I promise you won’t miss the meat in this sauce.
I know some of you might be hyperventilating at just the mere thought of a meatless pasta sauce. But yes, I went there. This recipe uses mushrooms and lentils for a high fiber immune-boosting twist. It’s an easy to make and super delicious plant-based dinner that sits perfectly on top of pasta or zucchini noodles.
Comfort food at its finest.
You could keep things vegan with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast on top or, if you’d like, add a respectable dose of some freshly grated Parmesan. You can also add any other vegetables to the sauce that you want: peppers, broccoli, spinach, whatever! If you like fresh basil, rosemary or thyme in your bolognese sauce, go for it. Want it a bit spicy? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper. You could also go wild and serve it on rice or baked potatoes.
A hearty meal for any day of the week.
Hearty Mushroom Lentil Bolognese
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1 large carrot
1 stalk celery
2 garlic cloves
2 cups chopped Button, Portobello or Shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
3/4 cup green lentils, rinsed and sorted
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups good vegetable broth (more or less)
Heat a large pan and add oil. Saute the onion, celery and carrot on medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, and then add the mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes, until the mushrooms have softened. Add the tomato puree and cook it off for a minute. Pour in the red wine and cook until reduced to half. Add lentils, tomatoes, herbs and broth. Bring to a boil, stir, cover and reduce to a simmer for about 40-45 minutes. Check the sauce regularly and add broth if necessary while it is simmering. Once the sauce has simmered for 35-40 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh basil.
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