Lentil Ragu (Vegan)

Plate with vegan spaghetti bolognese with vegan parmesan and basil garnish.

5 from 1 vote

You will love this super versatile, easy lentil ragu. Perfect for your vegan spaghetti bolognese, cottage pie, as a filling for jacket potato and so much more. Full of whole-foods plant goodness, it's our family favourite!

Course Dinner, Midweek Dinner

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword lentil ragu, meal prep, One pot, vegan ragu, vegan spaghetti bolognese

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 320kcal

Author Jo Allison

Equipment

1 Large Chef's Knife
1 Food Processor*
1 Cast Iron Shallow Round Casserole*
1 Large Cast Iron Round Casserole Pan, 26 cm* better when batch cooking
1 Wooden Spoon*

Ingredients

2 tablespoon rapeseed/olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
4 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped/minced
2 celery stalks finely chopped
2 large carrots peeled and finely chopped
1-2 broccoli stalks (optional) woody outer skin cut off, finely chopped
150 g dried green lentils rinsed, see notes
200 g chestnut mushrooms chopped really finely or left chunkier, you choose
100 g walnuts finely chopped, see notes
2 400g tins chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoon tomato puree
1 tablespoon miso paste any type of miso paste will do
1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs or your choice of herbs, fresh herbs will work too
2 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari or to taste
1 veggie stock cube or bouillon powder

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Prepare all the ingredients and chop all the vegetables as per above.
Process mushrooms and walnuts together in the food processor until they resemble crumble like mixture. If you don't have food processor you can chop them with a knife. Feel free to chop mushrooms really fine or leave them a bit chunkier, it's up to you.
In a large casserole heat up couple of tablespoon of oil.
Add finely chopped onion, garlic, celery, carrots and broccoli stalk (if using) and saute until nicely softened 5-8 minutes.
Next, add finely chopped mushroom/walnut mixture, tomato puree, miso and dried mixed herbs.
Give it all a good mix and add dried lentils followed immediately by two tins of chopped tomatoes and a stock cube/powder.
Fill both empty tomato tins with water (¾ full) and add it too.
Stir it well to ensure all the ingredients are nicely incorporated.
Bring ragu to boil, cover and simmer stirring from time to time for approximately 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Feel free to add more water/stock if ragu seems a bit dry.
Once lentils are tender add soy sauce or tamari and stir it in.
Season to taste with salt and pepper or more soy sauce/tamari and you are ready to serve.
Enjoy with spaghetti, over jacket/baked potato, with mash, rice or in a pie!

Notes

Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (based on 6 servings) and should be treated as a rough guideline only.
Green lentils can be substituted with brown or puy lentils.
I like to chop my walnuts really finely in a food processor together with mushrooms so that they resemble crumble like consistency which adds great texture to this meatless lentil ragu. Feel free to chop walnuts with a knife if you don't have food processor.
For more detailed nites on ingredients and possible substitutions see Ingredients and substitutes.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer friendly (for more details see Freezing).

TIPS:

Make sure you have all the ingredients chopped and ready to go before you start cooking. It will make cooking process so much smoother.
Use food processor to chop your veggies if you can. Chop them nice and fine but do be careful not to process them into complete mush.
I like to process mushrooms and walnuts together into crumble like consistency or give them a good chop with a knife. Feel free to chop mushrooms into chunkier pieces if you like but do chop walnuts pretty fine to help with that bolognese texture of your ragu.
Make sure to give lentils a good rinse to get rid of all the dust.
Check the ragu from time to time as it cooks, give it a stir and add a splash of stock or water if it looks a bit dry.
If you've got time make it ahead and allow all the gorgeous flavours to mingle. No worries if it's not an option as it tastes delicious on the day you make it too!

Nutrition