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Hearty Vegan Lentil Bolognese with Red Wine Reduction

A fork lifts a generous twirl of thick pasta coated in rich Vegan Lentil Bolognese sauce.
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Make a rich, thick vegan bolognese sauce using brown or green lentils and a red wine reduction for deep flavor.

Ingredients

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine (optional, substitute with vegetable broth)
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
  2. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and start to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the rinsed lentils, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute.
  4. If using, pour in the red wine and let it simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the liquid is mostly reduced, about 3 minutes.
  5. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and soy sauce/tamari. Stir well to combine.
  6. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the sauce has thickened significantly.
  7. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the nutritional yeast. Season with salt and pepper to your preference.
  8. Let the sauce rest for 10 minutes before serving over your preferred pasta.

Notes

  • Use brown or green lentils; red lentils break down too much for this texture.
  • For maximum umami, ensure you cook the mushrooms until they are deeply browned.
  • If the sauce becomes too thick while simmering, add small amounts of extra vegetable broth.
  • Serve this sauce with thick pasta like pappardelle or rigatoni, or over polenta.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://magazinemeal.com/vegan-lentil-bolognese-recipe/