Vegan red lentil bolognese with wholewheat pasta

Vegan red lentil bolognese with wholewheat pasta: a hearty recipe with chopped tomatoes, red lentils, carrots, celery and Italian herbs.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cooking time: 20 min
• Total time: 35 min
• Calories: 380 kcal per serving
• Protein: 18 g
• Fat: 4 g
• Carbs: 65 g

Ingredients

• 400 g chopped tomatoes
• 100 g red lentils
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 stalk of celery
• 80 g wholewheat pasta
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · chopping board · knife · sieve

1. Finely chop the onion, carrots and celery so the veg cooks evenly and the sauce gets a good texture.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and soften the onion, carrots and celery until everything is soft and the onion is translucent.
3. Add the red lentils, chopped tomatoes and Italian herbs. Simmer the sauce over a medium heat until the lentils are soft and the bolognese turns thick and creamy.
4. Stir now and then and season to taste with salt and pepper. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little water.
5. Cook the wholewheat pasta al dente according to the packet instructions and drain well.
6. Divide the wholewheat pasta between deep plates and spoon the red lentil bolognese over the top. Serve with a few more Italian herbs, if you like.

Good to know

A plate like this just feels right. Warm, hearty and easy for every day. The sauce turns nicely thick and creamy without much effort.

Swaps

Red lentils → brown lentils (a little more bite, also contain fibre). Wholewheat pasta → chickpea pasta (more protein and fibre). Olive oil → avocado oil (heat-stable, mainly monounsaturated fatty acids). Celery → courgette (milder in flavour).

Allergens

Contains gluten (wholewheat pasta); celery is an allergen that must be declared. Usually well suited to children with a soft texture, and fine in pregnancy when heated through thoroughly.

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