5 from 141 votes
Vegan Lentil Bolognese
The Vegan Lentil Bolognese is a hearty, vegetable-packed sauce that uses lentils and walnuts to provide texture and depth. Cooked with diced onions, garlic, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and tomatoes, this sauce simmers until thick and flavorful. Fresh herbs and nutritional yeast add complexity, making this a satisfying option to serve over pasta or with steamed vegetables for a complete plant-based meal.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings:
4
servings
Calories:
340 kcal
Course:
Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ cup carrot diced
- ½ cup celery diced
- 1 cup mushroom chopped, or crimini or white variety
- 3 cups tomatoes diced; fresh or canned
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ¾ cup green lentils or brown lentils
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
- 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice: agave, sugar, chopped date
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- ½ cup parsley fresh chopped; optional
- ½ cup basil fresh chopped; optional
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast optional
Instructions
- Saute onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil over medium heat, in a medium pot or wide, deep skillet, for 3-4 minutes.
- When softening and lightly browning, stir well to combine. Add tomatoes and cook with lid on for 5-6 minutes over medium heat until tomatoes start to break down. Add remaining ingredients, tomato paste through lentils, and bring to a gentle boil then cover and lower to a simmer.
- Let cook for 20 minutes or so until lentils are soft and the sauce is thickening. Add the remaining ingredients, walnuts through nutritional yeast. Only add walnuts at the very end of cooking, if you add them earlier and continue to cook the sauce, they will turn black. After you add walnuts and herbs turn off the heat and stir well to combine. Serve over pasta of choice with steamed or sautéed veggies added in. We like to throw a few cups of broccoli, cauliflower or kale into the pasta water in the last minute of cooking and then drain all together - perfect every time! Toss pasta with sauce to coat thoroughly and serve hot. Enjoy!
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Save time by using pre-chopped vegetable mixes or a food processor to coarsely chop ingredients.
- Adjust sauce texture by shredding vegetables finely if a smoother consistency is desired.
- Longer simmering develops flavor but add broth if sauce thickens too much.
Nutrition Information
Calories
340kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
49g
(16%)
Protein
18g
(36%)
Fat
11g
(17%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
7g
(41%)
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Sodium
960mg
(40%)
Potassium
1439mg
(31%)
Fiber
18g
(72%)
Sugar
16g
(32%)
Vitamin A
5162IU
(103%)
Vitamin C
43mg
(48%)
Calcium
124mg
(12%)
Iron
6mg
(33%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 340
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 340kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 49g | 16% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 7g | 41% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 960mg | 40% |
| Potassium | 1439mg | 31% |
| Fiber | 18g | 72% |
| Sugar | 16g | 32% |
| Vitamin A | 5162IU | 103% |
| Vitamin C | 43mg | 48% |
| Calcium | 124mg | 12% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.