (picture 2).

In the next step, you will work the remaining crumbs on the work surface into the dough.

If you need help with this step, you can find tips against crumbly pasta dough here.

Step 3: Knead the dough for 10 minutes until the surface is smooth.

Knead the crumbly mass into a homogeneous dough.

There are several kneading techniques, one of which I find particularly compelling:

Apply forward pressure to the dough with the heel of your hand. Then, pull the dough back again with the other hand, turning it slightly by about 45°. Repeat the process until all the dough crumbs are incorporated.

Knead the dough for at least 8 minutes or until the surface feels silky and no longer sticks.

If the dough still sticks to your hands, you will need to sprinkle flour on the work surface and work it in.

Step 4: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and rest it for 30 minutes.

Once the pasta dough has the right consistency, you can wrap it in plastic and rest it for 30 minutes.

The resting time is essential because it rearranges the protein chains responsible for the dough’s stretchiness. In addition, this is the only way to thinly roll out the dough without returning to its original shape.

You have successfully made pasta dough with red lentils!

Now all you have to do is shape it into delicious Pasta and prepare a sauce to go with it.

Here is a tutorial on how to make lentil pasta yourself:

• Homemade Pasta with red Lentil Flour (gluten-free and healthy).

Variations for pasta dough with red lentils

Here I show an alternative for lentil pasta dough with egg.

Pasta dough with lentil flour and egg

The egg serves as a binder and provides good consistency.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post, feel free to comment!

Here are three other articles that might interest you:

• How to make Pasta dough: Full Guide
• Gluten-free pasta dough with chickpea flour
• Recipes for gluten-free pasta doughs (incl. with lentils, peas, or buckwheat)

Have fun making Pasta at Home!