Spooky Squash Penne with Black Beans and Tofu Mummies

Hokkaido and red lentils turn into a velvety, slightly smoky tomato sauce that comes together with penne and black beans. Crispy tofu strips that look like mummy wrappings, along with walnuts, make this Halloween dish filling and high in protein.

By yumbelo · 2 servings · 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 200 g Penne (durum wheat)
• 300 g Hokkaido squash, diced
• 80 g red lentils
• 1 can can of black beans, drained
• 1 can can of chopped tomatoes
• 200 g plain tofu
• 40 g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 pc onion, finely diced
• 2 pc garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• 500 ml water
• salt
• pepper

Method

1. Finely dice the onion and chop the garlic. Wash the Hokkaido, remove the seeds and cut into small cubes; the skin can stay on.
2. Cut the tofu into thin, long strips and mix with soy sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil and some paprika powder, then let them marinate briefly.
3. Fry the tofu strips in a pan over medium heat until crispy on all sides, then set aside.
4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pot and sweat the onion and garlic until translucent. Toast the tomato paste briefly until it darkens.
5. Add the squash cubes, red lentils, cumin and the remaining paprika powder and toast briefly. Deglaze with the chopped tomatoes and 500 ml water.
6. Bring everything to a boil, then simmer over low heat for about 25 minutes until the squash and lentils are soft. Stir occasionally and add a little more water if needed.
7. Purée half of the sauce with an immersion blender until creamy. Stir in the black beans and season with salt and pepper.
8. Cook the penne in plenty of salted water until al dente, drain, and reserve a small splash of cooking water.
9. Toss the penne with the sauce and loosen with cooking water if needed.
10. Top with the walnuts, nutritional yeast flakes and tofu strips and serve immediately.