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Vegan Lentil Mushroom Bolognese Sauce

“Faux”-lognese recipe for flavorful, healthy meatless bolognese pasta sauce with lentils, mushrooms, fire-roasted tomatoes, and spices.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 263 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces dried mushrooms (boletus, porcini or a mix)
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups green or brown lentils, rinsed and sorted
  • 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 whole large onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons tamari sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed garlic
  • 28 ounces crushed fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley, divided
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adds a kick - if spice sensitive, omit)
  • Cooked pasta for serving (if wheat sensitive use gluten free pasta)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Boil mushrooms in 4 cups water for 5 minutes. Let them soak in the hot water for a few minutes while you cook the lentils, until the liquid is dark brown and has cooled off a bit.Meanwhile, bring lentils to a boil in vegetable broth. Reduce to a simmer, then cook for about 15 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Remove the soaked mushrooms with a slotted spoon and rinse them under cool running water to remove any excess residue. Chop up the soaked mushrooms, then rinse them once again (there can be stubborn debris that clings, multiple rinses are the best way to remove any residual dirt). Reserve the chopped mushrooms.
  2. Line a handheld mesh strainer with a coffee filter. Strain the mushroom cooking liquid through a coffee filter into a bowl or measuring cup. This may take a few minutes and a bit of maneuvering. I find I have to swirl the liquid around a bit for it to go through the filter, and often I need to replace the filter a couple of times in order to get all of the liquid to go through. While this takes some effort, the liquid often contains a bit of dirt residue from the harvested mushrooms. Straining it out allows us to use this very flavorful liquid in the finished product. Reserve the strained liquid.
  3. In a large 5 quart sauté pan or sauce pot, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium. Sauté diced onion for 10-15 minutes until soft, translucent and starting to turn golden.
  4. Add the tomato paste, tamari and minced garlic to the onions. Sauté for 1-2 minutes longer until fragrant. Pour in the reserved mushroom liquid to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom and simmering them in the liquid for a few minutes.
  5. Add the fire roasted tomatoes to the pot along with the cooked lentils, soaked diced mushrooms, ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley and remaining spices. Stir. Cook the mixture 10-15 minutes longer until the lentils are fully tender, the excess liquid has reduced, and the sauce is thick.
  6. Serve sauce over pasta as a vegan alternative to Bolognese, or you can enjoy this on its own as a flavorful lentil stew. Garnish with remaining 1 tbsp parsley. If you’re not vegan, a sprinkle of parmesan on top is also lovely.

Notes

  • You will also need: 4 qt. pot, handheld mesh strainer, 2-3 coffee filters, large 5 qt. sauté pan or sauce pot.
  • Calories calculated for sauce only, pasta should be calculated separately.

Nutrition Information

Calories 263kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 43g (14%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 4g (6%) Sodium 1370mg (57%) Potassium 643mg (18%) Fiber 16g (64%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 1210IU (24%) Vitamin C 8.3mg (9%) Calcium 67mg (7%) Iron 4.8mg (27%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 263

% Daily Value*

Calories 263kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 43g 14%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 4g 6%
Sodium 1370mg 57%
Potassium 643mg 14%
Fiber 16g 64%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 1210IU 24%
Vitamin C 8.3mg 9%
Calcium 67mg 7%
Iron 4.8mg 27%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.