One Pot Vegan Lentil Bolognese
The best easy vegan lentil bolognese recipe made in one pot. This recipe comes together super quickly and it can be made gluten free if you serve it over your favorite gluten free pasta or spaghetti squash.
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One Pot Vegan Lentil Bolognese
Good morning friends! Today, I am sharing a simple and delicious lunch or dinner recipe that I have been eating on repeat recently. We are making vegan lentil bolognese that cooks in about 40 minutes and requires just ONE pot for easy preparation, cooking, and clean up. This recipe is loaded with plant based nutrients. It tastes incredible served over your favorite pasta or spaghetti squash for a gluten free option.
Before we get into the recipe, let’s discuss a few quick things to note as well as the list of ingredients you will need to make this recipe a smashing success.
What Is Lentil Bolognese?
Lentil bolognese is essentially a vegan pasta sauce made with lentils for flavor and protein. It is an incredible simple yet tasty dish packed with plant based nutrients and flavor. Vegan lentil bolognese is a thick mixture of veggies, tomatoes, lentils, and seasonings. It comes together to form a rich and delicious sauce that will elevate any pasta you choose to serve it over.
Which Lentils Are Best For Bolognese?
When considering which lentils are best for vegan bolognese, you have to decide what texture you want. I really like to use whole lentils for a thicker texture. I find that whole green lentils (which I used in this recipe) make the mixture nice and thick. Split lentils are often used in recipes such as red lentil soup. I try to steer clear of those for this recipe as they form a smoother consistency.
For this recipe, I used whole green lentils from Trader Joe’s. They are easy to find at a variety of grocery stores. Lentils also tend to be super budget friendly, which makes them the perfect plant based protein source for this dish.
Is Lentil Bolognese Tasty?
Lentil bolognese is absolutely tasty. My version is packed with vegetables, so there are tons of plant based nutrients in the sauce. The lentils also provide a source of plant based protein. This sauce tastes incredible served over whole wheat pasta, chickpea pasta, or even spaghetti squash.
It is a versatile, healthy dish that I absolutely love. Now, let’s take a look at the list of ingredients needed for this vegan lentil bolognese recipe.
One Pot Vegan Lentil Bolognese – Ingredients
- Dry Green Lentils – The first ingredient you need for this recipe is, unsurprisingly, dry green lentils. This ingredient is super crucial to form the base of the lentil bolognese. You do not want to cook the lentils first. They will cook right into the sauce.
- White Mushrooms – The white mushrooms add texture and flavor to this recipe. They will need to be finely chopped for this lentil bolognese.
- Yellow Onion – The yellow onion is another key vegetable that is chopped and added to the lentil bolognese mixture.
- Carrots – The carrots will be chopped and added to the bolognese as well. I used baby carrots, but you could also use regular carrots. You want to chop them finely so they get super soft as they cook.
- Nutritional Yeast Seasoning – The nutritional yeast seasoning adds a slight nutty/cheesy flavor to the mix, as well as a source of vitamin B12. You can also add more of it on top of your pasta and bolognese dish for even more flavor.
- Fresh Garlic – The fresh garlic adds a ton of flavor to the lentil bolognese. It will be minced and added to the mix.
- Fresh Basil – The fresh basil is a key ingredient that you don’t want to forget. It also makes a beautiful garnish for the dish, as it adds a lovely pop of green color.
- Dried Oregano – The dried oregano is a key spice you will need for the lentil bolognese.
- Onion Powder – Onion powder is another essential spice that will be added into the mixture.
- Black Pepper – The black pepper adds a bit of spice to your lentil bolognese.
- Salt – The salt will be adjusted to your own taste to add even more flavor and dimension to this lentil bolognese recipe.
- Crushed Tomatoes – The crushed tomatoes are a key part of any tomato-based sauce recipe, and this lentil bolognese is certainly no exception.
- Water – The water helps everything cook together and ensures that the mixture achieves the right thickness.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – The olive oil is used to sauté the veggies before you add in the rest of the lentil bolognese ingredients. It also adds extra flavor and richness to the sauce.
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Vegan Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole green lentils (dry)
- 1/2 cup white mushrooms (finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup carrots (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
- 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast seasoning
- 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh basil leaves (plus more for garnish)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- salt to taste
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes (I like fire roasted)
- 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add the chopped onion and olive oil to a large pot over low to medium heat.
- Sauté the onion for a few minutes until transluscent.
- Add in the chopped mushrooms, chopped carrots, and minced garlic.
- Sauté the vegetables for a few more minutes.
- Add in the water, crushed tomatoes, lentils, and all the seasonings.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer partially covered for about 40 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened and everything is soft.
- Serve the bolognese over your favorite pasta or spaghetti squash.
- Top with optional fresh basil, nutritional yeast seasoning, and/or vegan cheddar style shreds (highly recommend!)
- Dig in and enjoy!
Notes
I hope you guys enjoy this simple and delicious lentil bolognese recipe. You can serve it over whichever pasta or pasta alternative you’d like. As per usual, I will be back with another recipe soon.
-Alyssa 🙂
