Lentil Bolognese
A meat-free ragù with enough depth that nobody asks where the meat went.
Recipe Author
Riff Kitchen@riffkitchen
Lentil Bolognese
A meat-free ragù with enough depth that nobody asks where the meat went.
By Riff KitchenOn Riff.kitchen, recipes start from what is already in your fridge. Add what you have, and it plans around whatever goes off first.
- 10 prep · 55 cook
- 1 hr 5 min
- servings
- 4
- effort
- Easy
Classic's note
Vegan sauces usually lack savoury depth. Tomato paste caramelised in the pan, plus soy sauce, replaces what the meat would have contributed.
Method
6 steps · tap one to tick it off
Tips
Use brown or green lentils. They hold their shape through the 30 to 35 minute simmer. Red lentils collapse into a puree and the sauce loses its meaty texture.
Top up the water as it simmers. Lentils drink more than you expect. If the sauce thickens before they are soft, add a splash of water and keep going.
Keep a mug of pasta water. Its starch helps the sauce cling to the spaghetti in that final minute instead of sliding off into a puddle.
Swaps
No Soy Sauce? Tamari, or a spoonful of white miso stirred in, for the same savory depth.
No Pasta (Spaghetti)? Rigatoni or penne, which trap the lentils inside the tubes.
No Oregano? Dried basil or thyme, or a bay leaf simmered in the sauce and removed.
Storage
Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. Store the sauce and pasta separately if you can; the pasta soaks up the sauce.
Freezer: 2 to 3 months for best quality. The sauce freezes better than the cooked spaghetti, which comes back softer.
Reheat: In a saucepan with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot (75°C in the center).
Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.
Made it?
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Classic's note
Vegan sauces usually lack savoury depth. Tomato paste caramelised in the pan, plus soy sauce, replaces what the meat would have contributed.
Instructions
Follow the steps to perfection.
Tips
Use brown or green lentils. They hold their shape through the 30 to 35 minute simmer. Red lentils collapse into a puree and the sauce loses its meaty texture.
Top up the water as it simmers. Lentils drink more than you expect. If the sauce thickens before they are soft, add a splash of water and keep going.
Keep a mug of pasta water. Its starch helps the sauce cling to the spaghetti in that final minute instead of sliding off into a puddle.
Swaps
No Soy Sauce? Tamari, or a spoonful of white miso stirred in, for the same savory depth.
No Pasta (Spaghetti)? Rigatoni or penne, which trap the lentils inside the tubes.
No Oregano? Dried basil or thyme, or a bay leaf simmered in the sauce and removed.
Storage
Fridge: 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. Store the sauce and pasta separately if you can; the pasta soaks up the sauce.
Freezer: 2 to 3 months for best quality. The sauce freezes better than the cooked spaghetti, which comes back softer.
Reheat: In a saucepan with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot (75°C in the center).
Fridge and reheating follow Illinois Extension; freezer times are for quality and follow the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as on what freezes and what does not.
Made it?
Tap a star to rate it.
Community Reviews 0
No reviews yet. Be the first to try this!
Riff Assistant
Ready to Remix