Veg-Packed Bolognese
Pastry Free
Plan Ahead
Plant Based
Serves 6
Veggie
Whether you’re a diehard veggie or a card-carrying carnivore, you need some sort of Bolognese in your life. Richly flavoured, warming and healthy, it’s one of those freezer-friendly dishes whose mere presence in the freezer will put a spring in your step. Take it out the night before and you can have a super-tasty meal on the table in the time it takes to cook the spaghetti.
TIP: lentils are a good source of fibre and protein, which makes them brilliant for vegetarians and growing children.
Serves:
4-6Ingredients
15g dried porcini mushrooms
300ml warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 celery sticks, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
3 bay leaves
400g can green or black lentils, drained and rinsed
600ml passata (sieved tomatoes)
1 teaspoon mild dried chilli flakes
1 teaspoon light muscovado sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small bunch of oregano, leaves picked
To serve
cooked spaghetti
grated Parmesan cheese (optional) or vegan alternative
Method
- 1
Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with the measured warm water. Leave to soak for 20 minutes.
- 2
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan, add the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt and sauté over a low heat for 15 minutes until soft.
- 3
Strain the soaked porcini through a fine sieve over a bowl to catch the soaking liquid. Roughly chop the porcini and add
them along with the garlic to the vegetables in the pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, for 3–4 minutes. - 4
Add all the remaining ingredients except the oregano and season with salt and pepper. Pour the reserved porcini soaking
liquid into the pan, stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid and gently simmer for 25
minutes until the sauce has thickened. Stir the oregano leaves through the Bolognaise, and taste and adjust the seasoning. - 5
Using a potato masher, mash the Bolognese in the pan for a minute until some of the lentils and vegetables have broken down to create a textured sauce.
- 6
Serve the Bolognaise with cooked spaghetti for a veggie take on spag bol, sprinkled with generous handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese.
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