
The proper pasta to your cozy weeknight in? It’s right here! This 10-ingredient vegan bolognese is reassuring, simple to make, and full of hearty mushrooms and protein-rich crimson lentils.
It’s a really perfect approach to heat up on a cold evening and incorporate vitamins into your on a regular basis sauce in a flavorful approach. Allow us to present you the way it’s achieved!

What’s bolognese?
Bolognese is an Italian sauce, sometimes made with meat, that will get its identify from the Italian metropolis of Bologna. The sauce is usually served on high of pasta or as a element in lasagna and is made by cooking meat with soffrito (onions, celery, and carrots) and tomatoes to create a thick sauce.
The next vegan model makes use of mushrooms and lentils for the same texture and super-savory taste!
Easy methods to make vegan bolognese
Much like conventional bolognese, this recipe begins with a soffrito-inspired base of carrots, onions, and garlic. Since we wish a saucy sauce, blitzing them within the food processor saves time on chopping and creates a gorgeous, nice texture.

Whereas the veggies sauté, the mushrooms take a flip within the meals processor earlier than becoming a member of the occasion. Then the opposite party-goers arrive, together with salt, tomato paste, crimson pepper flakes (non-compulsory), crushed tomatoes, lentils, and water.

Then the sauce cooks to meld the flavors for a comforting and wealthy end result. Whereas the sauce is cooking, there’s time to prepare dinner the pasta and get the garlic bread within the oven, pals! Lastly, a contact of recent basil, and it’s achieved.

We hope you LOVE this vegan bolognese! It’s:
Savory
Garlicky
Subtly spicy
Comforting
& SO flavorful!
It’s satisfying by itself or paired with different Italian-inspired dishes. Pairing concepts? Attempt our Garlicky Sautéed Greens, Perfect Roasted Asparagus, or Fluffy Gluten-Free Focaccia Bread!
And for dessert? Our Vegan Tiramisu Pudding Cups are to not be missed!
Extra vegan pasta recipes
For those who do this recipe, tell us! Go away a remark, price it, and don’t overlook to tag a photograph @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, pals!

Servings 4 (Servings)
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped (1 onion yields ~2 cups or 195 g)
- 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped (1 carrot yields ~1/4 cup or 60 g)
- 4 giant cloves garlic (4 giant cloves yield ~2 Tbsp or 18 g)
- 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz. entire child bella or cremini mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ – 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp crushed crimson pepper flakes (non-compulsory)
- 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1/2 cup raw crimson lentils
- 1/2 cup chopped recent basil (non-compulsory however beneficial)
- 12 oz. dry pasta, ideally a brief tube form like rigatoni or penne (gluten-free as wanted)
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Peel and roughly chop the onion, carrot, and garlic and add them to a food processor. Pulse till finely chopped. Alternatively, finely chop by hand.
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Warmth the olive oil in a big pot or Dutch oven over medium-high warmth. As soon as scorching, add the finely chopped onion, carrot, and garlic and sauté till translucent and comfortable, stirring sometimes.
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In the meantime, add the mushrooms to the meals processor and pulse till finely chopped (or chop by hand). Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan and prepare dinner for 3-4 minutes till beginning to brown. Subsequent add the tomato paste, sea salt (beginning with the lesser quantity), and non-compulsory crushed crimson pepper flakes and prepare dinner for about 1 minute, stirring always.
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Stir within the crushed tomatoes, water, and lentils. Deliver the sauce to a boil and canopy the pan. Scale back the warmth to low and simmer for ~half-hour, stirring about each 10 minutes, till the sauce has thickened and the lentils are tender and beginning to break down. Then stir within the non-compulsory chopped basil and switch off the warmth. Style and alter as wanted, including extra tomato paste for richness or salt to style.
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When the sauce is sort of achieved, deliver a big pot of water to a boil. As soon as boiling, add the pasta and prepare dinner in line with bundle directions, stirring sometimes to forestall sticking.
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As soon as the pasta is al dente (tender with somewhat chunk), drain it and divide between your serving bowls. Prime together with your desired quantity of sauce and garnish with vegan parmesan cheese and extra recent basil (each non-compulsory).
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Leftover sauce will preserve in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days or within the freezer for as much as 1 month.
*Diet info is a tough estimate calculated with gluten-free brown rice pasta, the lesser quantity of olive oil, and with out non-compulsory elements.
Serving: 1 serving Energy: 406 Carbohydrates: 67.4 g Protein: 14.9 g Fats: 13 g Saturated Fats: 1.8 g Polyunsaturated Fats: 2.1 g Monounsaturated Fats: 8.1 g Trans Fats: 0 g Ldl cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 1272 mg Potassium: 1159 mg Fiber: 9.9 g Sugar: 13.7 g Vitamin A: 520 IU Vitamin C: 27 mg Calcium: 112 mg Iron: 0.4 mg