How many times have you bought the premade marina sauce at the grocery store out of convenience? I promise though, if you try to make your own, it is well worth it.
If you are cooking for meat lovers, taking the meat out of bolognese can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. My go-to vegan mince base along with hearty Italian flavours ensures that nothing is missing from your favourite pasta sauce. Furthermore, if you have a food processor, the hard work is done for you. This allows you to sit back, relax and enjoy a glass of wine as it simmers – my type of recipe!
This Bolognese is rich, savoury, bold, hearty and in my opinion, more flavourful than a simple meat one! It is packed with real ingredients and no extra fillers that are sometimes in meat substitutes. It is the perfect finish to any pasta, lasagne, or if you are my boyfriend, on its own with a spoon!
vegan walnut, lentil & mushroom bolognese
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 100 grams green lentils
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or 3 tablespoons water if avoiding oil)
- 150 grams yellow onion minced, approximately one onion
- 18 grams garlic minced
- 60 grams celery chopped
- 250 grams mushrooms chopped
- 100 grams walnuts crushed
- 2 bay leave
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- 1 veggie stock cube
- 500 grams passata 1 carton
- 240 ml red wine
- 800 grams plum tomatoes 2 cans
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add lentils and 375 ml (1 ½ cups) water to a sauce pan and cook for 20 minutes until al dente but not completely done.
- Finely dice the onion, garlic and celery in the food processor
- Heat olive oil or few tablespoons water in a large pot and add onion, garlic and celery and sauté for a two to three minutes or until soft and translucent, stirring regularly.
- Meanwhile, add the mushrooms to the food processor and mince.
- Add mushrooms into pan and continue to sauté.
- When lentils are al dente, add them to the food processor with the walnuts and repeat the process so that the lentils and walnuts are minced and broken up to resemble mince.
- Add into the pan with seasoning, soy sauce, veggie cube, passata, tomatoes and red wine. Mix thoroughly and let simmer on medium low for 30 minutes; add additional water little by little to loosen the sauce if it starts to look dry.
- Serve over favourite pasta or use in lasagne.
