Vegetarian Bolognese

WRITER BYCassie

POSTEDMarch 24, 2020

Deliciously rich and hearty vegetarian bolognese is the perfect meatless comfort food! Ready in under an hour and made with everyday, simple ingredients like lentils, mushrooms and tomatoes. This healthy bolognese sauce will be a hit with the whole family.

lentil bolognese on top of spaghetti on a white plate.

Have a can of lentils sitting in the back of the pantry that you haven't been sure how to use? Dig it out now and make this Vegetarian Bolognese!

This rich and hearty lentil bolognese sauce is meatless but I bet even the carnivores in your family won't notice that it's meatless. They'll be too busy asking for seconds!

Spoon the sauce over your favourite pasta - I use spaghetti but something like penne or spirals would work well too. Or make it even lighter by serving over zucchini spirals.

Why you'll love this recipe...

Deliciously rich and flavourful meatless bolognese sauce
Easy to prepare
Made from mostly pantry staples

lentil bolognese on top of spaghetti with shaved parmesan.

What you'll need

ingredients for lentil bolognese on a wooden board.

Here's what you'll need to make this vegetarian bolognese (full measurements listed in the printable recipe card below)...

Olive Oil
Brown / Yellow Onion
Carrots
Red Capsicum / Bell Pepper
Garlic
Tinned Diced Tomatoes
Tomato Paste
White Miso
Canned Lentils
Vegetable Stock
Salt and Pepper
Pasta - your choice of spaghetti, penne, spirals etc

How to Make Vegetarian Bolognese - Step by Step

Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat, then add onion and garlic and sauté until the onion begins to soften.

onions and garlic in a saucepan.

Add carrots and capsicum / bell pepper to the pot and sauté for a few minutes, stirring regularly, until the veggies begin to soften.

diced veggies in a saucepan.

Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils, vegetable stock and white miso to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and allow to simmer for 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.

bolognese sauce in a saucepan.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a generous amount of salt to the pot and the pasta. Cook according to packet instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.

spaghetti in a saucepan of water.

Add pasta water and cooked pasta to the bolognese sauce and cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce reduces and clings to the pasta. Serve immediately topped with desired garnishes.

lentil bolognese on top of spaghetti on a white plate.

TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE

White miso paste can be found in the asian food section of most major supermarkets. If you can't find it there you could try a local asian grocer. I use this one.
Feel free to make with dry green or brown lentils if you wish. You may find you need to add a little more liquid and cook a little longer after the initial 30 minutes if the lentils haven't cooked.
This recipe will make 6 average serves (or 4 large). It's great for batch cooking for the week, and keeps very well, so don't be worried if you're only cooking for 2 people. If you are able to cook the pasta fresh before serving every time it's always better. I always seperate half the batch of sauce into an airtight container straight away, leaving the rest in the pot and then toss the sauce, pasta and pasta water together. I then cook a fresh batch of pasta the next time I serve, pour my sauce into a saucepan to reheat, then toss the sauce, pasta and pasta water together. You get the gist.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for a few months!

lentil bolognese on top of spaghetti on a white plate.

MORE PASTA RECIPES

If you’ve tried this Vegetarian Bolognese I’d love to hear how you enjoyed it! Pop a comment and a star rating below!

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I've made this twice now within the last few weeks, it's so good and makes great leftovers. My kids love it! I shred the carrots and dice the veggies pretty small so they're easier for my toddler to eat, and use gluten free pasta but everything else is followed. The miso adds a great taste! Thank you for a great recipe the kids will eat (and they'll eat the leftovers too)!