Lentil Bolognese

It feels like meat is getting more and more expensive every day, y’all. But you know what is still cheap? LENTILS. 🙌 I know I’ve sung their praises a thousand times, but lentils are cheap, versatile, and will keep you full all. day. long. So they’re a great substitute for meat in classic bolognese, whether you’re vegan or not. This lentil bolognese is rich, hearty, full of big savory flavor, and budget-friendly!

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“I love this recipe! My husband and I are vegetarian and make it all the time – we like to double the recipe, and either freeze the leftovers (works well reheated from frozen), or eat it across several days. I feel like it has the perfect combination of tasting really good, being healthy, and tasting just as good reheated. Another winner from Budget Bytes!”

Sam

Easy RECIPE FOR lENTIL Bolognese

Because meat is getting so darn expensive these days, I decided it was time to make a bolognese-like sauce using lentils instead of meat. The lentils make the bolognese sauce extra hearty for pennies on the dollar, and also add a great dose of fiber. I made sure to add tons of delicious herbs and spices, as well as some rich coconut milk, to make this lentil bolognese just as rich and flavorful as its meaty counterpart.

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Lentil Bolognese

4.66 from 41 votes

Lentil bolognese is a rich and hearty pasta sauce that is budget-friendly and full of bold flavors. Plus, it makes tasty leftovers!

Author: Beth Moncel

Servings 4 1 cup sauce

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 45 minutes mins

Total 55 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion ($0.37)
• 1 carrot ($0.15)
• 1 stalk celery ($0.10)
• 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08)
• 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper ($0.02)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts* ($1.07)
• 1 cup uncooked red lentils** ($0.67)
• 1 15oz. can crushed tomatoes ($1.00)
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.27)
• 1 tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
• 1 tsp dried basil ($0.10)
• 1 tsp garlic powder ($0.10)
• 1 Tbsp sugar ($0.02)
• 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper ($0.02)
• 3 cups vegetable broth ($0.36)
• 1/2 cup full-fat canned coconut milk*** ($0.81)

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Instructions 

• Finely dice the onion, carrot, and celery. Mince the garlic.
• Add the olive oil, onion, celery and carrot to a large pot. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes over a medium until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have softened.
• Once vegetables have softened, add the minced garlic, crushed red pepper and walnuts to the pot. Saute for 2 minutes over medium-low heat, or until the garlic is fragrant.
• Add the lentils, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, sugar, pepper, and vegetable broth to the pot. Mix everything together and bring the sauce to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer, semi covered with a lid, stirring occasionally for 20-25 minutes. After about 25 minutes the lentils should be soft and the sauce thickened. If the sauce is still too thin for your liking, continue simmering until it has reached your desired consistency.
• Once the bolognese has reached your desired consistency and texture, stir in the coconut milk and simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste the bolognese and add salt to taste. Turn off the heat. The bolognese will continue to thicken as it cools.

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Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Notes

*The walnuts add a nice richness to the sauce. You can also use pecans or cashews if you can’t have walnuts. Or, you can leave them out altogether if desired.

**You’ll want to use red lentils for this recipe because they break down quickly, helping the sauce thicken up and get extra rich. They’ll retain just enough texture to feel “meaty” without looking like lentils. The red/orange color of the cooked lentils also helps the sauce retain a nice deep red/brown color. Green/brown lentils will also work, but they hold their shape better than red lentils, meaning the sauce will be chunkier and not as thick.

***Full-fat canned coconut milk adds a subtle creaminess, and I promise it won’t make your lentil bolognese test like coconuts! If you’re not making this recipe dairy-free or vegan, you can use whole milk, half and half, or a splash of heavy cream in place of the coconut milk. You can also omit it altogether for a non-creamy sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 478kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 18gFat: 25gSodium: 1261mgFiber: 19g

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

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How to Make Lentil Bolognese – Step by Step Photos

Prep your mirepoix: Finely dice one yellow onion, one carrot, and one stalk celery, and mince four cloves of garlic.

Sauté the veggies: Add 2 Tbsp cooking oil to a large pot and heat over medium. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and sauté until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent.

Add the minced garlic, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, and ½ cup finely chopped walnuts. Sauté over medium-low heat for about two minutes more.

Assemble the sauce: Add 1 cup uncooked red lentils, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, ½ tsp salt, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp black pepper, one 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes, and 3 Tbsp tomato paste to the pot. Add 3 cups vegetable broth and stir to combine.

Simmer: Allow the sauce to come up to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. After about 25 minutes, the lentils should be soft and the sauce should be thick. If the sauce is still too thin for your liking, allow the sauce to simmer a bit longer. If the lentils are not yet soft, continue to simmer, adding a small amount of water as needed to prevent it from drying out.

Make it creamy: Once the sauce is thickened, stir in ½ cup full fat coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes longer.

Taste the sauce and add salt if needed. I sprinkled mine with fresh herbs, but this is totally optional!

How to Serve Lentil Bolognese

Serve this hearty sauce over a pile of your favorite pasta, with some garlic bread and a light salad on the side. Because this sauce is so rich and thick, it pairs really well with larger pasta shapes, like rigatoni or tagliatelle, because it clings well to pasta even without lots of ridges or crevices. I think it would also be delicious served over spaghetti aglio e olio! And if you’re in the mood for something really satisfying, try serving this lentil bolognese with pasta and a crispy cauliflower parmesan on top.

Storage & Reheating

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze this recipe for up to 3 months. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout before serving.

More Delicious Lentil Recipes

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Creamy Coconut Curry Lentils with Spinach

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