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Lentil Bolognese Recipe

white bowl of spaghetti topped with lentil bolognese and fresh parsley

4.9 from 7 reviews

This Lentil Bolognese is hearty, healthy, and made in one pot! This cozy and satisfying Vegan & Gluten-Free Entree is packed with veggies and plant protein.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 small Yellow Onion, diced
  • 1 cup Carrot, finely diced
  • 1 cup Celery, finely diced
  • ⅓ cup Dry White Wine (optional, but recommended*)
  • 8 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms, roughly diced
  • 1 ½ cups Dry Green Lentils
  • 3 cups of Vegan Beef-Flavored Broth
  • 2 cups Filtered Water
  • 2 28 oz cans Crushed Tomatoes
  • ⅓ cup Parsley, finely chopped
  • 5 large Basil leaves, chopped
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • ½ cup Walnuts, roughly chopped
  • Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
  • Cooked Pasta or Spaghetti of choice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Add the Onion, Celery, and Carrot to a large nonstick pot with a splash of water. Sauté over Medium-High heat until translucent, around 4-5 minutes.
  2. Once all of the water has evaporated from the pan, deglaze it by adding in the White Wine; sauté for another 5 minutes, to cook off the alcohol.
  3. When the pot is dry again, add the Mushrooms, Lentils, Crushed Tomatoes, Vegetable Broth, and Water; stir well and bring to a simmer over high heat.
  4. Once simmering, add the Bay Leaves, Parsley, and Basil. Stir into the Bolognese and let the whole mixture simmer for 20 minutes, or until the Lentils are tender. You will need to reduce the heat as you go to prevent splattering, and stir the mixture occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
  5. Stir in the chopped Walnuts, and add Salt and Black Pepper to taste. Serve over cooked pasta, or as desired. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to one week, or frozen for up to one month.

Notes

  • You can use any dry White Wine for this recipe – I used a Vegan Pinot Grigio. Check out Barnivore for Vegan Wine Recommendations!
  • I would strongly encourage using Wine for this recipe, but if you prefer not to use it simply skip step #2.
  • This Beef-Flavored Bouillon paste is my favorite, but you can substitute with Vegetable Broth in a pinch.
  • If you have a nut allergy, you can substitute the Walnuts for Sunflower Seeds

Keywords: lentil bolognese, vegan bolognese, vegetarian bolognese, gluten free bolognese