Name: Vegan Lentil Bolognese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 16 oz. pasta (gluten-free if desired); 1 small onion; 2 stalks celery; 1 carrot; 3-4 cloves garlic; 1 cup red lentils* (dry, uncooked); 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth; 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes; 1 Tbsp. tamari; 1 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning**; Optional: 1/4 cup nutritional yeast; Fresh basil, parsley, cashew parmesan, etc.

Serve this high-protein vegan Red Lentil Bolognese sauce over your favorite pasta for a super hearty, satisfying and comforting meal. Made plant-based with nutrient-packed red lentils instead of beef!

Bowl of pasta with vegan lentil bolognese sauce on top

This red lentil vegan Bolognese is so satisfying and filled with protein and fiber. Plus it is simple to assemble with many pantry staples.

Split red lentils only take about 10 minutes to cook making it a perfect alternative to finely minced beef.

Note: I am not an expert in traditional Italian cooking. So this is simply my interpretation and vegan adaption of classic Bolognese.

Bolognese over pasta in a bowl with fresh parsley

What is Bolognese Sauce?

Traditional Italian Bolognese is a super thick, meat-based pasta sauce.

But instead of finely chopped beef, I use nutrient-packed red lentils as the star of this plant-based version. The texture is so wonderful and hearty.

White wine and milk are also typically used. However I use tamari to deepen the flavor and (optional) nutritional yeast to add a "cheesy" taste if desired.

The result is a hearty, protein-packed, savory sauce that is incredibly satisfying when spooned over your favorite pasta.

Close-up view of dry red lentils ingredient with a metal spoon

Ingredients for Red Lentil Bolognese

For this recipe you will need:

Yellow onion
Celery
Carrot
Garlic cloves
Red lentils: Or you could change it up with crushed walnuts, diced mushrooms, or other vegetables for your "meaty" base. Diced zucchini, bell pepper, or spinach would be great additions to stir in as well.
Vegetable broth
Canned crushed tomatoes
Tamari: Or substitute soy sauce. I use tamari for gluten-free.
Italian seasoning: Or dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, etc.
Pasta of choice: I use fusilli gluten-free pasta made from quinoa and brown rice. But you could use zucchini noodles, penne, rigatoni, etc.

Bolognese sauce over fusilli pasta in a white bowl

Serving

This recipe makes a large batch. The sauce recipe yields about 5.5 cups (without pasta) so be sure to reduce or halve if desired.

Garnish your bowl with a tablespoon of fresh basil or fresh parsley, red pepper flakes to taste, or your favorite vegan parmesan cheese before serving.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We find they keep for about 4-5 days.

Freezing: I have not tried saving this sauce in the freezer. But I suspect it would do very well if you wanted to freeze some for 1-2 months.

Bowl of vegan lentil bolognese sauce over pasta topped with parsley

For more inspiration, browse all lentil recipes.

Vegan Lentil Bolognese

Serve this high-protein lentil Bolognese sauce over your favorite pasta for a hearty, satisfying and comforting meal.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Italian-Inspired, Oil-Free, Vegan

Servings: 8 small bowls

Ingredients

16 oz. pasta (gluten-free if desired)
1 small onion
2 stalks celery
1 carrot
3-4 cloves garlic
1 cup red lentils* (dry, uncooked)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp. tamari
1 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning**
Optional: 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Toppings (optional):

Fresh basil, parsley, cashew parmesan, etc.

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain when finished.
Meanwhile, very finely dice onion, celery, and carrot. (Or use a food processor for quicker results.) Mince garlic.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion, celery, and carrot for 7-8 minutes or until softened. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method, adding more as needed.)
Add minced garlic and Italian seasoning. Stir and sauté 1 minute.
Add broth and red lentils (rinsed very well).
Bring to a light boil. Then decrease heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until lentils are cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
Stir in crushed tomatoes and tamari. Heat 5 more minutes. Add nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor if desired (optional).
For serving, spoon the sauce over the top of the pasta and garnish with any desired toppings.

Notes

*Thickness: Traditional Bolognese is a very thick sauce, but if you prefer yours a bit thinner simply decrease the amount of red lentils.

**Herbs: If you don't have Italian seasoning, use other herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme, etc. (Or a combination.)

Other variations could include: Finely chopped walnuts or mushrooms for the base. Or other veggies as desired: bell pepper, zucchini, spinach.

Sauce yields 5 1/2 cups (without pasta). Reduce or halve if desired as it does make a large batch. I also suspect the sauce would freeze very well, but haven't tested that yet.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

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