You won’t miss the meat in this vegetarian take on the classic bolognese. Instead, we’re using a combination of lentils and mushrooms to get that meaty texture with a hefty dose of fiber. The sauce is packed with flavor thanks to umami-rich mushrooms and soy sauce, jarred marinara, and a touch of salty, nutty parmesan. Simmer it all together until those lentils are cooked, then blend part of the sauce to thicken it up so that it clings to the pasta better. Serve with your favorite pasta shape and top with more parm, some herbs, and plenty of olive oil for some much needed richness to round it out.
P.S. Cook this in a big pot or in your Instant Pot for a more fool-proof option. Also, while this is delicious bolognese-style mixed with pasta, it can also be eaten as a “stew” or thinned out as a soup. Serve with toast!
Ingredient highlight
Lentils! My favorite small but mighty pulse (AKA legume)! They are packed full of protein, fiber, folic acid, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and potassium.
Servings 4 (4-5 cups)
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 40 minutes Ingredients
- 8-12 oz pasta
- 8 oz carrots, quartered*
- 2-3 cloves garlic*
- 8-10 oz mushrooms (fresh or frozen)*
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ tsp kosher salt, divided
- ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cup dry green lentils
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup jarred marinara
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- Chopped parsley, for topping (optional)
- Black pepper, for topping
- Olive oil, for topping**
- *If when chopping these in the blender, there are some big chunks of carrot or mushroom, just chop those chunks by hand. Mushroom chunks are fine, but you want the carrot to be finely chopped.
- **The bolognese greatly benefits from some fat/richness. Be sure to top with a generous amount of your best olive oil or you can stir a couple tablespoons of butter into the bolognese (recommend)!
- Note: ~ to add in some animal protein, read the “substitutions” section for ideas and instructions.
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. I like to get the pasta going when there is about 10 minutes of cook time left for the bolognese.
- To a high-speed blender or food processor, add carrots and garlic and blend until finely chopped. Transfer to a large pot. Add mushrooms to the blender and blend to finely chop, scraping under the blade as needed (or chop by hand). Transfer to the pot.
- Turn the heat to medium and add the olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and cook until vegetables have softened and water has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the red pepper flakes for about 30 seconds, if using.
- Stir in the lentils and walnuts to coat. Then stir in the water, marinara, soy sauce, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a rapid simmer (uncovered) for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through, stirring every 5-10 minutes or so.
- To thicken the lentils, transfer about 1 cup to the high-speed blender and blend until smooth (letting the steam escape), then stir back into the pot. Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. If it seems too soup-y, simmer it for a bit longer or blend up more of the lentils. If it seems too thick, add a splash of water.
- Add pasta to your bowl and scoop the bolognese on top. Sprinkle with plenty of parm, parsley (if using), black pepper, and a generous drizzle of good olive oil.
Instant Pot instructions:
- Cook the veg in the Instant Pot on the “sautee” setting. Add the rest of the ingredients, reducing the water to 2 cups. Cover with the lid, set the valve to “sealing”, and pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Once the timer goes off, manually release the pressure. Follow the rest of the recipe (blend lentils, etc…).
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 8-12 oz pasta
- Chop up the carrots/garlic/mushrooms in the blender (or by hand)
- Grate ¼ cup parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- Make the bolognese
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, use brown rice noodles (recommend Jovial Foods brand).
- To make vegan, skip the parmesan and add an extra ½ teaspoon salt. Or you can replace it with nutritional yeast. Make my Pumpkin Seed Parm, for topping!
- Mushrooms add umami and a meaty flavor, but you can sub any chopped up vegetables for the mushrooms. I’ve tried with broccoli, bell pepper, and cauliflower and it all works. Just use about 3-4 cups total of chopped veggies.
- IF you aren’t a fan of lentils, you can substitute the lentils with 1 lb of ground beef or other ground meat. Simply cook the meat in oil and salt until cooked through, transfer to a plate, then follow the recipe from the start. Stir the beef in where you would have added the lentils. Reduce the water amount to 2-3 cups and simmer for 20 minutes, adding more water as needed.
- To bulk it up and add more protein, you can add 8 oz of ground meat (or sausage) into the mix. Simply cook it in oil and salt, then transfer to a plate and then follow the recipe from the start. Stir the beef back in with the lentils. You may need to increase the water amount to account for the extra volume.
- To bump the protein, you can also just cook some ground sausage on the side and put that on top.
Storage:
- Store leftover pasta and bolognese in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
- Bolognese sauce: up to 6 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
- Pasta: up to 5 days in the fridge
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Reheat the bolognese sauce in a pan or in the microwave until warmed through, stirring every 30 seconds or so. You can stir in a splash of balsamic vinegar to brighten them up a bit.
- Warm up the noodles in the microwave for a short 15-30 seconds or just until warm. We don’t want to blast them or make them mushy.
- Top with cheese, herbs, olive oil, and black pepper.
- Top with cooked sausage crumbles for more protein and flavor.
- Turn the lentils into a soup! Add to a pot along with enough water to make it brothy. Stir in some greens and simmer until wilted. Top with a fried egg.
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