Rich, delicious and full of flavor, this vegan lentil bolognese is made with roasted vegetables for a hearty and filling meat-free recipe. Simple to make, it's perfect for meal prep and freezer meals.
This recipe was first published in May 2016, and has been updated with an improved recipe, new notes, tips and photographs.
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I'm a self confessed carnivore, but I do try and cut down on my meaty meals during the week, especially red meat, and my roasted vegetable lentil bolognese is the perfect way to do it!
Eating healthier and plant based in the week allows me to tuck in guilt free at the weekends, but, just because a dish doesn't have meat, doesn't mean it can't be tasty! Vegetarian bolognese done right is more than awesome!
This vegetable lentil bolognese is big on flavour. Roasting the vegetables brings out the natural sweetness and the lentils soak up the flavour of a strong stock.
For more vegan lentil recipes, be sure to try my Lentil Daal and Lentil and Turmeric Soup.
Why you will love this recipe!
- Basic Ingredients: You just need some fresh veggies and pantry staple seasonings and ingredients.
- Big Batch: This recipe makes a huge batch, it's easy to half if you prefer, but I love to meal prep it for later in the week and it's freezer friendly too.
- Easy: This is a super simple recipe. It takes a bit of time to cook things down, but trust me, it's totally worth it for those rich flavors.
- Healthy: Low in calories and saturated fat, this vegan lentil bolognese is loaded with fresh veggies and protein rich lentils. This is one meal you can feel good about eating.
Ingredients
- Vegetables: Onions, red bell peppers, carrots and garlic.
- Lentils: Use dried green lentils in this recipe for the best results.
- Stock: To keep this bolognese vegan, I use vegetable stock, but you can use chicken or beef if you want to. In a pinch, you can just cook the lentils in water with some salt, pepper and dried bay leaves.
- Red wine vinegar: For a rich and fruity acidity. You can also use balsamic vinegar.
- Worcestershire sauce: If vegan use a plant-based Worcestershire sauce. This adds a great umami flavor.
- Dijon mustard: You can also use a strong English mustard.
- Italian seasoning: This dry seasoning adds a nice herby flavor.
- Brown sugar: This is optional, but it helps to balance out any acidity.
- Tomato paste: For a rich flavor.
- Diced tomatoes: If you want a bit of heat, you can use diced tomatoes with chili, or use fire-roasted tomatoes for a richer flavor.
How to make vegetable lentil bolognese
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Cut the vegetables and place on a baking sheet (photo 1).
- Roast until soft with slightly crisp edges (photo 2).
- Partially cook the lentils (photo 3).
- Add in the roasted veggies and other ingredients (photo 4).
- Simmer til thick (photo 5).
Storage and Reheating
Yes, roasted vegetable lentil bolognese recipe makes a lot (it will easily serve 6), but the good news is, is that it keeps really well in the fridge or freezer and is super simple to reheat for easy weeknight meals.
- Fridge: Let cool completely before placing in an air tight container. It will keep well for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooled bolognese in freezer bags or containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat portions in a pot on the stovetop. If the sauce is very thick, stir in a couple of tablespoons of water. Stir occasionally to heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe uses green lentils, but I have also made it with puy and brown lentils. It's best to avoid red lentils though. They will still taste good, but they will have a very mushy texture.
I made this with dry lentils, but you can use canned if that's what you have. Skip simmering them, just add them to the pot with the other ingredients and reduce the stock added to 2 cups instead of 4.
I love to serve this vegetable lentil bolognese with long pasta, and you can't beat a spaghetti bolognese. Because the sauce is quite chunky, it's great to serve with wider noodles like pappardelle. If all you have in the cupboard is penne or fusilli, then that will do the job nicely too.
Roasting the vegetables before adding them to the pot really helps to bring out their natural flavors and sweetness. It's a super effortless way to enhance the favors and get a super rich and tasty dish. You can saute them in a separate pan if you prefer before adding to the pot with the other ingredients.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Cut the carrots fairly small compared to the bell peppers and onions. They are denser so will take longer to cook through.
- If you are making this for meal prep or freezer meals, you can simmer the pot for 30 minutes, then let cool and store. As the lentils sit they will absorb the liquid and the bolognese will thicken up without a long simmer time.
- Once you have made your roasted vegetable lentil bolognese, let it cool completely before storing.
More Pasta Recipes
- Vegetarian Pasta Bake
- Goats Cheese Pasta with Beef
- Gorgonzola and Walnut Pasta
- Chicken Mushroom Pasta
- Lemon Salmon Pasta
I love hearing from you!! If you have tried this roasted vegetable lentil bolognese, be sure to scroll down, give it a star rating and let me know what you thought!
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Roasted Vegetable Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
- 2 onions (chopped)
- 2 red pepper (chopped)
- 4 carrots (peeled and diced)
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled and lightly crushed)
- 3 tablespoons oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup dry green lentils (200g)
- 4 cups vegetable stock (950ml)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ¼ cup tomato paste (4 tablespoons)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (796ml / 27oz)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400F / 200c.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and spread out the chopped onions, bell peppers, carrots and garlic. Drizzle with the oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes til soft with the edges of the veggies slightly crisp.
- Whilst waiting for the veg to roast, rinse the lentils and put into a large pan or Dutch oven with the stock. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to simmer and put a lid on for 20mins. Take off the heat until the roasted vegetables are ready.
- Add the roasted vegetables to the lentils along with the other ingredients. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for between and hour and 90 minutes until thickened to your liking.
Notes
- Cut the carrots fairly small compared to the bell peppers and onions. They are denser so will take longer to cook through.
- If you are making this for meal prep or freezer meals, you can simmer the pot for 30 minutes, then let cool and store. As the lentils sit they will absorb the liquid and the bolognese will thicken up without a long simmer time.
- Once you have made your roasted vegetable lentil bolognese, let it cool completely before storing.
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