Vegetarian Bolognese

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.

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

What you'll need

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

MORE PASTA RECIPES

• Creamy Mushroom Tomato Pasta
• Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil
• Creamy Vegetable Pasta Bake
• Creamy Carbonara
• Bacon and Mushroom Pasta

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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