Meet your new go-to cozy fall recipe: plant-based mushroom and lentil bolognese. As the weather gets colder, we start to crave warmer and heartier meals. These kinds of meals can also be easier on our digestion, especially in the colder months. One of my favorites recently is this plant-based twist on a meaty classic – spaghetti bolognese. Not only is this sauce incredibly flavorful and nutritious, but it’s also easy to make as well!
What is bolognese?
Traditional bolognese is a tomato-based sauce packed with heavy ingredients like meat, cream and cheese. In this recipe, we have swapped those out for mushrooms, lentils and coconut milk. The mushrooms and the lentils provide a meaty texture and the coconut milk adds a touch of depth and creaminess to the dish. I like to use this organic coconut milk with no guar from Thrive Market. You can save 25% off of your first order here.
I’ve made this sauce with just mushrooms, and while it’s still delicious and hearty, the mushroom lentil version is definitely the winner. Let’s celebrate lentils for a minute. Lentils are small round legumes that have become somewhat of a staple in vegan cooking as a plant-based protein source. In addition to being high in protein, lentils are also fiber-rich, packed with polyphenols (which may offer protection against disease), high in magnesium, and a good iron source. While I used brown lentils in this recipe, you could certainly experiment with green, black, red or yellow lentils.
Can you substitute the zucchini noodles in this bolognese recipe?
Yes! I’ve enjoyed this dish with zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash noodles and chickpea noodles. While they are all delicious, I actually think the spaghetti squash combo was my favorite. This sauce would be excellent in a vegan lasagna, or stuffed into quesadillas and sweet potatoes. When you try out this plant-based lentil and mushroom bolognese recipe, let me know what kind of noodles you use. I would love to hear what you think!
Plant-based Mushroom and Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini, spiralized
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 7 mushrooms, about 1.5 cups diced
- 1/2 cup uncooked lentils, rinsed
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 3 oz tomato paste (1/2 can)
- 1 tbsp oilve oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds, garnish
- sea salt
- cracked pepper
Instructions
To make the zucchini noodles
- Put zucchini noodles in a colander in the sink or over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes. This will help release the water.
- Heat a pan on the stove with a small amount of olive oil.
- Squeeze the zucchini noodles in the colander to release more water, and add to the pan.
- Heat and stir for about 3 minutes. You want them to be al dente.
To make the bolognese
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and shallots and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, carrot, mushrooms and lentils to the pan. Stir until combined.
- Add tomato paste, coconut milk, dried basil, dried oregano and water to the pan. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If more liquid is needed, add water or coconut milk.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Add bolognese to the zucchini noodles and sprinkle with hemp seeds.
Notes
**Spaghetti squash would be a great alternative for zucchini noodles!
If you liked this recipe, try out my recipe for amazing plant-based mac & cheese!
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