Vegan Bolognese

Vegan Bolognese

This Vegan Bolognese is a hearty and delicious dish that’s easy to throw together. Made with your mill pantry products, this savory sauce consists of simple ingredients. A delicious and veggie-packed dinner for a very satisfying meal.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 medium (52 ​​g) celery stalk (1/2 cup) finely chopped
• 10 oz fresh (280 g) finely chopped mushrooms (or 1 oz dried)
• 2 medium (200 g) carrots, finely grated
• 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped or crushed
• Use 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or 1 teaspoon dried thyme and basil
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or sweetener of choice
• A pinch of paprika or to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Use 1/3 cup (80 ml) of red wine or more vegetable juice
• 3 cups (750 g) crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce or tomato sauce
• 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup (200 g) dried lentils, I used brown, soaked
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce gluten-free or tamari if needed
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) of plant-based milk
• 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
• 8 oz (225 g) spaghetti gluten-free if needed or pasta of choice
• Vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. If you are using green or brown lentils, I recommend soaking the lentils in warm water. This step is optional, but lentils cook faster and are also better digested when soaked. If you are using red lentils, you can skip this step.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, mushrooms and carrots. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Mix in the garlic, sweetener and all the spices. Saute for another minute, stirring frequently.
3. Add red wine (or vegetable broth), crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaves, and drained lentils. Mix to combine.
4. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes or until lentils are tender (may take shorter or longer depending on variety).
5. Meanwhile, cook your favorite pasta (e.g. spaghetti) according to package directions.
6. Add soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Mix the plant-based milk and cornstarch in a small bowl and add the mixture to the pan.
7. Taste and adjust the spices. Add more salt/pepper/spice to taste. Also add more vegetable broth if needed.
8. Serve lentil bolognese over pasta in bowls and sprinkle with vegan Parmesan (optional). Enjoy! Store leftovers of Bolognese sauce in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

notes

• Use your favorite pasta – Feel free to use any pasta you like, regular, gluten-free or even grain-free. You can use gnocchi as well as pasta. Check out my gluten-free vegan gnocchi recipe.
• Lentil alternative – You can use textured soy protein instead of lentils. Soak 1 to 1 1/2 cups of soy curls in warm water for a few minutes and then add them to the pan instead of the lentils.
• Add more vegetables – You can add more vegetables. Some great suggestions are eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash etc. it could be.
• Check out more helpful tips and step-by-step photos in the blog post above.
• The recipe is for 4 people. Nutritional values ​​are for one serving (including pasta).