Lentil Bolognese is a savory, vegan pasta topper loaded with veggies, lentils, tomatoes, and seasonings. It’s hearty, protein-packed, and filling!
Love lentils as much as I do? Try this Lentil Salad, Beef Lentil Soup, and Daal next.
The Best Lentil Bolognese
Lentils are a favorite in my home, especially in Lentil Curry or Lentil Soup. They’re economical, protein-packed, and incredibly filling. Many assume a meat-free meal lacks protein or staying power, but lentils deliver both—just 1/2 cup of cooked lentils provides 12 grams of protein!
This Lentil Bolognese is meat-free but still hearty, loaded with veggies, and full of nutritious ingredients—a meal that feels as good as it tastes!
Ingredients In Lentil Bolognese
- Olive Oil: Heat the oil over medium heat to avoid burning the veggies.
- Veggies: Dice the veggies evenly so they cook at the same rate.
- Minced Garlic: Add garlic last when sautéing to prevent it from burning.
- Tomato Paste: Sauté the tomato paste for 1-2 mins to deepen its flavor.
- Dried Herbs: You can add more of any or less based on preferences.
- Grape Juice and Veggie Broth: Let it simmer for a few mins to allow the flavors to come together and for it to reduce a bit.
- Fire-Roasted Diced and Crushed Tomatoes: Crush any larger tomato pieces with the back of a spoon for a smoother sauce consistency.
- Brown Lentils: Rinse lentils well before adding them to the sauce.
- Bay Leaves: Remember to remove it before serving!
- Spaghetti: Cook the spaghetti al dente.
How To Make Lentil Bolognese
- Cook veggies: Heat oil in a pot. Cook the veggies until soft. Add garlic.
- Add flavor: Mix in tomato paste and herbs. Cook for 1-2 mins.
- Make sauce: Add grape juice, broth, tomatoes, lentils, and bay leaves. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat.
- Let it cook: Simmer until lentils are soft and sauce gets thick.
- Serve: Take out the bay leaves and serve over cooked spaghetti. Mix and enjoy!
Storage
Leftovers?
Refrigerate: Let the sauce cool, place it in an airtight container, and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Cool the sauce, divide it into containers or bags, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw and Reheat: Thaw in the fridge or microwave, then reheat in a pot. Add water or broth if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot.
More Vegetarian Meals
- Vegetable Curry with a creamy coconut curry sauce
- Vegetable Soup ready in 30 mins
- Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with the best mashed potatoes
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burrito Bowls with a creamy sauce
- Vegetarian Tacos filled with roasted sweet potatoes
Lentil Bolognese
This hearty, vegan Lentil Bolognese is packed with veggies, lentils, and rich seasonings—perfect for topping pasta and satisfying any appetite!
Equipment
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 (8-ounce) container finely diced cremini mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 5 cloves
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup 100% Concord grape juice
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes undrained
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup dried brown lentils rinsed and picked over
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 (16-ounce) box spaghetti
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add in diced onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add diced mushrooms and sauté another 3–5 minutes or until veggies have cooked down and are mostly tender. Add in garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste and all the seasonings: dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano, and dried Italian seasoning. Season to personal preference (I add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper). Cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add grape juice and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes and stir for 1–2 minutes. Add in vegetable broth and the rinsed/picked over lentils. Bring to a boil and add bay leaves. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes or until lentils are tender and the sauce has thickened. Remove bay leaves and discard. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed. (I typically add another 1/4 teaspoon salt here.)
- Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Make sure to generously salt the water (I add 1 teaspoon to every 4 cups of water), since under-salted pasta water will make the whole dish taste under-seasoned. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside. Add pasta to a plate or bowl and top with the sauce or emulsify (see next step).
- Optionally Emulsify: (see note 1) Place a portion of the Bolognese sauce in the same pot used to cook the pasta. Add hot drained pasta right on top. Toss the pasta and sauce gently for a couple of minutes, slowly adding reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce thickens and generously coats the noodles. Return this emulsified sauce to the rest of the sauce.
- Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Emulsifying the pasta is totally optional, but if you’re feeling fancy, try it! Toss the finished Lentil Bolognese sauce with reserved pasta water and hot pasta. This is called emulsifying and is one of the secrets to great Italian pasta. It’s how you get a luxurious sauce that coats every bit of pasta. More info here.
Storage: Let sauce cool, place it in an airtight container, and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, cool the sauce, divide it into containers or bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or microwave, then reheat in a pot. Add water or broth if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot.
Storage: Let sauce cool, place it in an airtight container, and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, cool the sauce, divide it into containers or bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or microwave, then reheat in a pot. Add water or broth if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot.Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 492mg | Potassium: 812mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 871IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I followed your recipe word for word and it’s fantastic! It’s healthy and very filling. After trying many recipes, this one came close to the real thing!
I made this for my husband (who is a total meat eater) and got the approval! It’s really filling and delicious. Thank you for helping me slowing convert him over.
So happy you and the husband enjoyed this! Thanks Jen!
Made this for meatless Monday and the family loved it!
I can’t seem to find brown or green lentils, but did find black lentils. What is your opinion on cooking with these?
Thanks for you help!
I usually do not buy grape juice. Is there anything I could sub and still achieve the same effect? Thanks!
Red wine would work, or additional veggie broth. If you use broth, you may need to add some sugar to counteract the acidity 🙂