Spaghetti bolognese is a classic dish that is forever welcomed on the dinner table. A true comfort meal that should belong in every vegan’s repertoire. This vegan spaghetti bolognese makes use of nutritious, hearty green lentils which perfectly accompany the rich, velvety tomato sauce, and all whilst effortlessly using store cupboard ingredients.
The vegetables
This vegan spaghetti bolognese calls for the humble green lentil in lieu of the usual meat component. The lentils lend a robust texture and earthy quality to the dish. Dried green lentils retain some bite unlike the red and yellow variety. Next, we have the mushrooms which impart a woodsy and pleasant umami flavour. Dried porcini mushrooms can be expensive but only a small handful are needed to give depth to the sauce.
The sauce
The foundation of any good spaghetti bolognese is, of course, the sauce. This recipe has gone through many a trial and error in an attempt to create a rich, aromatic, smack-your-lips one of a kind sauce. What was I missing in those initial attempts? Well, the recipe really benefited from the addition of the deep, nutty porcini mushrooms and also a really, really good splash of wine. Choose a red with moderate tannins like chianti, merlot or pinot noir. The wine imparts a pleasant sharpness which is a welcome contrast to the sweet tomatoes. Reduce the wine for a few minutes to ensure the sauce doesn’t taste too acidic.
So onto the tomatoes. No need for fresh, as good quality plum tomatoes will suffice. Plum tomatoes, rather than chopped, offer a more concentrated and well rounded flavour.
The method
Since this is an all veggie dish, pay close attention to the base ingredients. Sweat the onion and carrot on a low heat for 8-10 minutes to really draw out their natural sweetness. Simmer for 1 hour to really concentrate the flavours. This also lends enough time for the lentils to soften whilst still retaining some bite. This classic recipe needs no further adornments as the sauce really does speak for itself. Serve with a simple salad and fresh crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Let me know how you get on making this recipe by leaving a comment. I’d love to see your creations over on instagram!
More pasta recipes
Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
- 10 g dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 4 garlic cloves crushed and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 250 g chestnut mushrooms sliced
- 150 mls red wine
- Two 400g tins of good quality plum tomatoes
- 200 g dried green lentils well rinsed and drained
- 1 litre vegetable stock made using 1 stock cube
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 400 g dried spaghetti
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- To rehydrate the porcini mushrooms, place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soften for 15 minutes.
- Finely chop the onion, carrot and garlic cloves. In a large casserole dish, heat the oil over a low heat. Add the onion and carrot and sweat for 8-10 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add the chopped garlic, rosemary, oregano and tomato paste and sauté for a minute.
- Meanwhile, drain the porcini mushrooms and slice into thin pieces. Add the porcini and chestnut mushrooms to the pan and stir through for a further minute.
- Now increase the heat to moderate-high and pour in the wine. Allow to reduce over 2-3 minutes.
- Next pour 2 tins of 400g plum tomatoes into a separate bowl and use a pair of scissors to chop into small chunks. Add these to the dish along with the lentils, vegetable stock, salt and sugar.
- Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 1 hour, checking periodically to add water if the sauce starts to look dry.
- In the final 10 minutes begin to cook the spaghetti. Add the pasta to a pan of well salted boiling water. Cook until al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes. Drain well and allow to steam dry for a minute before dividing up onto plates.
- Taste the bolognese to ensure the lentils are cooked through; they should have a slight bite to them. Season with salt and pepper as required. Spoon the lentil bolognese onto the pasta. Serve alongside a crisp dressed salad and crunchy fresh bread.