• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Contact
    • Photo Use Policy

Connoisseurus Veg logo

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up for email updates and receive a free copy of my veggie burger e-book!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Free Veggie Burger Book
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Entrees / Lentil Bolognese

    LAST UPDATED: April 10, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: April 10, 2022

    Lentil Bolognese

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This hearty lentil Bolognese is packed with flavor and perfect over pasta. Totally vegan and easy enough for a weeknight!

    Wooden surface set with plate of pasta with Lentil Bolognese, water glass, and pot with spoon.

    Spaghetti Bolognese was one of the few dishes that I actually missed for a while after giving up meat. I love my pasta, but Bolognese sauce always too a pasta dinner to the next level.

    Here's what I realized though: it wasn't actually the meat that I missed. It was just having a super substantial, super hearty sauce for my pasta. So couldn't I just substitute some other substantial, hearty, protein-packed ingredient for the meat? That's just what I did!

    Lentils are one of my favorite meat stand-ins that fit the bill. They're great in tacos, burgers, and chili. I thought a lentil Bolognese would be pretty good...and it was awesome!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You'll Need
    • How to Cook Lentils
    • Making the Sauce
    • Leftovers & Storage
    • More Italian Vegan Recipes
    • Lentil Bolognese

    Ingredients You'll Need

    Pot of Lentil Bolognese with a wooden spoon.
    • Olive oil. You can substitute another high-heat oil, but olive will give your lentil Bolognese the best flavor.
    • Onion.
    • Celery.
    • Carrots.
    • Garlic.
    • Dry white wine. This adds a lot of flavor, but it can be left out if you prefer to cook without alcohol. If you do use it, keep in mind that not all wine is vegan. Check with Barnivore to ensure that the brand you use is.
    • Canned diced tomatoes.
    • Tomato paste.
    • Soy sauce. Gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos can be substituted if needed.
    • Spices. We're using dried oregano and thyme. If you'd rather use fresh herbs make sure you double the amount.
    • Sugar. Use organic to keep the recipe vegan.
    • Non-dairy milk. Any variety that's unflavored and unsweetened will work. Try soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk. Even coconut milk can be used in this recipe!
    • Cooked brown lentils. Green lentils could also be used. I don't recommend using red lentils, as they have a totally different texture from brown lentils.
    • Salt & pepper.
    • Pasta of choice. Use your favorite variety! Most dried pastas are vegan.

    Tip: This recipe can easily be made gluten-free! Just use gluten-free tamari and gluten-free pasta.

    How to Cook Lentils

    Lentils simmering in a red pot.

    This recipe calls for cooked lentils. You have a couple of options here!

    Canned lentils are cooked, so you can use them if you like.

    You can also cook dried lentils. To do this, simply place the lentils in a pot, cover them with water, and let them simmer until they're tender. You'll need to start with about ¾ cups of dried lentils in order to get the 1 ½ cups of cooked lentils needed for this recipe.

    Tip: Cook more lentils than you need, then place your leftovers in a sealed bag or container and freeze them for future use!

    Making the Sauce

    • Start by heating up some olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Sweat the veggies for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften, then add the garlic and cook it for another minute.
    • Pour in the white wine and bring it up to a simmer. Let it cook until it reduces by about half.
    Collage showing first 2 steps for making Lentil Bolognese.
    • Now add your tomatoes, tomato paste, soy sauce, thyme, oregano, sugar, and milk. Give everything a stir and bring it up to a simmer. Let it cook for about 30 minutes, until the sauce is thick and rich.
    • Stir in your lentils and cook the sauce for about a minute more, until heated throughout.
    Collage showing third and fourth steps for making Lentil Bolognese.
    • Remove your lentil Bolognese from heat and season it with salt and pepper to taste.
    • Ladle it over pasta and enjoy! I like to serve mine with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese.
    Plate of spaghetti with Lentil Bolognese with a cluster of noodles wrapped around a fork.

    Leftovers & Storage

    Leftover lentil Bolognese can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about 4 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.

    More Italian Vegan Recipes

    • Vegan Stuffed Shells Florentine
    • Meaty Vegan Meatballs
    • Vegan Italian Stuffed Peppers
    • Vegan Pasta e Fagioli
    • Vegan Lasagna
    • Vegan Pasta Puttanesca

    Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!

    Plate of spaghetti topped with Lentil Bolognese and vegan parmesan cheese.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print

    Lentil Bolognese

    This hearty lentil bolognese is packed with flavor and perfect over pasta. Totally vegan, and easy enough for a weeknight!

    Course Entree
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour
    Servings 6
    Calories 370 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    Ingredients

    • 12 ounces dried spaghetti
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 2 medium carrots, diced
    • 2 medium celery stalks, diced
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • ¾ cup dry white wine
    • 1 (28 ounce or 800 gram) can diced tomatoes
    • ¼ cup tomato paste
    • ½ cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon organic granulated sugar
    • 1 ½ cups cooked or canned (and drained) brown lentils1
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions.

    2. Drain the pasta into a colander, return it to the pot, and toss it with a dash of olive oil to prevent sticking.

    3. While the pasta cooks, coat the bottom of a large pot with a tablespoon of olive oil and place it over medium heat.

    4. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the onion, carrots and celery. Sweat the veggies for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften up.

    5. Add the garlic and cook it for about a minute, until very fragrant.

    6. Add the wine, bring it to a simmer, and let it cook until reduced by about half, about 4 minutes.

    7. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, milk, soy sauce, thyme, oregano, and sugar.

    8. Raise the heat and bring the sauce to a simmer. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for about 30 minutes, until the veggies are tender and the sauce is thick.

    9. Stir in the lentils and cook the sauce for a minute more, until the lentils are heated.

    10. Remove the pot from heat and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

    11. Ladle over pasta and serve.

    Recipe Notes

    1. To prepare 1 ½ cups of cooked lentils, place ¾ cup of dry lentils in a small saucepan and cover them with water. Place the pan over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat and let the lentils simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils.
    Nutrition Facts
    Lentil Bolognese
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 370 Calories from Fat 35
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 3.9g6%
    Saturated Fat 0.6g3%
    Sodium 361mg15%
    Potassium 850mg24%
    Carbohydrates 65.3g22%
    Fiber 8.8g35%
    Sugar 9.5g11%
    Protein 14.3g29%
    Calcium 102mg10%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Vegan Banana Cake
    Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic & Herbs »

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email

    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

    Subscribe

    Subscribe for email updates and receive a free copy of my veggie burger e-book!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah says

      July 24, 2020 at 9:56 pm

      If I'm going to spread this out across multiple days, do I need to keep the bolognese and pasta separate in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 25, 2020 at 5:51 pm

        That's up to you! I like to keep them separate, but I can't stand soggy pasta. I know some people who like their pasta better when it soaks up some sauce though, so it's really a matter of personal preference.

        Reply
    2. Gretchen says

      July 28, 2020 at 7:55 pm

      5 stars
      We had this tonight and it was delicious! And very easy.

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        October 25, 2020 at 9:22 am

        5 stars
        Hi Alyssa—
        This was super good; thanks for the recipe. I used fresh fennel instead of celery and had the sauce over fettuccine—fabulous! I’d been looking for a vegan, whole-foods, Bolognese-y sauce, and this is that sauce.
        All the best,
        Lisa

        Reply
        • Lisa says

          October 25, 2020 at 9:24 am

          Oops—sorry I misspelled your name, ALISSA!

          Reply
    3. Nela says

      March 18, 2022 at 2:06 am

      5 stars
      - I subbed celery with extra carrots (no celery at home) - was pretty heavy-handed with the carrots; that's my style
      - subbed soy sauce with chickpea miso & vegan steak sauce for that umami (soy allergy)
      - used a thin cashew cream instead of plant milk
      - used ~1Tbsp of red wine vinegar in some vegetable stock in place of wine
      I served this on a blend of lentils, millet, amaranth, and wild rice, with some roasted broccoli (with shallots, garlic, crushed chili flakes, and vegan parm) and some delightful little polenta rounds seasoned with some garlic pow, oregano, thyme, and basil, sautéed til crispy in plant butter. It was so good! I know I changed it a fair amount but that was mostly out of necessity - allergies or not having stuff in the house. This recipe is great AND people ought to know it's pretty versatile! Very pleased with how it worked out on my Italian-ish Buddha bowl, and definitely looking forward to eating the leftovers on lentil pasta.
      Thanks! :)

      Reply
    4. Bonita says

      April 19, 2022 at 4:09 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! A new favourite!

      Reply
    5. Court says

      May 05, 2022 at 9:42 am

      Hello! This looks great, I was just wondering how to get hold of the other lentil Bolognese recipe you did with the red peppers? Had it bookmarked but haven’t had it in a while but now the link leads onto this one. Don’t get me wrong this looks great, loved the addition of the red peppers in your other recipe though :-) thank you

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        May 05, 2022 at 3:04 pm

        I just sent you an email with the recipe! :)

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Alissa Holding a Coffee Cup

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • The Best Vegan Banana Bread
    • Crispy Baked Teriyaki Tofu
    • Creamy Vegan Rice Pudding
    • Classic Lentil Soup

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact
    • Photo Use Policy

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more here.

    Copyright © 2013-2022 Tofu Press LLC & Alissa Saenz

    554 shares
    • 252