Lentil Bolognese
This Lentil Bolognese is a hearty, flavor-packed vegan tomato sauce. Serve it over pasta, spaghetti squash, or polenta, or use it as a marinara substitute in your favorite recipes.
Ingredients
SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 small/medium carrots finely chopped
- 1 rib celery finely chopped
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth divided
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ¾ cup green or brown lentils picked over, rinsed, and drained
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and mushrooms, stirring frequently, and sauté for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for about 1 minute. Pour in ½ cup of the broth and stir for another minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the remaining broth, crushed tomatoes, lentils, balsamic vinegar, salt, dried oregano, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cover and cook for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender. Taste and add the 2 teaspoons of sugar if needed to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
Notes
Sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.