Lentil Bolognese

Plant-based | One-pot | Batch cooking | Family-friendly

A hearty, satisfying pasta sauce that’s packed with vegetables and red lentils. This is not a meat imitation—it’s delicious in its own right. The lentils create a thick, meaty texture while the mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot) builds deep flavor.

---

Ingredients

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Olive oil	2 tbsp	Or water sauté for oil-free
Onion, finely diced	1 large
Celery, finely chopped	1 rib
Carrots, peeled and chopped	3 large
Garlic, minced	7 cloves	~2 tbsp
Tomato paste	6 oz can
Tomato sauce	15 oz can	Unseasoned
Diced Italian tomatoes	2 cans (14.5 oz each)	With juice
Dried sweet basil	2 tbsp
Dried oregano	1 tsp
Baking soda	¼ tsp	Cuts acidity—don’t skip
Salt and pepper	To taste
Red lentils	2 cups	Rinsed and picked over
Water	2 cups

---

Method

1. Sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil in large skillet or Dutch oven. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook 5-10 minutes until softened.

2. Add aromatics: Stir in garlic, cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

3. Bloom tomato paste: Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute.

4. Add tomatoes and seasonings: Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with juice, basil, oregano, baking soda, and salt/pepper.

5. Add lentils: Stir in red lentils and water.

6. Simmer: Cook 20-30 minutes, stirring regularly, until lentils are tender and sauce is thick. It will look loose at first but thickens as lentils absorb liquid.

---

Serving Suggestions

Over pasta: Whole wheat rigatoni, penne, or spaghetti

Over vegetables: Roasted spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles for lower carb

In lasagna: Use instead of meat sauce between layers

With bread: Crusty whole grain bread for dipping

---

Tips

Lentil texture: Red lentils cook fastest and break down into a thick sauce. Green/brown lentils work but stay firmer—add 10 min cook time.

Too thick?: Add splashes of water or pasta cooking water

Baking soda: This is the secret to cutting tomato acidity without sugar. Don’t skip it.

Make it richer: Add ½ cup red wine with the tomatoes (simmer 2 min before adding lentils)

---

Batch Cooking

• Storage: Keeps 4 days refrigerated, 3 months frozen
• Freezes beautifully: Portion into containers before freezing
• Reheats: Stovetop or microwave, add splash of water if thick
• Makes: 10 generous servings

---

Nutrition (per serving, 10 servings)

• Calories: ~195
• Protein: 11g
• Fiber: 13g
• Carbs: 31g
• Fat: 3g

---

Adapted from: I Heart Eating

Prep: 15 min | Cook: 30 min | Serves: 10