Lentil bolognese. Perfectly rich and hearty, this vegetarian version of classic bolognese is just the thing you need for meatless Monday dinners. Whip up the bolognese, and then take it to the next level with nutritious lentils. Stir in spaghetti or your favorite pasta, and top with plenty of chopped parsley. It’s just as good in cheesy bolognese bake, too!
In my opinion, the perfect winter dish needs to bring in warmth and comfort, but with lots of flavor and deliciousness. Featuring stir fried minced or ground meat cooked in traditional bolognese sauce, I must say, it’s widely popular. This vegetable loaded meal isn’t too different - the classic bolognese sauce forms the base and is packed with tons of flavor.
Enter lentil bolognese. Well, I’ve been making bolognese for years, it’s one of my most favorite ‘go-to’ weeknight meals. But, when I want something that’s plant based but hearty, this vegetarian spin comes to the rescue. The sauce starts cooking as the classic bolognese with some hidden veggies and then finishes with a generous addition of lentils. Trust me, it’s so good and is from my collection of tried and true recipes.
Lentil Bolognese Recipe
Bolognese Sauce - The base of this sauce is classic bolognese with some extras of carrots and celery. Start with sautéeing some onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Chop the veggies finely or grate them so they blend into the sauce making it rich and thick. The onions just need to get some color and the veggies should be tender. At this stage, you can deglaze the pan with a generous splash of red wine. However, this is totally optional. Now you can add tomato pasta, Italian seasoning, bay leaves and vegetable stock. Let everything come to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.
Add lentils - The final step is all about adding the lentils to the sauce and cooking for a further 10 minutes. With lentils, you have two options here - canned or dried lentils. Obviously, the former is the most convenient option, you just need to drain and rinse before adding to the sauce. Rinsed dried lentils can be cooked in the sauce. Again, I prefer brown or green lentils in this recipe, however red lentils are also a great option if you like them.
Serve - You can either stir the cooked pasta into the sauce or just top the pasta with the delicious sauce before serving. I like to add a generous sprinkle of chopped parsley leaves. Grated parmesan also sounds delicious with this bolognese dish.
More Meatless Dinner Recipes:
- Tandoori Cauliflower | Tandoori Gobi
- Cauliflower Steak with Avocado Hollandaise
- Easy Vegetarian Chili
- Black Bean Burger
- Chipotle Mushroom Quesadilla
- Spiced Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes
- Vegetable Noodles
- Broccoli Melts
- Broccoli Gratin
- Easy Chickpea Burgers
Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
- 350 g spaghetti or your favorite pasta
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 large carrot finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 700 g tomato passata
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup vegetable broth stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 x 420 g canned lentils drained and rinsed, preferably brown or green
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley to garnish
- Grated parmesan to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season with salt. Add pasta. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add garlic, onions, carrots and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5-6 minutes or until the onions are soft and the vegetables are tender.
- Add tomato passata, Italian seasoning, vegetable broth (stock), bay leaves and reserved pasta water. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook, covered, for about 15 minutes.
- Stir in lentils. Cook for another 10 minutes.
- To serve, divide pasta among serving bowls. Add lentil bolognese.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and parmesan (if using).
Video
Notes
- I used fettuccine in this recipe, but feel free to choose your favorite pasta
- Add more vegetables like mushrooms and green peas
- Even though canned lentils are a convenient option, you can also use dried lentils
- I used canned brown lentils in this recipe, however, red lentils would also taste great
Nutrition
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