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Quick and Easy Plant Based Bolognese Sauce

This plant based bolognese sauce with lentils is pure comfort in a bowl. Filled with oodles of noodles and hidden veggies, all of which are typical pantry items, this easy dinner is one that will please. This is one of my favorite pasta dishes and I hope you love it, too. 

Looking down at a big dark bowl filled with spaghetti noodles and topped with a big spoonful of lentil bolognese. Fresh parsley, tomatoes, and garlic are surrounding the bowl.
A big bowl of spaghetti noodles covered in a plant based bolognese sauce.

Traditional bolognese sauce is an Italian classic filled with meats, herbs, tomatoes, and a touch of acidic. To make this plant based and dairy free bolognese sauce, we turn to the humble lentil, which is a power house of nutrition. 

This bolognese sauce recipe is filled with hearty, simple ingredients. It makes a large pot of sauce that the whole family, both meat eaters and vegetarians, can love. Enjoy it with some homemade vegan dinner rolls or with a side of a crunchy Fuji apple salad for a delicious meal!

Why You’ll Love this Bolognese

  • Hearty and comforting meal in a bowl
  • Uses pantry staples
  • Comes together quickly and easily 
  • No fancy equipment or food processor required

Ingredients 

Ingredients for the lentil bolognese sauce in various bowls and plates on a wood table. Black and white labels have been added to name each ingredient.
Ingredients for the bolognese measured out into bowls and ready to cook.
  • Lentils: I love using brown lentils in this dish! They have a heartier texture than other lentils and really make it feel like a ground beef swap. You can also use red lentils if you want a softer texture. 
  • Tomato paste + Diced Tomatoes: These form the foundation of the tomato sauce. I use a can of tomato paste and a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes. For the most flavorful tomatoes, purchase a whole, peeled tomato can and then dice them by hand. I typically purchase a 28 oz can and then use half. 
  • Onion, Garlic, Carrots, + Vegetable Stock: These add the flavor and texture to the sauce. 
  • Pasta: Any kind of pasta you want to use in this vegan bolognese is good. I like spaghetti or even a twirly pasta shape like rotini to really soak up the pasta sauce.
  • Herbs, Salt, + Black Pepper, Olive oil: I love to add fresh parsley and fresh basil to this dish, but you can use all dried herbs if that is what you have on hand. This is almost like an Italian seasoning blend, so you can swap for that as well. Adding some bay leaves brings a nice depth of flavor. 
  • Balsamic Vinegar: Added at the end to oomph up the flavor. 

Instructions 

Make sure to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient list.

First, start by cooking the lentils. If you have pre-cooked lentils, you can skip this step! 

Rinse the lentils and remove any debris. I’ve found leaves and small twigs in my lentils before so don’t skip this step. 

Showing cooked lentils in a silver pot resting on a trivet on a wood table.
Cooked lentils in a silver pot.

Add the lentils to a medium to large pot and cover with about 4 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and let them simmer for 25 minutes or so until fully cooked and soft. 

While the lentils are cooking, start on the bolognese sauce. 

In a skillet or cooking pot (I recommend a bit pot like a dutch oven), heat a tablespoon of oil and add the onion and carrot. Cook them until the onions are translucent. Then add the garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs. 

Cooking the carrots and onion in a large ceramic pot.
Letting the carrots and onions cook down.
Cooked down veggies in a large ceramic pot on a wood table.
Adding the tomato paste to the veggies helps to deepen the flavors and color of the final sauce.

Now add the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes so the tomato paste can develop some color. 

Add the remaining ingredients, including the cooked lentils. Bring it to a gentle simmer and let it go while you cook the noodles in a separate pot. If you need to you can add a ladleful of pasta water to the sauce to help with the thickness. 

Adding the cooked lentils to the veggie and tomato sauce mixture in a large ceramic cooking pot that is on a trivet on a wood table.
Adding in the cooked lentils and broth so they can cook down.
The fully cooked lentil bolognese sauce still in the large ceramic pot being stirred with a wood spoon on a wood table.
The finished sauce has reduced in volume and thickened into a hearty sauce!

When the sauce is done, check it for taste and add any more salt, pepper, or seasonings you need. Finish it with some balsamic vinegar and add in the pasta. Enjoy! 

Variations

If you like, you can deglaze the pan with a little bit of red wine. This will add a great depth of flavor to the sauce. 

Want to make it cheesy? Add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese on top after cooking.

Want to make it spicy? Add some red pepper flakes to your bowl or the entire sauce. (This is my favorite way of preparing this dish by adding some spicy sprinkles!)

Side view of a big dark bowl filled with spaghetti noodles and topped with a big spoonful of lentil bolognese. Fresh parsley, tomatoes, and garlic are surrounding the bowl.
A big bowl of spaghetti and plant based bolognese sauce ready to eat!

FAQs

Can I use other lentils? 

Yes! You can use red lentils in this dish if you prefer. Red lentils cook down very soft and will give a more saucy, meaty texture to the bolognese when used. You can use brown or green lentils as well. My grocery store always has brown so that is what I typically use. 

How to reheat bolognese sauce? 

You can heat any leftover sauce in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat until it is warmed through. A little bit of water or vegetable broth can be added if it is very thick. 

Alternatively, you can also heat this in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, giving a stir after each round so it is evenly heated. 

If heating from frozen, add to a saucepan, add a few tablespoons of water, and cover with a lid. Let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until it is fully thawed and reaches a temperature of at least 165F. 

What else can I do with bolognese sauce? 

You can serve  this bolognese sauce over zucchini noodles or sweet potato noodles. It also makes a yummy topper for baked potatoes, especially baked sweet potatoes! Dollop it over top of nachos for a fun twist.

What is the best noodle for bolognese sauce? 

Traditionally, a thick and flat noodle like tagliatelle. Pappardelle and fettuccine also work. Rigatoni and penne rigate are also good noodles. For this, I used plain spaghetti which is an American contribution. Basically, any noodle you like works in this dish! 

How to Store

This keeps best in an airtight container in the fridge. I suggest that you store the bolognese separately from the pasta which will then keep for about 5 days. If you mix the pasta in with the sauce, the pasta soaks up the sauce over a few days, so I only suggest you keep it for 3 days stored together. 

You can store the bolognese sauce without pasta in the freezer in freezer safe containers or freezer bags. It will keep for about 2 to 3 months. 

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If you try these out, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. And if you want more delicious, vegan friendly recipes you can subscribe to the newsletter. Did you make these? Please tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest! I love to see your creations!

Looking down at a big dark bowl filled with spaghetti noodles and topped with a big spoonful of lentil bolognese. Fresh parsley, tomatoes, and garlic are surrounding the bowl.

Plant Based Bolognese Sauce

Easy to make plant based bolognese sauce that uses lentils for a flavorful and hearty meal ready in about 30 minutes. Weeknight friendly!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: dinner ideas, quick meals, sauces
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 353kcal

Equipment

  • Cooking pots
  • measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • mixing spoon
  • Chef’s knife
  • Cutting board

Ingredients

  • 1 cup lentils dry uncooked. about 2 cups cooked lentils
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup onion diced, about 1 medium onion
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 cup carrot diced, about 4 carrots
  • ½ cup tomato paste
  • 2 cups tomatoes diced
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon oregano dried
  • 1 teaspoon thyme dried
  • 1 teaspoon basil dried
  • 1 tablespoon parsley fresh (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lbs spaghetti noodles or other noodles of your choice

Instructions

  • Cook the lentils. Rinse the lentils in a sieve to remove any dust, leaves, etc. In a medium sized pot, combine the lentils with the water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 25 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed.
  • Start the vegetables. In a large pot on the stove over medium heat, warm the oil and add the diced onions and carrots. Cook until the onions are translucent. Then add the garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs, cooking for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and let cook for an additional 2 minutes or until it has darkened slightly in color.
  • Add remaining ingredients. Now add the diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, and cooked lentils. Bring this to a simmer and turn the heat to low-medium, letting it cook for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
  • Cook the pasta. When the onions begin cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta according to package directions, making sure to save a little bit of pasta water, if needed. Drain the pasta but do not rinse.
  • Finish the bolognese. Give the sauce a little taste and adjust for salt and seasoning if needed. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Finally, add the hot noodles to the sauce and stir until all the noodles are well coated. Garnish with more fresh herbs and enjoy!
  • If you are not eating all of the bolognese at once, I recommend storing the noodles and bolognese sauce separately so that the noodles don’t absorb all the sauce.

Notes

  • How to Store
    • This keeps best in an airtight container in the fridge. I suggest that you store the bolognese separately from the pasta which will then keep for about 5 days. If you mix the pasta in with the sauce, the pasta soaks up the sauce over a few days, so I only suggest you keep it for 3 days stored together. 
    • You can store the bolognese sauce without pasta in the freezer in freezer safe containers or freezer bags. It will keep for about 2 to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 706mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3427IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg
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