Meat-free Mondays feel like a chore? Not with this lentil bolognese. Swap ground beef for hearty lentils and you get the same satisfying texture and rich, deep flavours — who could tell the difference?
If you’re easing into lentil-based dishes, try the familiar mushroom bolognese first: its tomato base and texture echo the classic beef ragu. Serve with cheesy garlic bread for a gentle transition.
Meat-free Monday is a simple, practical way to add more plant foods to your week. A few reasons I like it:
- It adds extra fibre to the diet.
- There are environmental benefits to cutting meat one day a week.
- Plant-based meals are often more budget-friendly.
In a household of regular meat-eaters, I find success by taking a beloved dish and swapping the meat for a plant-based ingredient. This lentil bolognese is a great example. Other swaps that work well: lentil chilli sin carne, meat-free moussaka and a mushroom Wellington — that’s four Mondays covered.
Green lentil bolognese
Lentil ragù (ragù di lenticchie) is more than a hack — it’s an authentic Italian preparation. In regions like Umbria, small brown lentils are traditional, but they can be costly, so other varieties work perfectly depending on the texture you want.
Here’s a quick guide to common lentil varieties and the texture they give:
- French puy lentils (recommended): greenish-brown, slightly peppery, hold their shape and require a longer cook. Expect a textured ragu.
- Common green lentils: widely available and inexpensive, they soften when cooked. Expect a smoother sauce.
- Beluga lentils: small, almost black, with a firm bite — more expensive but give a “bitey” bolognese.
- Red lentils: quick-cooking, break down to create a creamier sauce — good if you want a silky texture.
Important recipe tips and notes
- Start with the soffritto: finely diced carrots, onions and celery gently sautéed to build flavour. Use a food processor to speed up the prep.
- Porcini mushrooms add a deep, savoury note that helps replace meatiness. Rehydrate dried porcini and use both the mushrooms and some of the soaking liquid.
- Choose lentils to match your preferred texture: Puy for firmness, green for softness, beluga for bite, red for creaminess.
- Lentils absorb liquid as they cook — check the pot and add more water if needed so the sauce stays saucy, not dry.
What goes with it
Although spaghett i is often served with bolognese, wider ribbons such as tagliatelle or fettuccine are better at catching a thick, hearty sauce. For this lentil bolognese, rigatoni is a top choice: the short, tubular shapes trap the sauce so each bite has a good balance of pasta and ragu. If your family insists on spaghetti, use what you have — the sauce will still be delicious.
Classic accompaniments include garlic bread, a simple green salad, roasted broccoli with parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes, focaccia or a Caprese salad. You don’t need to serve them all at once — choose one or two sides for a satisfying meal.
Storage and leftovers
Lentil dishes freeze very well, making them ideal for batch cooking. Double the recipe and freeze portions for up to three months — defrost overnight and reheat on the stovetop. Stored in an airtight container, leftover bolognese will keep in the fridge for 3–4 days; reheat gently with a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
More vegetarian recipes to try
- Spaghetti alla Siciliana
- Butter Beans Puttanesca
- Chickpeas and Butternut Squash Curry
- Creamy Orzo Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash
Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only
- 15g / 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in 250ml / 1 cup boiling water (optional)
- 125ml / 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 200g / 1 cup green lentils (French puy lentils recommended)
- 500g / 2 cups tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 500ml / 2 cups water
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Pour a cup of boiling water over the dried porcini mushrooms and let them stand for 10–15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or Dutch oven. Add the diced onion, carrot, celery, minced garlic and rosemary and cook gently over low heat for about 10 minutes without browning.
- Drain and finely chop the rehydrated mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Add the chopped mushrooms to the sautéed vegetables and cook 1–2 minutes, then deglaze the pan with the white wine.
- Add the lentils, bay leaves, tomato passata, tomato paste, water and about half of the reserved mushroom liquid plus a good pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 45–50 minutes. The lentils should be tender but still hold their shape and the sauce should be thick and savoury. Adjust salt to taste.
- Serve tossed with pasta, or alongside sausages for a lower-carb option.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.