Lentil Bolognese
Green lentils slow-cooked with vegetables and tomato into a thick meat-sauce texture, served over pasta. A reliable vegan weeknight staple on every budget food forum.
Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add garlic, oregano, and basil. Cook 1 minute.
Stir in tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes until darkened slightly.
Add lentils, diced tomatoes, and water (or broth). Stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and the sauce is thick.
While the sauce simmers, cook pasta in heavily salted boiling water according to package directions. Reserve 250 mL pasta water.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper. If it looks too thick, add a splash of pasta water.
Serve over pasta. Top with parmesan or nutritional yeast if available.
The carrot-celery-onion base (soffritto) is the foundation of the flavour. Don't skip it or rush it — the 8–10 minutes of cooking matters.
- This freezes extremely well. Make a double batch and freeze half in portions.
- Lentils don't need soaking. Rinse them and use them dry.
- Green or brown lentils hold their shape and have a meatier texture than red lentils, which turn to mush. For this dish, use green or brown.
Estimated values per serving.
This recipe can be made gluten-free with substitutions.
- Replace pasta with certified GF pasta or serve over rice (GF pasta adds approximately $1.50–$2.00 to total cost)
Lentils and all vegetables are naturally gluten-free.