This mushroom lentil bolognese features the rich flavors of the classic Italian dish with a satisfying vegan take on ragu.
Bolognese sauce is a type of ragù traditionally featuring meat. This vegan version features lentils and diced mushrooms for a warm and hearty result. Vegan ragu never tasted better!
Serve over ribbon pasta like tagliatelle, linguine, or fettuccine or short pasta cuts like rigatoni or campanelle.
The key to the flavors in this vegan lentil bolognese is the seasoning blend. Oregano, bay leaves, and fresh basil deliver on the flavor for this modern take on a classic dish. This is a year-round classic, but you will especially love mushroom lentil bolognese in the fall and winter months.
Ready for more plant-based international cuisine? Try these tofu spring rolls.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Vegan and vegetarian-friendly: Loaded with carrots and mushrooms, this dish is veggie-forward.
- Rich flavors: This is a warm and hearty home-cooked meal
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Ingredients
- Pasta
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Tomato purée
- White mushrooms
- Carrots
- Oregano
- Dried bay leaves
- Crushed tomatoes
- Vegetable broth
- Dry green lentils
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce (see Substitutions for recommendations)
- Organic brown sugar
- Fresh basil
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Boil pasta according to package directions. Be sure to salt the water. Drain and set aside.
Tip: Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. This can be used to thin out the bolognese sauce later if desired.
Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions, sautéing until softened.
Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds to 1 minute or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Stir in the tomato purée.
Add the mushrooms and carrots, cooking for 4–5 minutes, stirring regularly until the mushrooms have cooked down, softened, and released liquid.
Stir in the oregano, bay leaves, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and lentils and bring the mix to a simmer.
Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar.
Reduce to a low simmer for 45 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked and tender. Stir regularly to prevent sticking.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in fresh basil right before serving.
Serve over pasta and garnish with fresh basil and plant-based parmesan (optional). Vegan parmesan cheese is the perfect addition to this pasta sauce.
Substitutions & Ingredient Notes
- Lentils: Green lentils can be substituted with French lentils or red lentils. If using red lentils, reduce the simmer time to 30 minutes.
- Worcestershire sauce: Traditional Worcestershire contains anchovies and, therefore, is not vegan. However, vegan Worcestershire is widely available (try Annie's, The Wizard's, or Kroger's store brand).
- Brown sugar: Refined sugar products are often not vegan because refineries use bone char. However, bone char is not approved for USDA Organic sugar products. Look for organic brown sugar to keep it strictly vegan.
- Basil: Dried basil can be used in place of fresh, but add dried basil at the same time as the oregano, rather than at the end.
- Pasta: To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta. A tasty alternative to pasta is spiralized zucchini.
Equipment
- Large pot for boiling the pasta
- Large pot or dutch oven for making the bolognese sauce
- Cutting board and chef's knife for chopping the veggies
Storage
Store mushroom lentil bolognese in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
This dish can be frozen for up to 3 months. Fully defrost before reheating. I recommend freezing the sauce and serving it over fresh pasta.
📖 Recipe
Mushroom Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
- 16 oz pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
- 3 cups white mushrooms small diced
- 2 cups carrots small diced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup dry green lentils
- 1 tablespoon Vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon organic brown sugar
- ¼ cup tightly packed fresh basil roughly chopped
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package directions. Be sure to salt the water. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, sautéing until softened.
- Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds to 1 minute or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato purée.
- Add the mushrooms and carrots, cooking for 4–5 minutes, stirring regularly until the mushrooms have cooked down, softened, and released liquid.
- Stir in the oregano, bay leaves, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and lentils and bring the mix to a simmer.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar.
- Reduce to a low simmer for 45 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked and tender. Stir regularly to prevent sticking.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in fresh basil right before serving. Serve over pasta and garnish with fresh basil and plant-based parmesan (optional).
Notes
Nutrition
Note: Nutrition was estimated using WP Recipe Maker.
Frequently asked questions
Lentils become tender when fully cooked, so the best way to tell is to try them. Undercooked lentils have a grainy texture. Green lentils tend to take around 45 minutes to become tender, whereas red lentils take around 30 minutes.
This plant-based bolognese is made with onion, garlic, tomato purée, white mushrooms, carrots, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, vegan Worcestershire sauce, organic brown sugar, fresh basil, and dried seasonings.
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