Lentil Bolognese

Recently we’ve been trying to expand our vegetarian horizons. Over the past few weeks we’d become a bit set in our ways when it came to our dinner menus, regularly cooking the same dishes over again. As tasty as they may be, there’s only so often you can eat veggie fajitas without getting sick of them. And even my tomato and mascarpone sauce, as delicious as it is, can get a little boring if you eat it too often.

So, in an attempt to get a little more creative, as well as stretching our budget a bit further (because who doesn’t like saving money?) we’ve been trying new dishes. Luckily we still eat fish and seafood, so we’re not too restricted, but we have been trying to cut down on our dairy intake.

This dish actually isn’t a new one for me. When I lived by myself, I used to make it regularly. But I’ve only recently been able to persuade Scott to try it because of one thing: the lentil element. 

I’ll be the first to admit that the name, lentil bolognese, isn’t too appealing, particularly to meat eaters. Unlike my bolognese pasta bake, it sounds like something hippies and Whole Foods workers eat. I *get* it. But trust me, it works.

It’s thick, full of Italian herbs and works really well with pasta. In fact, we’ve even used this bolognese in lasagna, as a replacement for the minced beef layer and it was delicious!

Another bonus is that it’s chock full of veggies and iron and this recipe makes a HUGE potful, enough to feed a large family or freeze a few batches for dinner another time. It also only requires one pan. Seriously, does it get much better than that?

Lentil Bolognese

Recipe by Julia

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 medium onions, finely chopped

• 3 carrots, finely chopped

• 3 celery sticks, finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 500g bag dried red lentils

• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 tsp Italian mixed herbs (or 1 tsp each oregano and thyme)

• 1L vegetable stock

• 500g spaghetti or linguine

• Parmesan or vegetarian cheese, grated, to serve (optional)

Directions

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or stock pot over a medium heat and add the garlic, onions, carrots and celery. Cook for around 15-20 minutes, until soft and translucent.
• Tip in the lentils, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs and stock, bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for 40-50 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the lentils are soft. You may need to add a little water during cooking time if you feel the sauce is thickening too quickly.
• Cook the pasta according to packet instructions and then drain and serve topped with the bolognese and a grating of cheese.

Notes

• Cooled sauce can be stored in an airtight container and chilled for up to three days, or frozen for up to three months.
• Adapted from Good Food