An easy vegan lentil bolognese recipe, both nutritious and low-fat compared to the traditional Italian hearty sauce, yet rich in flavor.
What I appreciate about this easy vegan lentil bolognese sauce is its convenience for big batch cooking and storing in the freezer, perfect for those days when cooking feels like a chore.
It's an economical and great way to satisfy the whole family.
Plus, it has a similar texture that closely resembles that of traditional bolognese.
It's one of my top picks for pasta dishes, alongside this delicious cherry tomato spaghetti sauce or this mushroom sauce pasta.
I'm sure this recipe will be one of your new favorite recipes.
Ingredients Highlight
The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.
I opted for brown lentils over green lentils as I find they blend in well (almost unnoticed) into this robust, semi-chunky sauce.
I alternate between using organic canned dried brown lentils. In the recipe card below, I've detailed how to use either option. However, it's worth noting that dried lentils require a bit more effort, cooking time, and additional liquid.
I'll confess when it comes to finely dicing the celery, onion, and carrot, I'm all for efficiency, so I rely on the chop function of my food processor to breeze through this step, it's a real time-saver!
While I typically cook this lentil bolognese without oil to keep it low-fat, you can certainly use a bit of olive oil to caramelize the veggies. Don't overlook this step, as caramelizing adds a richness to the sauce that's simply irresistible.
Incorporating dairy-free milk serves to soften the acidity of the tomato base and harmonize the flavors of the other ingredients. Additionally, I prefer to lightly fry off the tomato paste to further diminish some of that acidity.
As for the remaining ingredients, they consist of pantry staples. I aimed to keep this recipe as simple as possible, making it effortless to whip up this sauce to create a tasty meal.
Janelle's Tips
Allowing the sauce to simmer uncovered aids in the reduction and thickening process. Initially, it might appear to have an excess of liquid, but as the cooking progresses, it reaches the perfect consistency.
Serving Suggestions
The obvious choice is pairing this flavorful sauce with your favorite al dente pasta, like spaghetti or gluten-free pasta, along with a side salad and garlic bread.
However, let me propose an alternative that you might not have considered: potatoes instead of pasta.
Yes, you read that correctly.
My family adores serving this sauce with either jacket potatoes or boiled potatoes. It's incredibly delicious and doesn't leave you feeling bloated after the meal.
Another option is to serve it over oven-roasted spaghetti squash.
Storage
After the sauce has cooled to room temperature, simply transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to a week.
For freezing, pour the sauce into reusable freezer-friendly bags, removing as much air as possible before sealing. Lay the bags flat in the freezer, where they can be stored for up to 3 months, or even longer.
Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.
Recipe
Easy Vegan Lentil Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 sml Onion finely diced
- 2 ribs Celery finely diced
- 2 small - medium Carrots finely diced
- 1 can Brown lentils see note #1 for dry lentils.
- ½ cup Split red lentils
- ½ cup Tomato paste
- 1 cup Passata
- 4 cups Vegetable stock or vegetable broth
- 2 Bay leaves
- ½ tbs Dried oregano
- 1 sprig Rosemary fresh or dry, or use ½ tbs dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper cracked
- ½ cup Dairy free milk see note #2
- ⅛ cup Water or 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 pinch Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, over medium-high heat, add the onion, celery and carrots with the water. See note #3 if you want to use oil. Sweat until they have softened and have started to stick to the pot, starting to caramelize.
- Add the tomato paste, brown lentils and red lentils. Give it a good stir ensuring everything is coated in the tomato paste. Stir in the vegetable stock, passata. herbs, black pepper. Bring the pot to a soft boil then lower heat down to medium-low.
- Stir in the dairy free milk, allow the pot to simmer for 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. See note #2 if using dry lentils which will require additional time and liquid. Do a taste test and adjust salt if required. Serve warm over cooked pasta of your choice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.
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Liz
Thank you for your recipe, it's easy. I took your advice to keep some in the freezer, I've never done that before.