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    Oh My Veggies » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Pasta Recipes

    Easy Vegan Lentil Bolognese

    Published: Oct 2, 2021 · by Nicole · Updated: May 17, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This easy vegan lentil bolognese is flavourful, super comforting and rich. It's made with simple, accessible ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes - a perfect weeknight dinner! Serve with pasta of your choice for a meal that everyone will love. 

    Vegan lentil bolognese

    As it gets colder and colder outside, daily comfort food is a must. I mean, that doesn't change at all for me throughout the year. But few things do as good of a job at making cold weather bearable as a big, cozy bowl of deliciousness. And vegan lentil bolognese happens to be one of my personal favorites!

    Pasta with a vegan lentil sauce

    If you're looking for a new meal to add to your weeknight dinner rotation, this is a must-try for sure. I'm sure you'll want to make it over and over again - and there's no reason not to, given how simple it is.

    The best vegan lentil bolognese

    If I had to pick one dish to eat for the rest of my life, it would be variations of vegan spaghetti bolognese. I mean, a vegan bolognese sauce has everything I look for in a recipe. It's simple, requires no fancy ingredients, doesn't require complicated preparation.

    Vegan pasta sauce with lentils

    This vegan lentil bolognese is flavorful plant based comfort food at its best. It's rich and savoury with hints of smokiness, and the texture is super 'meaty' and thick without the use of any soy products such as tofu and tempeh or processed vegan meat alternatives. Another thing that makes this recipe great is just how simple the ingredients are. You probably have most of them in your pantry already.

    Vegan bolognese with lentils and mushrooms

    We start by cooking carrots and tomatoes with spices and tomato paste until they reach the perfect consistency. I also added mushrooms to add a chewier texture. Then, of course, the main ingredient is lentils, which make a great meat alternative in vegan pasta sauces. The sauce is simmered until rich and fragrant, and then served over pasta for the dreamiest dinner ever!

    How to make this vegan lentil bolognese

    Firstly, heat olive oil in a large frying pan or saucepan over a medium heat. Next, add garlic, onions, carrots, tomato paste, cumin and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant.

    Ingredients for lentil bolognese
    Vegetables in a frying pan

    Next, add tomatoes and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more, until the mushrooms shrink down and the tomatoes soften.

    Vegetables with spices in a frying pan
    Lentil sauce ingredients in a frying pan

    Now add the red lentils, canned tomatoes, sriracha, dried thyme, coconut sugar and vegetable stock. Stir all the ingredients together and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the lentils are soft but not mushy. If the lentil bolognese sauce starts to look too dry, add extra vegetable stock.

    Vegan bolognese sauce in a frying pan
    Vegan bolognese with cilantro

    At the end, stir in fresh cilantro and serve immediately with pasta of your choice.

    Tips and ingredient substitutions

    • Feel free to add any other vegetables of your choice at the same time as the tomatoes and mushrooms. A vegan lentil bolognese is a great way to clean out the fridge!
    • Don't be tempted to stir the vegetables too often while cooking them to allow them to get a bit of a crispier texture.
    • This recipe also works with green lentils, but keep in mind that the cooking time may be longer.
    • On the other hand, if you want to reduce cooking time, feel free to use canned lentils. In that case, only around 10 minutes of simmering will be necessary.
    • For a cheesier flavor, stir in either vegan cheese, or nutritional yeast.
    • At the end, feel free to add other leafy greens of your choice, such as spinach or kale.
    Vegan lentil pasta sauce in a bowl

    How to store and freeze lentil bolognese

    Vegan lentil bolognese is an excellent option for meal prep and weekday lunches. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, and it's delicious eaten either hot or cold.

    Lentil bolognese with cilantro in a frying pan

    To freeze this lentil bolognese sauce, simply allow it to cool down fully and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow to thaw fully in the fridge, then reheat on the stove or the microwave, adding extra liquid as necessary.

    Other delicious vegan recipes using lentils

    • My vegan moussaka is comfort food perfection!
    • You can't go wrong with zucchini fritters.
    • For a delicious lunch, try my vegetable pasta salad with lentils
    Vegan lentil bolognese recipe

    Let me know in the comments: what's your favourite pasta sauce? If you give this easy vegan lentil bolognese a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@ohmyveggies) so I can see your creations, and leave your feedback in the comments below!

    Click here to pin this for later

    Easy Vegan Lentil Bolognese

    This easy vegan lentil bolognese is flavourful, super comforting and rich. It's made with simple, accessible ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes - a perfect weeknight dinner!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 0 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    0 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian, Vegan
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: carrot, Cilantro, coconut sugar, earth of maria, garlic, Mushrooms, onion, paprika, Red lentils, to move, tomatoes
    Servings: 4 serving
    Calories: 220kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Equipment

    • Non-stick saucepan

    Ingredients

    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 cup onion diced
    • 2 cups carrots diced
    • ¼ cup tomato paste
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tbsp paprika
    • 2 cups tomatoes diced
    • 2 cups mushrooms chopped
    • ½ cups red lentils dry
    • 1 can tomatoes
    • 1 tbsp sriracha
    • 1 tbsp dried thyme
    • 1 tbsp coconut sugar
    • 2 cups vegetable stock
    • ½ cup cilantro chopped
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or saucepan over a medium heat. Next, add garlic, onions, carrots, tomato paste, cumin and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant.
    • Add tomatoes and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more, until the mushrooms shrink down and the tomatoes soften.
    • Now add the red lentils, canned tomatoes, sriracha, dried thyme, coconut sugar and vegetable stock. Stir all the ingredients together and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the lentils are soft but not mushy. Add extra vegetable stock as necessary.
    • Stir in fresh cilatro and serve immediately with pasta of your choice.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 10gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 749mgPotassium: 1055mgFiber: 13gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 12871IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 91mgIron: 5mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Vegan Pumpkin Soup
    Vegan Dinner Rolls (Best Recipe) »

    30 Minutes or Less, Earth of Maria, Gluten-free Vegan Recipes, Vegan Dinner Recipes, Vegan Lunch Recipes, Vegan Pasta Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian & Vegan Pasta Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Carrot, cilantro, coconut sugar, garlic, lentils, mushrooms, onion, Paprika, Red lentils, tomatoes, vegetables

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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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