Description
A rich and hearty Vegan Lentil Bolognese made with tender lentils, tomatoes, carrots, celery, herbs, and red wine. Served over spaghetti, this easy plant-based pasta dinner is comforting, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces uncooked gluten-free spaghetti or regular spaghetti
- 1 large white or yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- ½ cup Pinot Noir or other red wine
- 1 (28-ounce) can plain tomato sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
- 1½ cups dried brown, green, or French lentils
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons dried basil, or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2 large bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil, for garnish
- Cashew Parmesan, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics: Add the diced onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent.
- Cook the vegetables: Add the carrots and celery. Cook for another 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned.
- Add the wine: Pour in the red wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has reduced by at least half.
- Build the sauce: Add the tomato sauce, crushed or diced tomatoes, dried lentils, vegetable broth, basil, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Stir well.
- Simmer: Bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir approximately every 10 minutes so the lentils cook evenly and nothing sticks.
- Cook the spaghetti: About halfway through the sauce cooking time, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions, then drain.
- Check the lentils: After about 30 minutes, the lentils should be tender and the sauce thick. If the lentils are still firm but the sauce is too thick, add up to 1 additional cup of vegetable broth. Cover and continue simmering until tender.
- Adjust the seasoning: Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste the sauce and add more salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, or herbs if desired.
- Blend lightly: Use an immersion blender to briefly blend a small portion of the sauce while leaving plenty of lentils and vegetables intact. Alternatively, transfer about 2½ cups of sauce to a blender, blend until mostly smooth, and stir it back into the pot.
- Serve: Spoon the Vegan Lentil Bolognese generously over the cooked spaghetti. Garnish with fresh basil, parsley, and optional cashew Parmesan.
Notes
- Choose the right lentils: Brown, green, or French lentils work well because they retain some texture as they cook.
- Keep the heat low: A gentle simmer allows the lentils to cook before too much liquid evaporates.
- Check the consistency: If the sauce becomes too thick before the lentils are tender, add additional vegetable broth a little at a time.
- Don’t over-blend: Blend only part of the sauce for a creamy, hearty texture while keeping plenty of whole lentils.
- Wine substitute: If you prefer not to cook with wine, replace it with additional vegetable broth. The flavor will be slightly different.
- Gluten-free option: Use certified gluten-free spaghetti or another gluten-free pasta.
- Vegan serving idea: Finish with fresh basil and vegan cashew Parmesan.
- Meal prep: For best results, store the sauce and pasta separately and combine them when reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (⅛ of recipe)
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 87 g
- Fiber: 13 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg