Vegan Lentil Walnut Bolognese
A robust, meaty-textured pasta sauce built on green lentils and finely chopped walnuts simmered with crushed tomatoes, red wine, and Italian herbs — deeply savory and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 small carrots, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery stalks, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (or extra broth)
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 8 oz spaghetti or fettuccine
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
Instructions
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1
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 finely diced yellow onion, 2 small finely diced carrots, and 2 stalks finely diced celery stalks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
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2
Add 4 cloves minced garlic cloves and 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly.
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3
Pour in 1/2 cup dry red wine (or extra broth) and scrape up any browned bits. Cook until almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
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4
Add 1 cup rinsed green or brown lentils, 1/2 cup finely chopped raw walnuts, 2 cans crushed tomatoes, 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine.
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5
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and sauce has thickened, about 25 minutes.
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6
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 8 oz spaghetti or fettuccine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
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7
Toss drained pasta with the bolognese sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen if needed. Serve topped with 1/4 cup torn fresh basil.