Vegetarian Bolognese with lentils and mushrooms
I’ve tried the vegetarian lentil and mushroom bolognese sauce and it’s absolutely delicious!
I’m not a vegetarian, but I love trying new things in the kitchen, especially when they allow me to eat a little less meat without sacrificing taste. And recently, after a lunchtime chat with some colleagues, I was tempted to try a vegetarian bolognese sauce… And frankly, I was blown away! If you’re in the mood to eat a little more vegan while keeping your favorites on the menu, this recipe is perfect.
This lentil and mushroom version is ultra-tasty, comforting and full of goodness. If you’re looking for a vegetarian alternative to traditional Bolognese sauce, whether for variety or to incorporate more vegetables into your plate, this recipe is definitely worth a look.
I’ve replaced the ground meat with a mixture of green lentils and button mushrooms, which I’ve chopped into small pieces. The idea is to create a texture reminiscent of minced meat, but with 100% plant-based ingredients. The lentils add protein, the mushrooms add depth and, frankly, once simmered, it’s a real crowd-pleaser…
Vegetarian Bolognese with lentils and mushrooms
ingredients you do need to make this vegetarian Bolognese sauce:
- One finely chopped onion
- Crushed garlic cloves
- Celery stalk, cut into small pieces
- Small diced carrots
- Button or shiitake mushrooms
- Olive oil
- Red or white wine
- Tomato pulp or chopped tomatoes and Tomato paste
- Herbs: bay leaf, rosemary sprig, and thyme sprig
- Smoked paprika (optional)
- Icing sugar
- Lemon juice
- Precooked green lentils, or you can use dried lentils and cook them yourself. If this is your option, I recommend precooking them for about ten minutes in a saucepan of boiling water with a little salt, then finishing them in the tomato sauce.
- Salt and pepper
- Parmesan or pecorino cheese, to serve
The secret for a good Bolognese sauce:
In my opinion, the secret of a good Bolognese sauce, whether vegetarian or meat-based, is not to skimp on the vegetables and herbs, and above all to cook for a long time over low heat, in a good cast-iron casserole dish. I always use a classic base: onion, garlic, carrot and celery. I then add thyme, rosemary, a bay leaf and a little tomato paste, and leave to simmer… for a long time… Yes, even without meat, a good sauce takes its time! And that changes everything.
I prefer to add the lentils at the end of cooking, so they stay firm and don’t turn to mush. All that’s left to do is serve this delicious sauce with pasta (homemade if you like), or why not for vegetarian lasagne with a good bechamel sauce with grated cheese, or even rice…. A real treat.
In short, whether you’re a convinced vegetarian or just curious like me, I really recommend you try this vegetarian bolognese. It’s simple, healthy, comforting, and above all… super tasty!
Vegetarian Bolognese with lentils and mushrooms
Ingredients
- 300 g dry pasta of your choice
For the bolognese sauce
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves pressed
- 1 celery stalk cut into small chunks
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 250 g button mushrooms or shiitakes
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cl red or white wine
- 500 g tomato pulp or paste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 225 g pre-cooked green lentils
- 1 teaspoon juice
- Salt and pepper
- Parmesan or pecorino to serve
Instructions
- Start by preparing the ingredients.Peel the carrots and cut into tiny cubes.Peel and finely chop the onion with a knife. Peel and press the garlic cloves.Chop the celery stalks into small pieces.Dice the mushrooms.
- In a cast-iron casserole or sauté pan, pour in the oil and add the onion, carrots, celery and pressed garlic cloves. Brown for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.Then add the diced mushrooms and cook for a further 10-20 minutes, until melting.
- Add the wine, tomato pulp and tomato paste and mix well.Add the aromatic herbs (thyme, bay leaf, rosemary), sugar and paprika.Season with salt and pepper and stir.
- Cook over a low heat, covered, for at least 1 hour.Stir occasionally.
- 15 minutes before serving, add the drained and rinsed lentils and lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.Leave to simmer for a further 15 minutes.
- If you'd like to serve with pasta or rice, bake and serve piping hot with a sprinkling of grated cheese.Enjoy your meal!
