This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

This hearty, savory Lentil Bolognese is an amazing vegetarian meal that doesn’t sacrifice comfort. It’s also high in protein and fiber!

Lentil Bolognese

I get asked to share more vegetarian recipes often, and I’m all the time comfortable to because I like eating plant-based foods. Lentils are a unbelievable source of protein and fiber, and in contrast to dried beans, they cook quickly without pre-soaking. This vegetarian Lentil Bolognese makes a superb meatless dinner. Mushrooms and a complete can of tomato paste create a deeply savory foundation of flavor made richer with the wine, but you may easily omit it when you’d like. For a more traditional Bolognese recipe, I actually have stovetop, slow cooker, and Fast Pot versions.

Red Lentil Bolognese Ingredients

• Vegetables: Dice one yellow onion, two medium carrots, and eight ounces of baby bella mushrooms.
• Salt to season the vegetables
• Tomato Paste: Use a complete can of tomato paste for a more complex flavor.
• Garlic: Mince three garlic cloves.
• Wine: Red wine adds richness and depth to the Bolognese sauce. Make sure that to make use of a dry, good-quality one.
• Tomatoes: I swear by Tuttorosso’s canned tomatoes. Crushed or diced tomatoes will work here.
• Liquid: Use vegetable broth or water to cook the lentils.
• Lentils: Brown, green, or split red lentils are all good options for this Bolognese recipe. Each type has roughly the identical cooking time, but split red lentils have a finer texture once cooked, while brown or green might be more distinctive within the sauce.
• Herbs: Season the Bolognese with dried oregano or Italian seasoning and garnish with fresh basil.
• Parmesan: Garnish with freshly grated parmesan or dietary yeast for a vegan lentil Bolognese.
• Pasta: To extend the protein, serve this dish over high-protein pasta.

Methods to Make Lentil Bolognese

1. Vegetables: Sauté the onion, carrots, mushrooms, and salt in a big pot over medium heat. Cook until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms begin to cook down.
2. Tomato Paste: Stir within the tomato paste and garlic and cook for five minutes until the paste is a deeper red and starts to smell toasted.
3. Bolognese Sauce: Pour the red wine into the pot to deglaze and cook for one more minute. Add the tomatoes, broth, lentils, and Italian seasoning. Increase the warmth to high, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is slightly below a boil.
4. Simmer: Cover the pot, reduce the warmth to medium-low, and simmer for 25 to 40 minutes until the lentils are tender. Keep the liquid at an lively simmer, which suggests there ought to be just a little bubbling but not a full boil.
5. Pasta: Boil a big pot of salted water and cook the pasta to al dente in keeping with the package directions. Once done, drain the pasta and stir into the sauce.
6. Methods to Serve: Divide the lentil Bolognese into bowls and top with grated parmesan or dietary yeast and fresh basil.

Variations

• Mushrooms: Swap baby bellas with white button mushrooms.
• Not a mushroom fan? You’ll be able to skip the mushrooms when you dislike them, but they do give the sauce a meatier texture and umami flavor. In case you dice them very small, the mushrooms aren’t as noticeable.
• Wine: Substitute red wine with white wine or omit it when you prefer to not cook with it. In case you don’t need to open a complete bottle of wine, buy the mini bottles or cans on the supermarket.
• Broth: In case you’re not vegetarian, you may all the time use chicken broth or stock if that’s what you may have.

What to Serve with Lentil Bolognese

• Pasta: This easy Lentil Bolognese sauce is superb over pasta, like linguini, rigatoni, or rotini. I used Barilla’s Protein+ pasta for extra protein and fiber. If you may have a gluten sensitivity, select your favorite gluten-free noodles.
• For a lower-carb option, serve it over zucchini noodles.
• If you desire to add a side dish, do that pasta with garlic knots, an Italian side salad, or roasted green beans.
• Meat: In case you’re not vegetarian and need more protein, pair it with salmon or chicken.

Storage

Leftovers will last as long as five days within the refrigerator or three months within the freezer.

• You’ll be able to freeze the Bolognese and pasta together or make simply enough pasta for the primary night. Then freeze the sauce individually and cook fresh pasta before eating.
• To thaw, let the container sit overnight within the refrigerator and reheat it on the stove or within the microwave until warm. Chances are you’ll have to add a splash of water or broth if it’s too thick.

Lentil Bolognese FAQ

What’s lentil Bolognese?

Bolognese is an Italian pasta sauce fabricated from ground meat, tomatoes, vegetables, and milk or cream, which originated in Bologna, Italy. Lentil Bolognese swaps ground meat with lentils for a vegetarian meal that’s also more economical since lentils cost lower than meat.

What can I put in Bolognese as an alternative of meat?

Lentils and mushrooms are common substitutions for meat in Bolognese. Some recipes use walnuts, tofu, or a vegan ground meat alternative.

More Lentil Recipes You’ll Love

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr

Total: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Yield: 8 servings

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 yellow onion, diced
• ▢ 2 medium carrots, diced (1 cup)
• ▢ 8 ounce package baby bella mushrooms, diced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ▢ 6 ounce can tomato paste
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ ½ cup red wine, optional
• ▢ 15- ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes, I swear by Tuttoroso
• ▢ 3 cups vegetable broth
• ▢ 1 cup brown, green, or split red lentils
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning or dried oregano
• ▢ 1 pound high protein pasta, equivalent to Barilla or gluten-free pasta
• ▢ fresh basil, optional for garnish
• ▢ Grated Parmesan cheese, substitute dietary yeast for vegan

• In a big pot, warm the oil over medium heat.

• Add the onion, carrots, mushrooms, and salt. Stir to coat with oil and sauté for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms begin to cook down.

• Add the tomato paste and garlic to the pot. Stir thoroughly and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, or until the tomato paste is a deeper red and beginning to smell more toasty.

• If using, use the red wine to deglaze the pot. Cook for one more minute or two until the liquid cooks out.

• Pour within the tomatoes, broth, lentils, and Italian seasoning. Increase the warmth to medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is slightly below a boil.

• Reduce the warmth to medium-low, keeping the liquid at an lively simmer, cover and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occassionally or until the lentils are tender.

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, when the sauce is nearly ready cook the pasta in keeping with package directions, for al dente. Drain and stir within the cooked pasta into the sauce, divide into bowls and top each bowl with grated Parmesan or dietary yeast and fresh basil.

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us understand how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and proceed providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

Serving: 1 1/2 cups, Calories: 358 kcal, Carbohydrates: 69 g, Protein: 19.5 g, Fat: 3 g, Sodium: 748 mg, Fiber: 10 g, Sugar: 11 g