The best lentil bolognese

Lentil bolognese - or lentil ragu - is the ultimate in hearty comfort food. Packed full of goodness - both in the form of tasty veggies and plant-based protein, it’s a brilliant recipe to have in your repertoire.

I’ve made it at in my work as a community cook in batches of 100. I make it at home for my children. And I’ve made it for friends.

The recipe below is my tried and tested lentil bolognese that I’ve made time and time again. I hope you love it as much as we do.

There is just so much you can do with it. I’ve been making lentil bolognese for years and I’m still finding new ways to serve it.

Jacket potato filling, served with pasta or spaghetti, instead of meat in a shepherd’s pie. And that’s just a few ideas (scroll down to see more).

It’s a great way to eat your five a day. Plus it’s a great source of veggie and vegan protein.

What ingredients do you need to make lentil bolognese?

For full recipe, ingredients and quantities go to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

• Olive oil
  To fry your vegetables.
• Onion, carrots, celery 
  A classic base for many sauces, stocks and stews, the trio of onion, carrots and celery is known as mirepoix in French cooking.
• Garlic
  For flavour
• Red lentils
  Full of protein, lentils are the key ingredient here. Buy split red lentils as the whole ones (which are less common) take longer to cook.
• Tinned chopped tomatoes
  For a delicious sauce for your bolognese.
• Tomato purée
  Adds depth of flavour and helps to thicken the sauce
• Sun dried tomatoes
  Can be omitted if you don’t have any but they do add a lovely flavour.
• Miso paste or marmite (yeast extract)
  Gives your bolognese an umami kick. Optional
• Vegetable stock
  Homemade is great but a stock cube works just fine. You can also make this with hot water.
• Dried oregano or mixed herbs
  For flavour
• Sea salt, black pepper and lemon juice
  Season to taste

Can you add extra veggies?

Absolutely. One of the things I love most about lentil bolognese is that it’s a great vehicle to add pretty much any veg you fancy to.

It already contains onions, garlic, carrots, celery and tomatoes (strictly speaking a fruit but they still count). Mushrooms, courgettes and peppers are all great additions.

Make it your own

These additions will all add a delicious flavour boost to your lentil bolognese but are totally optional.

• mushrooms (a handful, chopped)
• red peppers (one, chopped)
• courgette (one, chopped)
• sun-dried tomatoes (two or three, finely chopped)
• miso paste or marmite (a tablespoon)
• smoked paprika (a teaspoon)
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (a tablespoon)
• chopped flat leaf parsley (a handful, finely chopped)

Can you use other kind of lentils?

I like to use red lentils because they don’t need to be soaked in advance and cook quickly.

However, you could replace them with tinned or freshly cooked puy, green or brown lentils if you prefer.

Storage

Lentil bolognese keeps very well. Once cooked allow to cool completely then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to three days.