Lentil Bolognese

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Course Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Keyword lentil bolognese, lentil ragu

Servings people

Calories 265kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

1 medium yellow or white onion finely diced
1 celery stalk diced
1 large carrot peeled + finely grated (I used a microplane grater)
4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1.5 lb brown button mushrooms
1.25 cups black lentils rinsed well
1 Tbsp tomato paste double concentrated
1 cup red wine
2 x 28 oz canned San Marzano tomatoes whole
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1.75 cups water
1 tsp porcini mushroom powder OPTIONAL
3x3 inch piece kombu seaweed OPTIONAL
1/3 cup flat leaf Italian parsley roughly chopped
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1.5 tsp fine sea salt
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Pasta for serving: gnocchi or a flat noodle like pappardelle, fettuccine or tagliatelle.

Instructions

Rinse the mushrooms well and cut them in half. Add to the bowl of a large food processor and using the Pulse button chop them up into tiny pieces.
1.5 lb brown button mushrooms
Preheat a large heavy bottom dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion, celery and garlic with a pinch of salt and chili flakes until softened and the veggies start to get a little golden color around the edges. Push the veggies to the side and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil in the center then add the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 35 seconds or so, don’t let it burn.
1 medium yellow or white onion, 1 celery stalk, 1 large carrot, 4 garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Stir in the tomato paste then add the mushrooms and turn up the heat. Continue cooking on high as they will release a lot of water and we want that to evaporate. Once most of moisture has evaporated add the lentils and stir well.
1.5 lb brown button mushrooms, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 1.25 cups black lentils
Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Continue cooking until the wine has reduced by half. Add the bay and rosemary (+ porcini powder & kombu if using).
1 cup red wine, 2 bay leaves, 1 sprig rosemary, 1 tsp porcini mushroom powder, 3x3 inch piece kombu seaweed
Transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl and using your hand crush them but keep a few larger pieces throughout for texture. Add the tomatoes with all the juices to the pot with the lentils. Pour in the water, stir well and bring to a constant simmer on medium heat.
2 x 28 oz canned San Marzano tomatoes, 1.75 cups water
Partially cover with a lid and cook the sauce for 1 hour or until the lentils have cooked through and the sauce is reduced into a nice and thick ragu. Stir often making sure nothing sticks to the bottom and the tomato sugars don’t burn. Season with the sea salt and nutritional yeast half way. (TIP: If the lentils are absorbing more liquid than you’d like, you can add more water by 1/4 cup as needed).
1.5 tsp fine sea salt, 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Once the sauce is done to your liking stir in the parsley and finish with a grating of nutmeg. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper.
1/3 cup flat leaf Italian parsley, 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Toss with gnocchi or wide noodles and serve with extra parsley and chili flakes on top. (The sauce is best the second day after the flavors have had a chance to marry overnight. Only combine with as much pasta as you plan on eating right away and remember to discard the bay, rosemary sprig and kombu if using).
Pasta for serving: gnocchi or a flat noodle like pappardelle, fettuccine or tagliatelle.

Notes

Storage - This is one sauce that is best made ahead and tastes better the second and third day after all the flavors mingle together. It can be stored in the fridge up to a week or frozen in individual lidded containers or freezer bags.
The Lentils - Black Beluga lentils are my choice for this ragu. They are a small type of lentil that get their name from their resemblance to Beluga caviar. I really love how they hold up to a long slow simmered sauce without turning into mush but becoming soft and buttery instead. Unlike their more earthy browns and green cousins, the black lentils have a more mild flavor profile that really picks up all the layers of flavor from the sauce without competing at all. All things considered, you can use pretty much any lentil you have in the pantry except for red ones, those will guaranteed turned into mush within 20 minutes and you don't want to ruin this fabulous sauce.
Red Wine - It wouldn't be a true lentil Bolognese without wine, use a good enough for drinking table wine and your sauce will be fantastic. I like choosing something smooth with fruity notes like blackberries, cloves and such. I'm not a connoisseur nor do I drink so really the only wine in my house is for cooking, it must smell good! I hope that helps!

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