UK Recipe · Vegan

Lentil Bolognese - in grams

Name: Lentil Bolognese
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion finely diced; 2 carrots finely diced; 2 sticks celery finely diced; 4 garlic cloves minced; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 200 g dried green or brown lentils rinsed; 2 × 400 g chopped tomatoes; 600 ml vegetable stock; 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for umami; 1 tsp fine sea salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 400 g spaghetti or tagliatelle to serve; 1 small bunch basil to serve

Our lentil bolognese recipe written for UK kitchens - gram measurements, °C oven temperatures, and British ingredient names you'll actually find at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose or Ocado.

Cooking in the US instead? View the US cup version of this recipe.

Ingredients - Serves 4

Prep 10 minutes · Cook 45 minutes

3 tbsp	olive oil
1	onion, finely diced
2	carrots, finely diced
2 sticks	celery, finely diced
4	garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp	tomato purée
1 tsp	dried oregano
1 tsp	smoked paprika
200 g	dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
2 × 400 g	chopped tomatoes
600 ml	vegetable stock
2 tbsp	balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp	soy sauce or tamari, for umami
1 tsp	fine sea salt
1/2 tsp	black pepper
400 g	spaghetti or tagliatelle, to serve
1 small bunch	basil, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a large heavy pan. Add the onion, carrot and celery (the soffritto) with a generous pinch of salt. Cook gently for 10 - 12 minutes until the vegetables are sweet and softened.
Stir in the garlic, tomato purée, oregano and smoked paprika. Cook for 2 minutes until the purée darkens.
Add the lentils, tomatoes, stock, balsamic and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer.
Cook uncovered for 30 - 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the sauce is thick and glossy. Add a splash of water if it gets too dry.
While the sauce finishes, cook the pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve a mug of pasta water.
Toss the drained pasta through the sauce with a splash of pasta water. Finish with torn basil.

Chef's notes

The flavour deepens overnight - make a day ahead if you can.
For a richer sauce, stir in 1 tbsp miso paste at the end.

British cooking note

If your oven runs fan-assisted, drop the temperature by 20°C from the figure given. UK supermarket plant milks vary in fat content - Oatly Barista works particularly well for sauces.

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