Lentil Bolognese
Brown lentils simmered low with tomato and soffritto into a rich, meaty ragu — a vegan sauce with a big hit of fiber over pasta.
Ingredients
- 250 g Puy lentils
- 400 g Canned tomatoes
- 1 Onion
- 1 Carrot
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 stalks Celery (optional)
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste (optional)
- 300 g Spaghetti (optional)
Method
- Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery; mince the garlic.
- Soften the chopped vegetables in the oil over medium heat until sweet, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the lentils, tomatoes, salt, and enough water to cover, then bring to a simmer.
- Simmer gently until the lentils are tender and the sauce is rich, about 25 minutes, topping up with water as needed.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the spaghetti one minute shy of al dente.
- Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain.
- Toss the pasta through the ragu, loosening with a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed, and serve.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Lentil Bolognese
Lentil bolognese takes the structure of a classic Italian ragù and rebuilds it around brown lentils in place of meat, producing a vegan sauce with real body and savor. It follows the same foundations that make a good bolognese work: a finely chopped soffritto of onion, carrot, and celery sweated slowly until sweet, garlic and tomato paste cooked to concentrate them, then a long, gentle simmer. Puy-style lentils are the key swap because they hold their shape and give the sauce a meaty, toothsome texture rather than dissolving into a purée.
Simmered low with canned tomatoes and topped up with water as it reduces, the sauce turns rich, deep, and glossy, tasting far more substantial than its plant-based ingredients suggest. It carries a big hit of fiber and protein, making it a filling everyday dinner that happens to be vegan. Traditionally it is tossed through spaghetti so the strands carry the sauce, and it takes well to a shower of cheese or nutritional yeast if you like. Make a double batch — it reheats and freezes beautifully.
Lentil Bolognese: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Lentil Bolognese?
A serving has about 628 calories — 27.6g protein, 109.8g carbs, 9.2g fat, 12.2g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 27.6g of protein, roughly 18% of its calories.
Is Lentil Bolognese gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Spaghetti. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Lentil Bolognese take to make?
About 45 minutes start to finish, but only around 21 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Lentil Bolognese?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out celery, tomato paste, spaghetti — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Lentil Bolognese make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.