Explore Cuisine Organic Red Lentil Spaghetti Review - How Does Vegan Red Lentil Pasta Taste?
I’ll be honest, the main reason I even thought about buying red lentil pasta instead of regular pasta, was to help with some weightless goals and add more protein to my diet.
That, and it was finally on sale at my local grocery store, so I figured, why not?!
I’ll first go over some facts about Explore Cuisine’s lentil pasta and then I’ll break down what it tasted like!
Is Red Lentil Pasta Gluten-Free?
This red lentil spaghetti is gluten-free! It has the certified gluten-free symbol on the box.
Is red lentil pasta vegan?
Yes, again, according to the box it is fully vegan, non-GMO, and Gluten-free.
What is red lentil spaghetti made out of?
I love the ingredient list because there are only 2 ingredients.
Organic red lentil flour
Organic brown rice flour
It has a super simple ingredient list which feels so good to see!
Is red lentil pasta good for weight loss?
To answer this question I’m going to compare Explore Cuisine’s Organic Red Lentil Spaghetti to Catelli’s Whole-Wheat spaghetti.
I’m choosing to compare this as a lot of people find whole-wheat to be a healthier option than regular white pasta. I feel it makes sense to compare a regular pasta that is also thought to be a healthier choice, to make things fairer!
Catelli’s is also a brand found at any kind of grocery store.
Explore Cuisine Organic Red Lentil Spaghetti
Calories: 40 approx per box
Fat: 4 grams approx per box
Sugar: 4 grams approx per box
Carbohydrates: 140 grams approx per box (4 servings)
Protein: 44 grams approx per box
Catelli’s Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Calories: 1,160 approx per box
Fat: 8 grams approx per box
Sugar: 16 grams approx per box
Carbohydrates: 240 grams approx per box (4 servings)
Protein: 48 grams approx per box
Looking at the above data, we can see that Explore Cuisine’s Organic Red Lentil Spaghetti has far fewer calories, fat, and carbohydrates compared to the regular whole wheat pasta.
Another amazing thing about the red lentil spaghetti is that while it is lower in carbohydrates, fat, and calories, it is very comparable when it comes to nutritious things like protein.
Looking at this information, I would say that in comparison to regular whole wheat pasta, assuming you are using the recommended daily amount, red lentil pasta seems to be good for weight loss.
Is Lentil Pasta Healthier than regular pasta?
Again according to the data up top, it seems it is. It has fewer calories, less fat, less sugar, and fewer carbohydrates. Therefore, this pasta makes eating balanced and staying under the recommended sugar, calorie, fat, and carbohydrate intake, much easier.
So How does vegan red lentil spaghetti taste?
I cooked the lentil spaghetti according to the instructions.
I found they were perfect just after 9 minutes of boiling salted water uncovered.
Texture: These have a great texture!
The only slight difference from regular pasta or whole wheat pasta is an ever so slight grainy feel on the pasta. I mean ever so slight that when you eat it with the sauce you not notice.
They also had a slightly bit more sticky texture to the tough, but nothing you notice while eating.
They are a slight bit heavier or firmer than regular pasta, but again, I don’t see that as a bad thing. It feels more hearty when you’re eating it!
I found the texture very pleasant.
Taste: Very close to regular pasta!
They just slightly have a different after taste. Not a bad after taste, just a bit of an aftertaste that regular pasta does not have. It’s hard to describe, and it is definitely not unpleasant.
Once I covered my pasta in sauce, there was absolutely no trace of after taste.
Thoughts all in all on Explore Cuisine’s Organic Red Lentil Spaghetti
I will definitely eat these again considering how close it tastes to pasta and how much lower they are in fat, sugar, carbs, and calories. I got full without feeling bloated, heavy, or gross too which was really nice.
The one con, the price!
The box I bought would usually cost $5.99 plus tax. That said, split between 4 people (4 servings) or even just between 2 people, it’s not an expensive meal at all.
However, we all know how cheap regular pasta can be, around $1.20 or $2.99 per box. So relatively speaking, it’s more expensive pasta.
That said…
if what you are eating aligns with what you value, such as being gluten-free, or losing some weight this year, a couple more dollars to help you do that would definitely be worth it. You have to put your money where your values are. I rather spend a bit more on healthy products that I know are good for me even if it costs me a bit more since I know it will be good for me in the long haul.
I don’t think I’d eat this every week, but I think Explore Cuisine’s Organic red lentil spaghetti would make a deliciously healthy and cheap meal twice a month or so.
