This red lentil bolognese is made with nutritious lentils and fresh vegetables for a hearty and delicious meal.
This vegan one pot pasta recipe is great for an easy dinner or a last minute meal.
I usually have all of the ingredients for this vegan bolognese sauce already on hand, making it one of my go-to recipes.
Follow along to learn how to make one of my favorite plant based pasta recipes!
Ingredients
Lentils: I used red lentils to make a red lentil bolognese. If you're unfamiliar with how to cook lentils, head over to this blog post about how to cook lentils. It can be tricky because if they are overcooked they tend to get really soggy and we don't want that!
The lentils are really important in this recipe. This lentil bolognese vegan edition is a great way to make a vegan meat sauce while still having some good hearty texture and nutrients.
Fresh Vegetables: This recipe calls for a combination of onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and fresh tomatoes.
You can also add fresh bell peppers, and any other veggies that you love!
Sauce: To keep things nice and simple, I added a jar of store-bought pasta sauce rather than making a homemade base sauce.
Just grab your favorite jar of pasta sauce whether it is marinara, herb flavored, etc. to use in this recipe.
Olive Oil: I used extra virgin olive oil in this
See recipe card below for quantities and full instructions.
Instructions
I started out by prepping and cooking my lentils according to the package instructions because that takes a majority of the time in this recipe.
Once the lentils are cooking, wash and chop the vegetables. Then add them to a pan with the olive oil and cook them over medium heat for about 10 minutes until they have started to soften.
Add the sauce and water at this time and allow them to cook for about 20 minutes to soften even more and absorb more flavor.
Combine the lentils with the bolognese and mix well.
Let it cool slightly before serving over your favorite pasta and enjoy!
Storage
This vegan and vegetarian bolognese sauce is a great cheap vegan meal and so many of the ingredients are common kitchen ingredients.
This lentil bolognese recipe is also great for meal prepping and just making ahead of time in general. It will stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days if kept in an airtight container.
You can also freeze this sauce and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Another great vegan meal prep recipe is my Vegan Potato Leek Soup!
If you enjoyed this homemade vegan pasta sauce recipe, be sure to try these vegan recipes next:
Vegan Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 celery ribs
- 2 carrots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cup fresh tomatoes
- ½ cup red lentils uncooked
- 1 24 oz jar of pasta sauce
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Start by rinsing and preparing the lentils according to package instructions, taking extra caution not to overcook them.
- Prep the vegetables according to the ingredient list, then sauté the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a large pot or pan for about 10 minutes, or until the veggies have softened.
- Add the jarred tomato sauce and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, lower to a simmer and cover. Continue to simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the lentils, allow to cool slightly before serving over your favorite pasta.
