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Looking down at a big dark bowl filled with spaghetti noodles and topped with a big spoonful of lentil bolognese. Fresh parsley, tomatoes, and garlic are surrounding the bowl.

Plant Based Bolognese Sauce

Easy to make plant based bolognese sauce that uses lentils for a flavorful and hearty meal ready in about 30 minutes. Weeknight friendly!
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: dinner ideas, quick meals, sauces
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 353kcal

Equipment

  • Cooking pots
  • measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • mixing spoon
  • Chef’s knife
  • Cutting board

Ingredients

  • 1 cup lentils dry uncooked. about 2 cups cooked lentils
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup onion diced, about 1 medium onion
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 cup carrot diced, about 4 carrots
  • ½ cup tomato paste
  • 2 cups tomatoes diced
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon oregano dried
  • 1 teaspoon thyme dried
  • 1 teaspoon basil dried
  • 1 tablespoon parsley fresh (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lbs spaghetti noodles or other noodles of your choice

Instructions

  • Cook the lentils. Rinse the lentils in a sieve to remove any dust, leaves, etc. In a medium sized pot, combine the lentils with the water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 25 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed.
  • Start the vegetables. In a large pot on the stove over medium heat, warm the oil and add the diced onions and carrots. Cook until the onions are translucent. Then add the garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs, cooking for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and let cook for an additional 2 minutes or until it has darkened slightly in color.
  • Add remaining ingredients. Now add the diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, and cooked lentils. Bring this to a simmer and turn the heat to low-medium, letting it cook for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
  • Cook the pasta. When the onions begin cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta according to package directions, making sure to save a little bit of pasta water, if needed. Drain the pasta but do not rinse.
  • Finish the bolognese. Give the sauce a little taste and adjust for salt and seasoning if needed. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Finally, add the hot noodles to the sauce and stir until all the noodles are well coated. Garnish with more fresh herbs and enjoy!
  • If you are not eating all of the bolognese at once, I recommend storing the noodles and bolognese sauce separately so that the noodles don’t absorb all the sauce.

Notes

  • How to Store
    • This keeps best in an airtight container in the fridge. I suggest that you store the bolognese separately from the pasta which will then keep for about 5 days. If you mix the pasta in with the sauce, the pasta soaks up the sauce over a few days, so I only suggest you keep it for 3 days stored together. 
    • You can store the bolognese sauce without pasta in the freezer in freezer safe containers or freezer bags. It will keep for about 2 to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 706mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3427IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg
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