This Vegan Bolognese is a hearty and flavorful dish that’s easy to toss together. Made with your run of the mill pantry items, this savory sauce is composed of simple ingredients. A dinner dish bursting with flavor and chock-full of vegetables, for one very satisfying meal.
Spaghetti bolognese is a pretty common dish. However, when it comes to knowing how to pronounce bolognese, that can be hit or miss for many people. There’s no shame in that fact though. It’s an odd word, especially for those who aren’t Italian speakers. Bolognese is an Italian word, so the way it’s spelled isn’t how it’s actually pronounced. This is where the confusion comes in.
The word “bolognese” is pretty easy to pronounce once you’ve heard it. The correct pronunciation that’s widely accepted is “bow-luh-naze.” To pronounce it in the original Italian isn’t as easy, and definitely isn’t as easy to explain through text. In Italian, it’s more like “bow-low-nyay-zuh.” Like I said, awkward to try and explain through text, but that should give you a really good idea of how it sounds.
Bolognese is known worldwide and loved by adults and children alike. The Italians really have a knack for delicious dishes, whether it’s pasta, lasagna, gnocchi or pizza, I’ve always been a huge fan of Italian dishes. I loved to eat spaghetti bolognese as a child, but in the vegetarian version because I stopped eating meat when I was 6 years old.
What Is Bolognese?
If you’re familiar with spaghetti sauce, bolognese sauce is very similar, but it’s usually meat-based. It commonly contains beef, onions, tomatoes, and spices. Of course, my version is a vegetarian bolognese, so it doesn’t contain any meat. However, it doesn’t lack in the flavor department because of it.
Bolognese is an Italian dish and is said to have come from the city of Bologna in Italy. One of its best qualities is that it’s made with simple ingredients that can often be found in your pantry or fridge. On top of that, all the ingredients in this lentil bolognese are healthy and full of vital nutrients. Its main ingredients are:
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Celery
- Onion
- Carrots
- Mushrooms
- Lentils
As always, the full list of ingredients, instructions, and nutrition facts is in the printable recipe card below.
How To Make Vegan Bolognese?
STEP 1: Sauté the onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms in heated oil for about 3-4 minutes. Add all the spices + garlic and sauté a bit longer around 1 minute.
STEP 2: Add to the pot the wine, tomatoes, lentils, broth, and bay leaf. Stir well.
STEP 3: Let the mixture come to a boil before reducing the heat and letting it simmer until the lentils are soft. It takes around 20 minutes, give or take depending on the lentils.
STEP 4: Make the pasta of your choosing per the packaged instructions.
STEP 5: Mix the cornstarch and plant-based milk together in a small bowl. Add it to the mixture, along with the vinegar and soy sauce.
STEP 6: Adjust the seasonings as you see fit and serve the lentil bolognese over the pasta.
Helpful Tips And Variations
- Soak the lentils – If you’re using green or brown lentils, it’s best if you soak them in warm water for about 15 minutes before cooking them. Not only do they cook quicker this way, but they’re easier for your body to digest as well.
- Use your favorite pasta – You don’t have to use spaghetti for this vegan bolognese. Feel free to use any pasta of choice, regular, gluten-free, or even grain-free pasta. Some other pasta types would be fettuccine, penne, fusilli or rigatoni that are suitable for this vegetarian bolognese. Besides pasta, you can also use gnocchi to make a delicious gnocchi bolognese (so yummy!).
- Lentil alternative – If you don’t want to use lentils, you can make a meat-free bolognese with textured soy protein which is also rich in plant-based protein. Simply soak 1 cup of soy curls in warm water until softened and then add them to the pan in place of the lentils.
- Add more veggies – If you aren’t a big fan of the vegetables included in this bolognese sauce, or you just simply want to add more, you definitely can. Some great suggestions would be eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, etc.
- Storage – The best way to store this lentil bolognese is in the fridge, in an airtight container. It will last for around 4 days this way. For freezing, place the bolognese sauce in a freezer bag, leaving a small space for the ingredients to freeze and expand, then sealing fully once frozen. Do not store bolognese outside the fridge or freezer.
- Make it less spicy – If you prefer less spice in your spaghetti bolognese, simply nix adding in the crushed red peppers. This should reduce the spice considerably.
Perfect For Meal Prep
This tasty vegetarian bolognese is simply perfect for meal prep as you can store the sauce in individual containers in the refrigerator. Add fresh cherry tomatoes or spiralized zucchini for a low-carb version.
If you decide to give this comforting vegan bolognese a try, please leave a comment and rating below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing your creations!
If you love easy vegan pasta recipes, make sure to check them out below:
- Vegan Lasagna Soup
- Spinach & “Ricotta” Cannelloni (Vegan Manicotti)
- Pumpkin Pasta Bake
- Creamy Pasta Soup
- Vegan Pasta Bake
- Easy Vegan Pasta Salad
Vegan Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 medium (52 g) stalk celery finely diced (1/2 cup)
- 10 oz fresh (280 g) mushrooms finely diced (or 1 oz dried)
- 2 medium (200 g) carrots finely grated
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced or crushed
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning or use 1 tsp each of dried oregano and basil
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or sweetener of choice
- Pinch of red pepper flakes or to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) red wine or use more vegetable broth
- 3 cups (750 g) crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce or tomato sauce
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup (200 g) dry lentils I used brown, soaked
- 1 tbsp soy sauce gluten-free if needed or tamari
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) plant-based milk
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 8 oz (225 g) spaghetti gluten-free if needed or pasta of choice
- Vegan parmesan or nutritonal yeast to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- I recommend soaking the lentils in lukewarm water if you are using green or brown lentils. This step is optional, however, the lentils cook faster and are furthermore better digested when soaked. You can skip this step if using red lentils.
- Heat oil in a pan or pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, mushrooms, and carrots. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic, sweetener, and all spices. Sauté for a further one minute, stirring frequently.
- Add red wine (or vegetable broth), crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, the bay leaf, and the drained lentils. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender (depending on the variety it can take shorter or longer).
- Meanwhile, cook your favorite pasta (e.g. spaghetti) as per package instructions.
- Add soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Mix the plant-based milk and cornstarch in a small bowl and add the mixture to the pan.
- Taste and adjust seasonings. Add more salt/pepper/spices to taste. Also, add more vegetable broth if needed.
- Serve the lentil bolognese in bowls over pasta and sprinkle vegan Parmesan on top (optional). Enjoy! Store bolognese sauce leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Use your favorite pasta - Feel free to use any pasta of choice, regular, gluten-free, or even grain-free pasta. Besides pasta, you can also use gnocchi. Check out my gluten-free vegan gnocchi recipe.
- Lentil alternative - You can use textured soy protein instead of lentils. Simply soak 1 to 1 1/2 cups of soy curls in warm water for a few minutes and then add them to the pan in place of the lentils.
- Add more veggies - You can add more vegetables of choice. Some great suggestions would be eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, etc.
- Check out more helpful tips and the step-by-step photos in the blog post above.
- Recipe serves 4. Nutrition facts are for one serving (including pasta).
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
John
Love your dishes. You have inspired me to become vegan. I am a newbie and really can’t stand mushrooms. What can I use instead of mushrooms is recipe. As I am new to this way of living I am trying to make vegan friendly comfort dishes I love to eat that would have normally had meat.
Thanks
Ela
Hi John, you can just leave them out or use any other veggies you like. 🙂
Eileen
Absolutely delicious!! I’m trying to cook more plant based meals and with the positive comments on this recipe I thought I would try. Fantastic! The only thing I did differently was cook the lentils separately and then pureed them. I was worried my kids would not want to eat the sauce if they saw whole lentils. The sauce has so much flavor- delicious!! Thank you for posting!
Ela
Awesome! I am glad you liked it, Eileen. 🙂
Donna
Amazing recipe! It was delicious and my 5 year old loved it!
Ela
So glad to hear, Donna. 🙂
Kirsten Alwerdt
I’m slowly entering the world of WFPB eating and have been also trying to convert my boyfriend into this healthier lifestyle. Your Bolognese definitely helped my case! I made it as exactly as written and we loved it! Thank you so much! I am excited to try more of your recipes!
Ela
Awesome! I am so glad you both loved it! Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
Elidad Baez
So ready to try it, looks like it will be delicous
Ela
Awesome, enjoy it! 🙂
Monica
Followed your recipe exactly. It was delicious!
Ela
I am so glad you liked it, Monica. 🙂
Lisa
Wonderfull, wonderful recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Ela
I am so glad you liked it, Lisa! 🙂
Ana
it took me muuuch longer to do it, but it turned out great as well!
a lot of lessons lerned for the next time 🙂
i used soy textured protein, because i thought it would be best for lasagna filling
the next time i’ll try will lentils
Ela
I am glad it turned out great, Ana. 🙂
Eylul
Great recipe! I modified it a little, didn’t add any mushrooms because I didn’t have any, and added half cup chopped red bell pepper along with the lentils. Also instead of red wine I added 1tbs red line vinegar.
Result: DELICIOUS!
I had to froze half because the recipe says 4 but to me amount seems about 5-6 people.
Ela
I am so glad it turned out delicious! Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
Anjani
Can I use rice wine or mirin instead of red wine?
Ela
I think you could use a small amount (e.g. 2 tablespoons) but I wouldn’t add more. You can replace the remaining amount with broth. 🙂
Thomas
Just tried your recipe, the only thing I did different was I had some cauliflower that I riced that needed to be used up so I browned it first and added it to your recipe. I cannot tell you how beautiful it turned out absolutely fantastic thank you
Ela
Sounds incredible, Thomas! Thanks for your amazing feedback. 🙂
kip karsnia
i have vacuum packed lentils from trader joe’s..would these work?
Ela
Hi, I assume they are already cooked? You need dry lentils.
kip karsnia
yes, they re already cooked. I ll save them for a cold lentil salad and get some dried. Thanks!
Earl M
I’ve been getting a little weary of “MexicanIsh” and “Asianish” dishes. So I figured that if I’m going to stay on this WFPB program, I better find some more good recipes. I stumbled upon your Vegan Bolognese recipe and figured I’d give it a try since I had everything on hand. Although I had never eaten lentils until this dish, I had red and green in the pantry from one of my initial WFPB grocery runs. (Didn’t know what I’d do with them, but I had ‘em.). To make a long story short, if that’s still possible, I followed the recipe and was very impressed, as was my wife. The next day for lunch, I had an “Elavegan Vegan Bolognese SLOPPY JOE!” It was also very good and provided a welcome change from recent fare. Thanks and keep ‘em coming.
Ela
Sounds fantastic! And I love the idea for lentil Sloppy Joe! Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
afracooking
I will admit I was doubtful. But I am so happy I “forced” myself to make this. Wow what a fabulous recipe. I only had green lentils. But after soaking for 15 min they only took a little longer to cook than. I added 1/2 tsp of baking soda and used more soy. I left out the starch as the sauce was thick enough. Absolutely loved this recipe. Will double the amount next time to make lasagna or moussaka. Thank you so much!
Ela
So happy you loved the recipe! 🙂
Gloria
Tried this recipe tonight even though my husband told me he wasn’t a fan of lentils. Only thing I did differently was that I chopped the carrots instead of shredding it. Absolutely delicious. My husband loved it so much, he had two big helpings. This is a keeper for sure. Thank you.
Ela
Yay, that’s amazing, Gloria! I am so glad you and your husband enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
JJ
Everyone time I make this the green lentils don’t soften all the way. I soaked them for about forty minutes.
Ela
Hey, I always use brown lentils which cook faster. Maybe you want to try them too? Red lentils cook even faster. 🙂
Caroline
This is now our regular go to Bolognese recipe! The sauce is so tasty. We’ve experimented with different vegetables and change up between lentils and soya mince. It comes out amazing every time! Thank you
Ela
Sounds great, Caroline! I am glad it turns out amazing every time. 🙂
Kelly
Can you freeze this
Ela
Yes, that’s fine! 🙂
Jess
Could I use fresh tomatoes instead of tomato sauce? If so how much?
Ela
Hi Jess! If you want to use fresh tomatoes I would recommend blending about 700 grams of fresh tomatoes with 50 grams of tomato paste. Otherwise, the bolognese won’t be saucy. 🙂
Meghan
I love the taste of this sauce but mine wasn’t thick enough, seemed watered down for some reason. Either way it tasted awesome!
Ela
Hi Meghan, I am glad you loved the taste. If you want the sauce to be thicker you can either let it simmer longer or you could increase the amount of cornstarch (e.g. 1/2 or 3/4 tbsp). Hope this helps. 🙂
A
So delicious, it’s a hit for the whole fam. I overcooked it accidentally though
Ela
I am glad it was a hit! 🙂