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You will not miss the beef in this richly flavored, stick-to-your-ribs Lentil Bolognese Sauce.  This vegan bolognese sauce recipe is made with dried lentils, carrots, celery, onion and garlic all simmered in a delicious tomato base seasoned with authentic Italian flavors.

plate of lentil sauce with pasta

This Lentil Bolognese Sauce is easy to make and its deliciously satisfying.  It’s a perfect meatless meal to make any night of the week.  

pot of lentil red sauce

This rich vegan bolognese sauce is made basically like a traditional beef bolognese sauce, but we’re using lentils instead of the meat. Vegetable broth (or chicken broth) is added to the sauce to cook the lentils until they’re tender.  I’ve used French green lentils here – they tend to hold their shape a little better than brown or orange lentils.  But, brown or orange lentils will cook a little quicker (becoming tender quicker), so you’ll want to only add about half the broth that’s called for in this recipe because this sauce will cook in a shorter period of time.  Sometimes I’ll add mushrooms and zucchini to this lentil sauce for added flavor, and to really make the meal more substantial.

Lentil Bolognese Sauce Recipe

  • Dried Lentils – We use green lentils for this recipe
  • Aromatics – A delicious combination of onion, celery, carrot and garlic add so much flavor to this sauce.
  • Olive Oil – We saute our aromatics in extra-virgin olive oil until they are slightly tender and aromatic.
  • Seasoning – This bolognese sauce is perfectly seasoned with dried oregano, thyme, dill and bay leaves.
  • Tomatoes – We add San Marzano crushed tomatoes making this sauce a rich and flavorful.
  • Liquids – We use vegetable broth for this recipe, but you can use chicken broth if you prefer. Also a little red wine adds a depth of flavor to this sauce, but it’s totally optional. Just add a little more broth if you omit the wine.
  • Pasta – Pick your favorite pasta to serve with bolognese sauce with.

Serve this vegan bolognese sauce over spaghetti, layer it into a lasagna, or serve it with any other kind of pasta.  Then garnish generously with parmesan cheese and chopped basil or flat leaf parsley.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Lentil Bolognese Sauce

pot of tomato sauce with lentils

Are Lentils Healthy

Yes! Lentils are a nutritional powerhouse and one of the best sources of plant protein foods there is. Lentils provide about 18 grams of protein per one cup serving.They make a great choice of protein for vegans, vegetarians or folks who are trying to cut back on their meat consumption. Lentils are also rich with iron and fiber (providing about 16 grams of fiber per each cup serving),  and they’re a good source of B vitamins.

Looking for More Lentil Recipes to Make?

Lentil Bolognese Sauce
Yield: 6 - 8 servings

Lentil Bolognese Sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

You will not miss the beef in this richly flavored, stick-to-your-ribs Lentil Bolognese Sauce.  This vegan bolognese sauce recipe is made with dried lentils, carrots, celery, onion and garlic all simmered in a delicious tomato base seasoned with authentic Italian flavors.

Ingredients

  • 1 brown onion, peeled, 
coarsely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled
  • 1 celery stick, coarsely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, halved
  • 2-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 cup French green lentils
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
  • 3 cups vegetable broth (or you can use chicken broth if you prefer)
  • 1/2 cup red wine (optional - if you omit wine, add 1/2 cup more broth)
  • 1 package dry noodles of your choice
  • Serve with grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley or chopped basil

Instructions

  1. Process onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped/minced.
  2.  Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat.
  3. Add onion mixture, bay leaves, oregano, thyme and dill.
  4. Cook, stirring, for 6 minutes or until soft. Transfer to a bowl.
  5. Add lentils, tomatoes and stock to the onion mixture.
  6. Bring to a simmer and pour in 1/4 cup of the red wine.
  7. Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender.
  8. About 5 minutes before the sauce is done, stir in the rest of the wine.
  9. While the lentils are cooking, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.
  10. Top spaghetti with bolognaise and generously garnish with parmesan cheese and chopped basil or parsley.
© Deborah
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Dinner