Lentil Bolognese Recipe
Servings 4 people
A Vegetarian Pasta Sauce that is rich and decadent and packed full of nutritious and delicious ingredients. This is my take on a vegetarian Bolognese; I call it my No-Bull-ognese. Quick Pro-tip: The finer you chop the vegetables, the smoother and richer your end sauce will be and the better it will coat your pasta. It's worthwhile to do the chopping properly. So grab your favorite podcast and get that finely chopped action going. Vegan Bolognese if you omit or replace the parmesan cheese topping at the end.Grain-Free and Gluten-Free replace your pasta with a Veggie Noodle or grain-free pasta.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons healthy cooking fat, avocado oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil
- 1 large onion, super finely chopped
- 2 carrots, super finely chopped
- 8-12 Button Mushrooms, super finely chopped; (amount depending on size and desired mushroom-ness)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Tomato paste, 4-5 ounces (can increase or decrease a bit depending on desired tomato-ness
- 1 cup 120 mL dry red wine, could also use white wine if you don't have red (optional)
- 3 cups 720 mL vegetable broth
- 1 14.5-ounce/410g can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup 185g red lentils, soaked (see step #1)
- ¼ cup 32g walnuts, chopped super fine
- 1 tablespoon high-quality aged balsamic vinegar
- 10-15 oz fresh baby spinach leaves, depending on how spinachy you want it _Optional nutrition boost! (it's not traditional bolognese but it's delicious and even healthier :)_
- salt, to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- A handful Italian parsley and/or fresh basil, chopped or slivered (optional)
- Parmesan or Vegan Cheese Substitute, If desired; for topping
Instructions
- Soak your red lentils in water (at room temperature) for at least 30 minutes (can soak up to 1-hour - I prefer 1-hour soak for softer lentils, but if you're in a time crunch, 30 minutes is just fine too). Make sure the lentils are fully covered under at least extra 2 inches of water. They will plump up and absorb the water. When ready to use - drain and rinse well before adding to the recipe.
- Heat the cooking fat in a large pot over medium heat.
- Cook the onions low and slow for about 10 minutes, allow them to get soft, and caramelize a little into a golden brown (we want to develop the sweet, rich flavor). Do not let them burn; you can occasionally deglaze with a bit of wine or water to keep them from burning.
- Add the mushrooms and carrots and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until all the vegetables are softened and cooked a bit.
- Add the garlic, dried oregano, and thyme, and cook for about 1 minute to allow the garlic to be cooked a little.
- Add the tomato paste, and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure that all vegetables are coated.
- Pour in wine (if not using wine, skip this step and increase the broth by wine amount lost) and give it a good stir to ensure that nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to be cooked off and let it reduce until all of the vegetables are a jammy consistency.
- Add the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, red lentils (drained and rinsed after soaking), and finely chopped walnuts.
- Cook for 45-60 minutes at medium to medium-low temperature uncovered. You want it at a low simmer to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken and develop in flavor. Give it a good stir every 15 minutes to ensure it isn't sticking or burning. At 45 minutes, the sauce is rich and delicious, but the longer you cook it, the more developed the flavors will be, the softer the lentils get, and the richer and thicker the sauce will be.
- Optional nutrition boost: Add fresh spinach leaves and stir them under and let the heat of the sauce soften and wilt them into the sauce
- Stir in the balsamic vinegar, fresh parsley, and basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- If using, you can stir in or simply top with Parmesan or Vegan Cheese