Red Lentil Bolognese

Name: Red Lentil Bolognese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 small-medium onions; 2 garlic cloves minced; 1 courgette, grated; 6 handfuls of red lentils; 1 dozen walnut kernels chopped; Tomato concentrate; Sun dried tomatoes chopped fine; 2 cans of chopped tomatoes; Provençal herbs; 2 tsp dried paprika; 4 or 5 tsp vegetable stock powder; Salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Worcestershire sauce or 1tbsp miso paste (optional); Fresh / dried mushrooms (optional)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Hearty, wholesome, and packed with plant-based goodness, this vegan red lentil bolognese is a comforting twist on the classic Italian favourite. With protein-rich lentils, aromatic herbs, and a rich tomato base, it’s a satisfying sauce that pairs beautifully with pasta, polenta, or even a baked potato. Perfect for weeknight dinners or batch cooking!

Best made a day ahead to let the flavours infuse.

Tags:

Italian Pasta Vegan Vegetarian

Ingredients

3 small-medium onions
2 garlic cloves minced
1 courgette, grated
6 handfuls of red lentils
1 dozen walnut kernels chopped
Tomato concentrate
Sun dried tomatoes chopped fine
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
Provençal herbs
2 tsp dried paprika
4 or 5 tsp vegetable stock powder
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce or 1tbsp miso paste (optional)
Fresh / dried mushrooms (optional)

Method

Cook the red lentils in a separate pot of boiling water and drain.

Fine chop the onions. Mix with some olive oil & salt in a large non-stick pan then put on a medium-high heat until they start to turn.

Add the courgette to the onions, mix well and turn down to a half heat and cover. Cook for 15 min stirring occasionally until soft and caramelised. Add the garlic, mix, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the tomato ingredients (enough concentrate to get a good taste), paprika, herbs, salt, pepper and stock powder. Let it simmer for 45 min ideally to let the flavours come out. Add the walnuts and simmer for another 20-30 minutes.

If the sauce is a bit loose, blitz a couple of slices of decent bread in the blender and add this. Makes a nice texture to the sauce too.

Serve with spaghetti, fettuccine or similar (roughly 100g dry weight per person).

Worcestershire sauce is a good addition while simmering, though this is only suitable for pescatarians due to its anchovies. A tbsp of miso paste is a good vegan alternative to add some umami.

Chopped portobello mushrooms and/or dried mushrooms will also add some body to this recipe.

Best made in advance and left to sit to let the flavour develop.