Rich and robust, this vegan Lentil Bolognese is hearty, “meaty” and full of depth of flavor. Toss it with your favorite pasta, or spoon it over creamy polenta- either way, this simple nourishing vegan meal is one the whole family will enjoy. With a video!
Looking for more? Check out our 40 Mouthwatering Vegan Recipes and our 50 Best Vegetarian Recipes!
The last few nights have been chilly here. The air smells of leaves and pine, and woodsmoke from chimneys nearby. It’s getting darker sooner, I’ve got my wool socks on and all I want to eat right now is pasta. And bread! Cozy comfort food.
So this is how this recipe came to be. Brian and I were both craving something rich and “meaty” the other day, something that would hold up to a glass of red wine, all the while staying plant-based. And here it is- Lentil Bolognese!
We made a big pot of this vegan Bolognese and tossed it with pasta the first night, then served over polenta the second night. I can’t decide which way I liked it better. Both were so good!
Lentil Bolognese | 60-sec Video
Ingredients in Lentil Bolognese
- Lentils- the smaller the better! I prefer Black Caviar lentils (or sub-French Green Lentils or Split lentils)
- Onions and garlic – for depth of flavor
- Carrots and celery- for sweetness and complexity
- Fresh oregano or thyme –or substitute 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
- Tomato paste – to add depth and richness
- Red wine -optional, to add complexity
- Fresh tomatoes –or sub canned tomatoes
- Veggie stock -or substitute water plus veggie boullion
- Hemp seeds (or toasted walnuts or pecans) for texture and richness
- Balsamic vinegar – for a punch of flavor and brightness
How to make Lentil Bolognese
Step one
Saute onion in olive oil until fragrant.
Step two
Add carrots, celery and garlic, continue cooking and stirring about 5 minutes. Add herbs and seasonings.
Step three
Add tomato paste, browning it a bit. Deglaze -add a generous splash of red wine and cook this off. (Optional)
Step four
Add tomatoes and their juices.
Add the lentils, hemp seeds or walnut nuts, and broth.
Toasted ground walnuts add really great flavor- but I like the ease of adding the hemp seeds– no grinding necessary!
Keep in mind the smaller the lentils the faster the bolognese will cook! These little black caviar lentils are the best- just 20 minutes of cooking time.
Step five
Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer for 20-30 minutes
Step six
Once the lentils are tender, remove the lid and cook off some of the liquid.
Step seven
Taste and adjust seasonings, and stir in the balsamic vinegar.
Step eight
Serve! Spoon this over creamy polenta, or toss it with your favorite pasta. Keep it vegan if you like or top with parmesan or pecorino cheese.
More recipes you may enjoy
- 50+ Pantry Staples for the Vegan Kitchen
- Vegan Lasagna Bolognese
- Turkey Mushroom Bolognese
- Our 25 BEST Lentil Recipes! (Plus how to cook Lentils)
- Simple Braised French Lentils
- Moroccan Lentil Quinoa Soup
- Easy Healthy Veggie-Driven Pasta Recipes! (Vegan-adaptable)
On the homefront: It’s been a beautiful week here. The leaves are turning, the sun is shining, the birds are singing. Nature doesn’t seem to take notice of what is in the news and all the worldy drama and happenings, it just keeps unfolding in its own time.
Mercury is in retrograde until mid-October, meaning it has the appearance of moving backward in the sky. During this time, some believe this backward motion can disrupt travel, communication and technology. Coincidence, perhaps, but compelling given the events of this week. 😉
And while it is always good to have a healthy dose of cynicism I find this retrograde particularly interesting. How life often mirrors a bigger story. Are we not, after all, made of stars? Lately, on a personal level, I’ve noticed, “signs” directing me to be “patient and wait”, or hold my tongue, or delay a big decision, or to not force things.
When I take heed, things are easier…
I hope you are having a beautiful start to your week friends! Enjoy this recipe for Lentil Bolognese and please share how you serve it or adapt this!
xoxo
PrintLentil Bolognese Recipe
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: vegan main, pasta,
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Rich and robust, this plant-based Lentil Bolognese is hearty, “meaty” and full of depth of flavor. Toss it with your favorite pasta, or spoon it over creamy polenta- either way, this simple nourishing vegan meal is one the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cup carrots, small diced
- 1 1/2 cups celery diced
- 4–6 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes- optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs)
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- Generous splash red wine (optional) 1/4 cup-ish
- 1 1/4 cup black caviar lentils (or other small lentils- see notes)
- 3 medium tomatoes, diced with juices (or sub a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes)
- 3 1/2 cups veggie stock or broth (or sub water plus 2-3 boullion cubes)
- 3/4 cup hemp hearts, or ground toasted walnuts or pecans
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes stirring until fragrant. Lower heat to medium, then add the carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, chili flakes, and herbs. Saute 7-8 minutes, stirring.
- Add the tomato paste, browning it just a bit in the pan (this will deepen the flavor), then deglaze with wine if you want, scraping up any brown bits. Once most of the wine has cooked off add the tomatoes and their juices, cook them down for just a few minutes.
- Add the lentils, veggie stock and hemp seeds or walnuts. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, lower heat to low, and simmer gently 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Uncover.
- Continue cooking uncovered until most of the liquid has cooked off. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, vinegar and chili flakes to your liking. Keep in mind, you want this just slightly salty if tossing with pasta.
- Serve this tossed with your favorite pasta or serve it over this creamy polenta or this Instant Pot Polenta. Sprinkle with optional pecorino cheese… or try this Vegan Cheesy Sprinkle!
Notes
If using hemp- use the shelled soft “hearts”- not the whole seeds ( these will be gritty).
If your veggie broth is bland or your bolognese is bland, you can intensify the depth here by adding a tiny splash of soy sauce, or miso paste mixed with a little water, or a little veggie stock bouillon paste.
Feel free to sub-French Green Lentils or Split Red lentils
This can be made ahead and will keep up to 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 268
- Sugar: 6.4 g
- Sodium: 481.6 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.9 g
- Fiber: 6.6 g
- Protein: 13.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Really hearty, filling, comfort food! I was shocked how “meaty” this recipe tastes. I’m new to WFPBD and glad I found this site! I used veg stock and a tsp of miso paste instead of oil and liquid aminos instead of wine. YUM!
Perfect Sarah- glad you liked it!
I haven’t made this yet but every recipe I’ve tried so far has been five stars, so I started with that! My question is this — can it be made a day or two ahead (the lentil sauce), then warmed and tossed with pasta day of? We’re having vegan friends over later this week and if I could make it the night before and warm it up day of, that would be awesome. Thanks, Sylvia!
Of course Heidi, it might even taste better after the flavors meld a bit!
This is sooooo good! Glad I made a whole batch!
Awesome Teri!
This sauce is truly delicious, and it is hearty. Well worth the few extra minutes to brown it a bit in the pan after adding the tomato sauce, and to deglaze with wine as described. Really impressed. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed this!
Really nice — thank you!
thanks so much Cameron!
Absolutely delicious. Only change I made was to add bay leaf.
Great idea Gloria!
Pretty good. Definitely simmer about 40-45 minutes
This so yummy! It has become a regular dinner recipe at our house. I make it following the recipe. It is tasty and filling. Thank you Sylvia!
So happy you are enjoying this!
I made this for my family and they gobbled it up. Like the recipe says, extra salt was needed when tossed with pasta. Taste & texture was amazing. Very filling and comforting. Prep was a lot though for a mid week meal after working. I’d make this on the weekend when I have rested most if the day😆
Thanks Reicee!
I made this yesterday using French green lentils and walnuts. It was absolutely delicious. Bolognese is my favorite sauce and this is so good. All of your recipes that I’ve tried have been great.
You’ve turned our kitchen into one of those restaurants where I say “I’ll definitely come back here again”. Thank you for that.
Cheers,
Jim
Great to hear Jim!
I love this recipe!!! I’ve made it many times.
I even froze small batches and took them with me on my weekend trips to the Olympic Mtns. It heats up and tastes like fresh made Thank you for all the effort and thought that goes in your recipes :o)
Glad you enjoyed this!
This was dope. Me and my roommates wanted to use up a pound of rigatoni, and happened to have little black lentils and the other ingredients, so we went for it… and I’m so glad we did. Really beautiful work. Will be eating this again in the future!!
Glad you enjoyed this Hech!
Not hard, and so flavourful. My new favorite recipe.
Awesome Mary!
This turned out beautifully and has a lot of flavor and depth. I made sure to add a little more wine for flavor (along with the vinegar) towards the end of cooking the sauce in addition to using it when deglazing the pot. Also with the small black dried lentils I used, I found they needed a lot of cooking time like about 40-50 minutes covered then a little time uncovered. This extra cooking also added more depth and flavor to the sauce. It’s very nourishing and filling without feeling heavy and oily like a traditional Bolognese sauce. We’re happy to have this as a new favorite recipe!
Thanks Ellie! Your lentils may have been slightly bigger?
This recipe made me like lentils!!! I have tried several other lentil recipes over time, but never truly enjoyed them, until now!!!
Even my 2 teenage daughters enjoyed the meal, and both took leftover for lunch!!! Need I say more?
I used French lentils
Love it- so happy you found one you liked!
The suggested lentils never did get soft even after several hours cooking! I’m not sure they were supposed to, but I would prefer to have had them tender. Overall, though, the sauce did have a nice, bolognese flavor and the parmesan cheese helped disguise the fact that the lentils were still pretty hard.
Interesting. What kind of lentils did you use Gina?
This was such a great recipe! The only thing I added was chopped mushrooms. This dish has great flavors.
Awesome Lexus! thanks for giving it a go!
This is one of the more time consuming (not complicated) recipes, but the payoff is huge. The sauce is rich, hearty, and satisfying (and nutritious). It’s hard to believe this is meatless!
There’s a lot of leftover sauce, so I’ll be freezing it for sure to make a quick meal down the road. Thank you!!
thanks for the feedback Barbara! Yes, it is a good one to freeze!
I made this and absolutely loved it! I think that those who are substituting some other lentil for the black beluga lentils are really missing out!! The black lentils maintain their shape and a lovely tender yet al dente texture throughout cooking and even freezing and reheating! The flavors are complex and so delicious! I used polenta as an accompaniment the first time, and next time, I’ll use pasta instead. Can’t wait!
Glad you enjoyed this Leslie! I love the black lentils here too!
I made this meal since I was hosting a vegan couple for dinner, while myself and my partner are not vegetarian, and it was a hit all around the table! Incredible flavour and texture. We used split red lentils and walnuts and this for sure will be my go-to veggie recipe. Served on penne pasta and with a side of roasted broccoli!
Great to hear Jordan- any adjustments with the split lentils as far as liquid or timing? Thanks!
I made this for Sunday dinner. I substituted red split lentils & pecans instead. It was rich & robust & everyone enjoyed this recipe!
Sounds great Diane! Glad you enjoyed!
Absolutely delicious dish with big, bold flavours and the consistency is perfect for pasta. Thanks so much for a fantastic recipe, it’s now in the pemanent rotation x
Awesome Kate! Glad you liked this one!
Can you use hemp seed hearts instead of hemp seeds?
Yes, I believe they are the same thing-if I’m not mistaken. In any case, we use them interchangeably here. 🙂
This is so delicious, simple and hearty! Absolutely perfect with parmesan and pasta!
Great to hear Meg!
This is the best vegetarian pasta bolognaise we ever have eaten, especially with the beluga lentils. Thanks for the receipt.
Thanks so much Paul!