Vegan Lentil Walnut Bolognese

Name: Vegan Lentil Walnut Bolognese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
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 celery stalks, finely diced; 4 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

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.

60 minEasyServes 4450 cal/serving

ItalianDinnerStovetopVeganVegetarianHigh ProteinHigh FiberDairy-FreeEgg-FreeLow-SodiumCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

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 celery stalks, finely diced
4 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

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 finely diced celery stalks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
2

Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Italian Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

How do I know when Vegan Lentil Walnut Bolognese is done?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 5: cook until lentils are tender and sauce has thickened.

Why save the pasta water for Vegan Lentil Walnut Bolognese?

Step 6 reads: "Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining." The water is full of starch. Added back as step 6 directs, it emulsifies the sauce so it clings to the pasta instead of pooling in the bowl.

Is there a substitute for red wine in Vegan Lentil Walnut Bolognese?

The entry for Vegan Lentil Walnut Bolognese calls for 1/2 cup dry red wine (or extra broth). In its place: Use beef or mushroom stock with a tablespoon of red wine vinegar or balsamic per cup. The sauce will be a little less deep.

Does Vegan Lentil Walnut Bolognese contain tree nuts?

Yes: 1/2 cup raw walnuts, finely chopped. The full allergen list for this entry is gluten and tree nuts. Where the nuts are a garnish or a texture, toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds stand in. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

How many calories are in Vegan Lentil Walnut Bolognese?

One serving (the recipe makes 4) is about 450 calories, with 18 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate and 14 g fat, plus 8 g fiber and 380 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.

Serve it with

Italian Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan side
White Bean and Tuna Salad salad
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto sauce
Drinkable Tiramisu drink

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.