Toast the garlic and oregano in a bit of oil for 30-60 seconds before adding liquids to unlock their essential oils and deepen the flavor profile of your sauce.

The red lentils naturally break down and create creaminess—stir every 2-3 minutes to help them release their starches and achieve a velvety texture without any cream.

Save 1 cup of starchy pasta cooking water to add at the end if the dish is too thick; it helps bind the sauce and creates a silky mouthfeel.

Add half the fresh basil during the last 2 minutes of cooking and sprinkle the remainder raw on individual bowls for complex, multi-dimensional basil flavor.

Always adjust seasoning in the final minute—the acidity from tomatoes and saltiness from broth intensify as the dish simmers, so season conservatively at first.