Lentil Bolognese

Lentil Bolognese ("meaty" dinner idea)

Lentil bolognese is our meat-free version of a classic Italian sauce, ragù alla Bolognese.

With spaghetti aglio olio, penne arrabbiata, and spaghetti pomodoro, bolognese is one of the most loved Italian pasta recipes.

Lentils are an excellent ground meat replacement because they have a rich earthy taste, a slightly firm texture, and are rich in minerals, iron, and protein.

And like its cousin mushroom ragù, lentil bolognese is the perfect meatless pasta sauce – especially with tagliatelle, pappardelle, rigatoni, spaghetti, penne, fettuccine, lasagna, and gnocchi.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

• Olive oil: You can use extra virgin olive oil or regular olive oil.

• Onion, celery, carrot, and garlic: Chopped and sautéed in olive oil, make a delicious flavor base or soffritto in Italian. Soffritto is essential in making lentil bolognese and other pasta sauces as it builds flavor from the ground up.

• Tomato paste: the thick one that comes in a tube or small can, adds richness and flavor to the sauce.

• Herbs: we recommend using rosemary and bay leaves to add that classic Italian bolognese aroma to the sauce. You can substitute dried oregano or thyme for rosemary and bay leaves.

• Mushrooms: You can use white, brown, or portobello mushrooms grated with the large holes of a box grater. Mushrooms add flavor, juiciness, and texture. They also make the sauce meatier and richer.

• Lentils: You can use dried brown lentils or green lentils. We don’t recommend split red lentils for this recipe as they won’t keep their shape.
  
  We also don’t recommend canned lentils as they would overcook in the sauce. If you want to use canned lentils, omit the vegetable broth and cook the sauce for 20 minutes only.

• Tomato puree or passata: We recommend Italian tomato puree or passata in a glass bottle.
  
  Generally, Italian brands (Mutti, Cirio, Cento) are slightly sweeter and denser than other brands because the tomatoes are sun-ripened before being bottled.
  
  Substitute crushed or diced canned tomatoes for tomato puree.

• Vegetable stock: We use vegetable broth to cook the lentils.

• Balsamic vinegar: Your secret ingredient to make a mouthwatering lentil ragù. If you can find aged balsamico, that’s even better because it’s denser and more flavorful.
  
  Traditional balsamic vinegar is from Modena and Reggio Emilia in Italy. You are in for a treat if you can find one from that region.
  
  We used to add soy sauce and white wine to lentil bolognese, but now we think balsamic vinegar is a better choice because it’s low in sodium and adds a more complex flavor.
  
  One tablespoon of balsamic vinegar has less than 4mg of sodium vs 879mg of sodium in 1 tbsp soy sauce.
  
  Also, balsamic vinegar is high in umami and adds rich, sweet, savory, tart, fruity, woody, and mellow notes to your sauce.

• Salt and pepper: Use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Red pepper flakes are optional.

Serves well with

We serve lentil bolognese with tagliatelle, fettuccine or spaghetti. Top with fresh basil leaves and shaved or grated parmigiano.

Start with a rich flavor base

Finely chop onion, celery, carrot, and garlic with a knife or pulse them in a food processor.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the chopped vegetables and sauté for 3 minutes on medium heat, stirring often.

Now, add tomato paste, mushrooms (grated with the large holes of a box grater), rosemary, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the lentils

Rinse the dried lentils and look for foreign objects such as stones, soil, or dirt.

Add rinsed lentils, vegetable stock, and tomato puree to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the lentils are cooked. Stir occasionally.

Discard the bay leaves and stir in the balsamic vinegar.

Finally, blend some of the sauce (1 to 2 cups) with an immersion blender or standing blender until you reach your desired texture.

Taste and adjust for salt and balsamico.

Tip: Blending 1 to 2 cups of sauce is optional, but we recommend it to make the lentil bolognese thicker, creamier, and more similar in texture to the original Bolognese.

Serving suggestions

The best way to serve lentil Bolognese is with tagliatelle or fettuccine; however, you can easily replace those with most other pasta types, such as rigatoni or spaghetti.

Add a cup of lentil bolognese to your favorite pasta and sprinkle with basil and grated parmesan.

Or, if you want to do it like the Italians, undercook the pasta by 2 minutes, drain it, and add it to a pan with 1/2 cup of reserved pasta cooking water and the lentil bolognese.

Toss gently until the sauce coats the pasta, and serve with fresh basil and parmigiano on top.

You can also use lentil bolognese to make a vegetarian lasagna or as a sauce for homemade gnocchi and sweet potato gnocchi.

Serve pasta bolognese with a simple side salad or veggies.

Make ahead: Lentil bolognese is the perfect recipe for meal prep because it keeps well for several days, and its flavor improves as the sauce sits in the fridge.

Refrigerator: Keep the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, ready to be spooned onto your everyday meals.

Freezer: Let the sauce cool down completely, transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, and freeze for three months.

Thaw: Defrost it in the refrigerator over a few hours or in the microwave with the thawing function. Avoid freezing it multiple times.

Why is it called Bolognese?

Bolognese means Bologna-Style. Bologna is a beautiful and vibrant city in Italy with some of the country’s oldest and richest culinary traditions.

Walking through the small alleyways of the old town, you can smell the food from hundreds of local shops selling fresh homemade pasta to all kinds of local cured meats.

Think mortadella (bologna in English), lasagna, tortellini, many types of cured meats, tigelle, parmigiano reggiano, and many other dishes.

They all come from Bologna and the surrounding region of Emilia Romagna.

Similar recipes

PASTA: Mushroom ragu, penne arrabbiata, pasta pomodoro, roasted red pepper pasta, lentil pasta, mushroom pasta, fregola pasta, creamy tomato pasta, paccheri pasta.

For more pasta recipes, check out our compilation of 40+ easy pasta recipes. For more lentil ideas, check out our compilation of 20+ lentil recipes.