Impress your friends and family with this delicious vegan lentil bolognese recipe. It will even have the meat eaters coming back for more!

Lentils belong to the legume family and are very rich in protein. They are also very affordable and can be found in most supermarkets.

Lentils are a great meat substitute and are very delicious because they soak up flavour. When cooking lentils it is important to follow the instructions on the packaging. Some lentils require a quick wash and can be cooked straight away while others may need to be soaked for a few hours.

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Nutritional Benefits of Lentils

The question vegans probably get asked the most is, “how do you get your protein?”. Well, believe it or not, many legumes have more protein than animal meat. One such powerhouse of a bean is the lentil.

According to Healthline, lentils provide important substances like carbs, protein, fiber, thiamine, vitamin B6, zinc, potassium, and iron.

They also provide the following benefits:

Protection against chronic pain
Protection from diabetes and heart disease
Support for regular bowel movements
Low calories and high fiber

Not to mention, they are incredibly delicious! With a meal like this, a hearty bowl of lentils is all you need to give you enough energy for your whole entire day.

Can You Store Cooked Lentils?

Uncooked lentils can last forever in your pantry, as long as the area isn’t too hot. Dry and cool locations are better for storing uncooked lentils over the long term.

But what about your beans that are already cooked? The dish you just made can be refrigerated for up to a week, but it’s important to listen to your instinct and let your gut make the decision.

How To Make Vegan Lentil Bolognese

Heat oil a splash of oil in a large saucepan. Add 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves. Cook on a low heat for a few minutes or until soft.
Pour in 1 can of chopped tomatoes and 1 cup of vegetable stock. Add 2-3 tbsp tomato puree, salt to taste, pepper to taste and a pinch of oregano to the saucepan and stir. Bring to a boil and leave to cook on a medium heat for 6-8 minutes.
Add 200g of lentils to the saucepan and bring to a boil and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cook on a low/medium heat for 10-12 minutes and stir from time to time until lentils are soft.

NB: For this dish I used canned tomatoes to create a vegetarian lentil bolognese and I REALLY enjoyed it. I was constantly checking the bolognese to make sure that the lentils did not overcook because it’s important that the lentils still have bite in this recipe. I paired this bolognese with spaghetti and it tasted amazing. Even the meat eaters were going back for more!

How To Store Vegan Lentil Bolognese

Vegan lentil bolognese can be frozen for up to a month! Refrigerate for 3-5days.

Alternatives

Pair this lentil bolognese with anything you wish! Serve with penne, linguine, potatoes, rice and much more.

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