Vegan Lentil Bolognese with Canned Brown Lentils

I do not cook exclusively vegan meals, but I enjoy trying dishes without animal ingredients. I like this lentil bolognese just as much as my classic version. Canned brown lentils add a little bite, while carrots and tomatoes give the sauce plenty of flavour.

Which lentils to use

Use cooked canned brown lentils. Drain in a sieve and weigh out about 250 g, roughly one standard can depending on its drained weight. Check the label rather than the total can weight. Dried lentils need a different amount of liquid and cooking time.

Finely dice the carrots

Cut the carrots into small cubes so they soften during the short cooking time. Start with the onion and carrots, then briefly add the garlic and tomato paste. Simmer with the stock and chopped tomatoes until the carrots are tender. Fold in the cooked lentils towards the end.

Bring the spaghetti and sauce together

Weigh the spaghetti dry and cook alongside the sauce. Choose egg-free pasta to keep the dish vegan. Save some pasta cooking water and add a small splash to the sauce if needed. Stir in the basil at the very end.

Kitchen tip

The sauce can be made ahead and frozen in portions separately from the pasta. Loosen with a little water when reheating and taste again before serving.

Serve with egg-free spaghetti and the fresh basil.

Easy recipe

Vegan Lentil Bolognese with Canned Brown Lentils

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 out of 5 · 3 ratings

Vegan lentil bolognese with canned brown lentils, carrots and tomatoes. An easy spaghetti recipe, ready in about 30 minutes.

Prep time

10 min

Cook time

20 min

Yield

3 servings

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Ingredients

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• 200 gegg-free spaghetti, dry weight
• 100 gonion, about 1
• 1 clovegarlic
• 250 gcanned brown lentils, drained weight, about 1 can
• 200 gcarrots
• 250 mlvegetable stock
• 400 gchopped tomatoes with basil, about 1 can
• 30 gtomato paste, about 2 tbsp
• 15 gsugar, about 1 tbsp
• 20 gfresh basil
• salt, pepper and Italian herbs
• 1 tspolive oil

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Instructions

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1. Peel and finely dice the onion and garlic. Trim the carrots and cut into very small cubes. Drain the canned brown lentils in a sieve and weigh out about 250 g.
2. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a deep frying pan. Soften the onion and carrots over medium heat for a few minutes. Briefly cook the garlic and tomato paste with them.
3. Add the vegetable stock and chopped tomatoes. Stir in the sugar and Italian herbs, then simmer gently for about 10–15 minutes until the carrots are tender. Add a little water if needed.
4. Meanwhile, cook the dry-weighed egg-free spaghetti according to the packet until al dente. Save some cooking water before draining.
5. Gently fold the cooked lentils into the sauce and heat through fully for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Roughly chop and stir in the basil. Loosen with a little pasta water if needed and serve with the spaghetti.

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4.0 out of 5 · 3 ratings

Nutrition per serving

Calories

434 kcal

Protein

16.5 g

Carbohydrates

82.8 g

Sugar

16.5 g

Fat

4.1 g

Saturated fat

0.6 g

Fibre

10.7 g

Salt

1.4 g

Data source: USDA SR28

Recipe: Corinna · kitchensplace