Hearty lentil bolognese
This hearty lentil bolognese is the ultimate cozy, home-cooked dinner, packed with layers of savory flavor and a rich, satisfying texture. Lentils give the sauce body and an earthy depth, while browned mushrooms, onion, carrot, celery, and tomato paste build richness, and a big can of tomatoes cooks down into a luxurious sauce.
All it takes is a little chopping and stirring, and your kitchen will fill with an amazing aroma while it simmers. Toss it with your favorite pasta and finish with fresh basil and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan for a dinner everyone will come running for.
Preparation Time: 1 hour 25 minutesIngredients
Sauce
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 0.33 cup dry red wine
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 0.5 cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 0.5 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
To serve
- 1 pound dry pasta
- 1 fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
- 1 grated vegan parmesan, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
- Brown the mushrooms: Heat a Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms and spread them out in the pan. Let them cook undisturbed for about 1 minute, then stir until tender, browned, and the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl or plate and return the pot to the heat.
- Cook the aromatics: Add the olive oil to the pot, followed by the onion. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and sauté until the onion starts to brown and the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes more. Add the garlic and the cooked mushrooms and stir for 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pan: Add the salt, oregano, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens, about 3 minutes. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
- Cook the lentils: Add the broth and both kinds of lentils and stir. Increase the heat to high and bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to medium-low or low to maintain a simmer. Cook uncovered until the lentils are mostly tender and the mixture is thick, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
- Add the tomatoes: Add the tomatoes and their juice, breaking them up with your hands as you go. Stir and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the lentils are very tender, about 30 minutes.
- Cook the pasta: While the sauce simmers, generously salt the boiling water and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Finish and serve: Remove the sauce from the heat and taste, adding salt as needed. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and the nutritional yeast, if using. Toss with the hot pasta, adding pasta water as needed for a silky sauce. Top with fresh basil and grated vegan parmesan, if desired.
Tips
Use good canned tomatoes: They make a big difference in the sauce. San Marzano tomatoes are excellent and usually come in 28-ounce cans.
Brown the mushrooms in a dry pan: Mushrooms release plenty of liquid, so they don’t need oil. Letting them brown builds savory flavor.
Don’t rush the tomato paste: Cooking it until it darkens adds even more depth to the sauce.
Add the tomatoes later: Their acid slows down the lentils’ cooking, so adding them too early can keep the lentils from fully softening.
Mix and match your lentils: Using all red lentils makes a smoother sauce, while all green or brown lentils make it chunkier with more bite.
Try other ways to serve it: Toss it with long pasta like fettuccine or linguine, short pasta like penne, or potato gnocchi. You can also layer it into a lasagna or spoon it over polenta.
Make ahead: The sauce tastes even better the next day. Cook the pasta fresh when you’re ready to serve, and save some pasta water to loosen the sauce as it reheats.
Storage: Refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container, ideally glass, since tomato sauce can stain plastic, for 3 to 4 days. To freeze, leave about 1½ inches of space at the top of the container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Thaw frozen sauce overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water or pasta water to thin it out.
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