Plant Based Lentil Bolognese Recipe
It’s no secret that my favorite comfort food is pasta, and this Plant Based Lentil Bolognese is nothing less than comforting. This recipe has a new take on Bolognese by being completely plant based. The main source of protein in this recipe is lentils and the chickpea rotini. Whether you are a vegetarian or not, you will fall in love with this Plant Based Lentil Bolognese.
For this recipe, you add the onions, carrots, and mushrooms into a deep skillet and let them brown. Then, you add all the seasoning to add the Italian flavor to the pasta. For the sauce, it’s quite simple, all you need is tomato paste and rice vinegar in which I used Marukan Organic Rice Vinegar. After that, you just add the broth, soaked lentils, and tomatoes and let is all simmer for 50 minutes. I like to add some Parmesan cheese and garnish to top it all off.
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Plant Based Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion , diced
- 2 large carrots , peeled and shredded
- 8 ounces mushrooms , cleaned and sliced
- Kosher or fine sea salt
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup (or one 5.3-ounce tube) double strength tomato paste (from a tube, not a can)
- ½ cup Marukan Organic Rice Vinegar
- 3 cups gluten free vegetable broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can crush tomatoes, undrained
- 8 ounces gluten free chickpeas rotini
- Grated plant-based Parmesan cheese shreds , to serve
- Chopped parsley , to garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and pick over the lentils. Cover with water and let soak for 30–60 minutes. Drain.
- Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to brown (about 8 minutes). Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¾ teaspoons pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until darker in color. Add the vinegar and cook for about 2 minutes or until thickened a little, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add in the broth, lentils, and tomatoes. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 50 – 60 minutes or until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water per the package directions. Drain. Toss the pasta with the sauce.
- Serve topped with the Parmesan cheese shreds and parsley.
Nutrition
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