Green lentil bolognese on a bed of spaghetti

Lentil Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

60 Minutes
Serves: 2
A delicious veggie lentil spaghetti bolognese made with green lentils, onions, tomatoes, carrots and celery, flavoured with garlic, Worcester sauce, oregano, bay leaves, and red wine. The bolognese is served on a bed of spaghetti, sprinkled with parmesan and slices of buttery garlic bread.

Recipe Ingreds

Pasta

  • 150 grams spaghetti

Lentil Bolognese

  • 1 leaves bay leaf
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • 1 whole carrots
  • 0.5 tsp oregano (dried)
  • 1 cloves garlic
  • 1 tin tinned green lentils
  • 75 grams chestnut mushroom
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.5 whole onions
  • 175 ml Chianti red wine
  • salt (to taste)
  • 1 tin tinned tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1.5 tsp worcester sauce

Bread

  • 1 stick garlic bread

Recipe with pictures Steps

Step 1

  • peel and chop the onion(s) finely
  • heat the frying pan with a little oil, add the onions fry till soft
  • peel and crush the garlic
  • wash and slice the mushrooms
  • Add the mushrooms and garlic to the onions
  • cook for 5 minutes

Step 2

  • peel and grate the carrots
  • add to the frying pan
  • lower the heat
  • cook the vegetables till they caramelise

Step 3

  • drain and rinse the lentils
  • Add to the mushroom and carrot mix
  • add the oregano, bay leaves, canned tomatoes, red wine, tomato puree and Worcester sauce to the frying pan
  • season with salt and pepper
  • boil and then turn down and simmer for 20 minutes

Step 4

  • while the bolognese is cooking
  • half fill a pan with water and boil
  • add a spot of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the boiling water
  • add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until tender but with a slight bite
  • set the oven to 200C 400F or gas mark 6

Step 5

  • 10 minutes before the bolognese is ready
  • put the garlic bread on the baking tray and place in the oven follow cooking instructions on packaging

Step 6

  • drain the pasta
  • divide the pasta between the serving plates
  • add the green lentil bolognese on the top of the spaghetti

Step 7

  • remove garlic bread from the oven
  • serve with the lentil spaghetti bolognese

Step 8

  • if cooking extra for the freezer store the extra bolognese in a freezable container allow to cool and then place in freezer

Recipe Utensils

  • 1 baking tray
  • 1 chopping board
  • 1 Garlic crusher
  • 1 grater
  • 1 large frying pan
  • 1 large knife
  • 1 large pan
  • 2 sieve

How to make green lentil spaghetti bolognese 

Fry the onions till soft, add the crushed garlic and sliced mushrooms, cook till golden brown, add the grated carrots and cook slowly till the vegetables have caramelised. Add the green lentils, tomatoes, tomato puree, bay leaves, oregano, Worcester sauce and red wine and simmer for 20 minutes  The sauce is served on a bed of al dente spaghetti and topped with parmesan or pecorino and served with rich buttery garlic bread.

How and when to serve veggie lentil bolognese with spaghetti

This earthy dish is perfect to serve in autumn, winter or early spring, We serve it with al dente spaghetti but you could serve it with 

  • boiled brown or white rice
  • crispy jacket potatoes 
  • other types of pasta

What makes our veggie lentil spaghetti the best

The combination of fresh vegetables and grated carrots means the vegetables caramelise perfectly giving this meal a deliciously rich flavour which combines perfectly with the green lentils

Simple dinner to eat with friends

This recipe is easy to cook and perfect for a last-minute meal when friends stay for dinner unexpectedly,  and it's ideal for vegetarians too. You can pair it with any pasta you have in the cupboard the perfect cheap last-minute meal. 

What is bolognese

Bolognese is a traditional Italian sauce which originated in Bologna hence its name. The sauce is usually meat-based and is used to coat different types of pasta such as tagliatelle and spaghetti and of course, is the base sauce for lasagne. We have taken this traditional sauce and changed it to make a delicious vegetarian equivalent using green lentils

More pasta and lentil recipes

Chianti Baked Lentil balls

Lentil Lasagne

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