Best Bolognese pasta ever! I tried some recipes using TSP (textured soy protein) before and although they tasted good, I prefer this recipe because lentils are not a processed food unlike the TSP. In addition, the flavor and the texture are AMAZING.
I didn’t like celery until a couple of years ago and I only added this detoxifying vegetable to my soups and salads, but now I can understand why the Italians use it to make delicious sauces and dishes. When celery is raw it has an intense flavor, but when it’s cooked it has a lighter flavor.
OUR LATEST VIDEOSI eat pasta once or twice a week and I’m in love with soba noodles (they’re made with buckwheat flour, a gluten-free cereal).
If you’re following a gluten-free diet, avoid processed gluten-free food because they’re made with refined flours and other unhealthy ingredients. I know non-refined pasta is more expensive, but your body’s worth it and you can use half gluten-free pasta and half zucchini pasta, which is cheaper, healthier and tastes amazing. To make this kind of pasta I use my Spiralizer, although you can make zoodles (zucchini noodles) using a peeler and a knife.
Tips:
- Red wine can be replaced for vegetable broth, water or any other wine. You can also add some soy sauce or tamari.
- Vegan Parmesan cheese is optional, but it’s so delicious. It can be replaced by nutritional or brewer’s yeast.
- Use any other dry herb instead of the oregano, I also love thyme.
- Tomato sauce can be hard to find in some countries, but you can use fresh or canned tomatoes instead, although you should cook the sauce longer.
Lentil Bolognese
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Savory
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten Free, Italian
Best Bolognese pasta ever! I used soba noodles, which are made with buckwheat flour. The sauce is made with lentils and it tastes AWESOME.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup lentils (100 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 stick of celery
- 1 carrot
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Dry oregano
- 1 cup tomato sauce (250 g)
- ¼ cup red wine (75 ml)
- 9 oz soba noodles (250 g)
- Vegan Parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the lentils and the soba noodles according to package directions.
- Heat some oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion, celery and carrot (finely chopped). Add sea salt, black pepper and oregano to taste. Cook over medium heat until golden brown.
- Add the tomato sauce and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Add the wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates.
- Blend the lentils using a hand blender or a food processor and add the mixture to the frying pan. Stir well.
- Serve the soba noodles with the Bolognese sauce and some vegan Parmesan cheese on top. Add oregano to garnish (optional).
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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This dish looks beyond delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
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I hope you like it Sally 😉 Have a nice day!
This recipe works perfectly! I added 200 grams of mushrooms (I cut them in very small pieces and toasted them on a dry frying pan – them added them with the smashed lentils) – it tasted wonderful! Thank you Iosune for all your nice recipes! I allways look forward to your posts 🙂
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Hi Vibeke! Thanks a lot for your kind words 🙂 I can’t eat mushrooms, but they’re so nutritious!
How long should the Red wine cook of the alcohol?
This recipe sounds great. Who doesn’t love soba noodles?! 😉 And lentil bolognese, yumm. I like how many veggies there are, adding plenty of flavour!
Thanks a lot!!! Soba noodles are amazing 🙂
Recipe looks delicious. I never liked the taste of faux meat products, not to mention the questionable ingredients, so this recipe looks very cool. Lentils are fantastic, but I’ve never tried them in a pasta sauce, only added to short pasta like rigatoni and penna for added protein. I think if more people tried cooking with lentils they would enjoy it, they are easy to cook, super flavorful, and filling.
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Hi Jon! I’m totally agree with you! Lentils are awesome! 🙂
What kind of lentils are used? Thanks.
Hi Lisa! I used Spanish Pardina lentils, but you can use any kind 🙂
Split red lentils will not work as they will turn to a mush. Green, beluga or puy lentils would work.
Hi! Thanks a lot for your comment 😀
Mmmmm this looks incredible!! And those pictures are GORGEOUS! Can’t wait to look through your site at all the yummy recipes 🙂
Hi Emilie! Thanks a lot, you’re so kind 😀 Have a nice day!!!
Just made this tonight. Threw in some mushrooms as well. This sauce is a revelation. No more plain old spaghetti sauce for me. The depth of flavor plus the protein kick from the lentils makes this my new pasta sauce.
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Hi Lisa! I’m so happy to read that! I’m glad you liked it 😉
Hi! I’m so excited to try this recipe, but I have a question – what exactly is one stalk of celery? One whole head or bunch, or just a “stick” of celery? I’ve heard stalk as being referred to as the whole head and also one “stick” (or rib) of celery.
Thanks!
Hi Tatiana! I’m so sorry, it was a mistake, it’s a stick of celery 😛 Have a nice day!
Thanks – I made the recipe and it’s perfect! I’m obsessed.
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I’m so glad you liked it! 😀
Hi 🙂
Are these lentils cooked ahead? If so, what is your preferred method? 🙂
Hi Anne! As you can read in the recipe, I used raw lentils and them cooked them using package directions. You just need to boil them until they’re ready. Have a nice day!
Thanks for your reply… I bought dry lentils, but it seems the brand I chose assumes we all already know how to cook them hehe
Then boil them until they’re tender, most people add salt to the water, but I prefer to add the salt later 😉
Hello,
What wine would be used in this recipe? White or red?
Thank you!!
Hi Dani! I used red whine 😉
I made it and it was delicious. I added some garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes for heat. I don’t have a hand blender thing, so I used red lentils, which turn out mushier. Thank you for the great recipe!
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Hi Carly! Thanks a lot 😀 I’m so glad you liked it!
I love serving bolognese over polenta. This recipe sounds like it would be perfect for that. And, a healthy vegan (if not using cheese) or vegetarian (if using cheese – for my daughter cheese is its own food group). I’m definitely going to make this recipe!
Hi Linda! Hope you like it 😀
I made this for dinner tonight and love it! I did do the polenta instead of noodles, and I kept my veggies a little chunkier than they show in your photos. I’ll be honest – I have only cooked lentils in something (stew, soup, etc.) so I had to guess how much water to use to cook them. I think I used too little, as they came out a little dry. I’ll know better next time. I also might take one of the other suggestions in the comments and add some mushrooms. I love mushrooms in just about anything!
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Hi Linda! I’m so glad you liked it 😀
Iosune, where do you buy soba noodles?
Thanks, Patti
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Hi Patti! I live in Spain, so I can’t help you, sorry! However, I think you should find soba noodles at Asian supermarkets, online (Amazon is great) or your local health store. Have a nice day!
I made your bolognese sauce (the one where you used TVP) last week. Not having TVP, subbed in 8 oz of tempeh. Before beginning, I researched the classic sauce recipe from Marcella Hazen. Hers called for some cream and a bit of nutmeg so I used plant milk, about half a cup, adding before the wine. Important to let it cook until it is absorbed into the dish, then add wine. I added a can of diced tomatoes too, adjusting the amount of broth. I used some pasta cooking water too at the end because it was a little dry, probably because tempeh absorbs lots of water, it was amazing and very reminiscent of the classic version.
Hi Linda! Sounds AMAZING 😀 Thanks for sharing!