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Vegan Lentil Bolognese

A white bowl filled with spaghetti topped generously with rich Vegan Lentil Bolognese sauce.
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A hearty, rich, and satisfying plant-based bolognese sauce made with brown or green lentils, perfect served over your favorite pasta.

Ingredients

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine (optional, substitute with more broth)
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 pound spaghetti or pasta of choice

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the rinsed lentils, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, red wine (if using), oregano, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
  4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. The lentils should be tender and the sauce should have thickened.
  5. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. For a thicker sauce, simmer uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.
  6. While the sauce simmers, cook your pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta.
  7. Serve the lentil bolognese over the cooked pasta.

Notes

  • For a gluten-free option, serve with gluten-free pasta. The sauce itself is naturally gluten-free if you skip the wine or use a certified gluten-free wine.
  • To make this sauce ahead of time, cool it completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • If you want a texture closer to ground meat, pulse half of the cooked lentils in a food processor before adding them back to the sauce during the last 15 minutes of simmering.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookerykings.com/vegan-lentil-bolognese-recipe/