Name: Vegan Bolognese [Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Oil-Free]
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 medium ribs of celery ((diced)); 2 medium carrots ((peeled and diced)); 2 cloves garlic ((peeled and finely chopped)); 2 tbsp finely chopped shallot ((substitute onion if desired)); 1/4 cup vegan Pinot Grigio; Kosher salt to taste; 6 oz can of tomato paste; 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with juice ((I used no salt added)); 15 oz can of oil-free tomato sauce; 1 tsp Italian seasoning; 2 cups low-sodium, gluten-free vegetable broth ((be sure to use an oil-free brand of broth)); 3/4 cup dry red lentils, rinsed and picked over (*See Recipe Notes Below)

This one-pot Vegan Bolognese made with lentils is a hearty, protein-packed, fiber-filled sauce that's also gluten-free, nut-free and oil-free. Serve this lentil Bolognese sauce over your favorite pasta or veggie noodles for a delicious plant-based dinner that's perfect for any night of the week. Top with our vegan Parmesan for a tasty combination.

We interrupt this regularly scheduled blog post to bring you an important message:

This sauce is not made with chickpeas...I repeat, this sauce is NOT made with chickpeas.

Are you surprised that I did not use chickpeas to replace the meat in this meatless, vegetarian version of Bolognese sauce?

It's true that I am a chickpea fiend, but sometimes I like to show a little love for some other well-deserving legumes. Therefore, today's star is the red lentil!

CHEERS * APPLAUSE *

What's so great about red lentils?

Well, they are low in fat but high in both fiber and protein. They also contain a good amount of iron, folate and potassium as well as a slew of other vitamins and minerals.

I also prefer them to other lentils for their sweeter flavor and creamier consistency.

However, if you prefer a more earthy and robust flavor, you can easily swap out the red lentils for green ones in this recipe.

They are slightly larger than the red ones and will have a firmer texture in the sauce.

Do the lentils have to be soaked?

No, the lentils do not have to be soaked. However, some people say that soaking helps aid with digestion.

Therefore, if you prefer, you can soak them if you desire for about 2-3 hours before you are going to make the sauce.

Ingredients you'll need (other than lentils)

Vegan Pinot Grigio (check out Barnivore for some great vegan wine options)
Celery
Carrots
Garlic
Shallot
Tomato Paste
Canned Diced Tomatoes
Canned Tomato Sauce
Vegetable Broth
Italian Seasoning
Kosher Salt

How to Make Vegan Bolognese Sauce - Step by Step

Start by adding celery, carrot, garlic, shallot, wine and kosher salt to taste to a 4-quart saucepan.

Cook over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the veggies have softened up and the wine has evaporated.

Next, stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes (along with their juice), tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning.

Then, stir in vegetable broth and lentils.

Bring to a boil, and once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer.

Cook covered for 25-30 minutes until lentils reach desired tenderness.

Before serving, season with additional kosher salt to taste.

Ideas for serving this lentil Bolognese

Serve this sauce over your favorite gluten-free spaghetti or other pasta shape. In the post photos, I used Modern Table's spirals.

It's also great with sweet potato noodles as also shown in some of the post photos. You can also try it with other types of spiralized noodles such as zucchini.

No matter what you serve it over, this sauce is perfect topped off with some of our oil-free and nut-free vegan Parmesan.

Storing the leftovers

Leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can this sauce be frozen?

Yes, this sauce can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Just be sure to store it in an airtight container and fully thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating the sauce

The sauce is best reheated on the stovetop in a covered pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed throughout.

You might also enjoy:

overhead of sauce on top of pasta garnished with basil and vegan Parmesan in a bowl

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Vegan Bolognese [Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Oil-Free]

This one-pot Vegan Bolognese made with lentils is a hearty, protein-packed, fiber-filled sauce that's also gluten-free, nut-free and oil-free. Serve over your favorite pasta or veggie noodles for a delicious plant-based dinner that's perfect for any night of the week. Top with our vegan Parmesan for a tasty combination.

Course Main Course, Sauce

Cuisine American, Gluten-Free, Italian, Vegan

Keyword Bolognese, dairy-free, gluten free, italian food, meatless monday, nut free, oil free, pasta sauce, vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings

Calories 160kcal

Author Sherri Hall

Ingredients

2 medium ribs of celery (diced)
2 medium carrots (peeled and diced)
2 cloves garlic (peeled and finely chopped)
2 tbsp finely chopped shallot (substitute onion if desired)
¼ cup vegan Pinot Grigio
Kosher salt to taste
6 oz can of tomato paste
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with juice (I used no salt added)
15 oz can of oil-free tomato sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cups low-sodium, gluten-free vegetable broth (be sure to use an oil-free brand of broth)
¾ cup dry red lentils, rinsed and picked over *See Recipe Notes Below

Instructions

Add celery, carrot, garlic, shallot, wine and kosher salt to taste to a 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the veggies have softened up and the wine has evaporated.
Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning.
Stir in vegetable broth and lentils, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook covered for 25-30 minutes until lentils reach desired tenderness.
Before serving, season with additional kosher salt to taste.

(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs for this recipe)

Notes

*You can substitute green lentils for the red lentils if desired. The green lentils have a firmer texture and more earthy flavor. However, they will also take longer to reach desired tenderness so this will add to the cooking time. In addition, although it is not necessary to soak your lentils ahead of time, you can choose to do so if desired for about 2-3 hours.

Leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months, but should be fully thawed in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop in a covered pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition calculation is for the sauce alone. It does not include pasta.

Nutrition

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