Originally I wanted to call this recipe 'lentil bolognese, but after some research I realized that my idea of a bolognese spaghetti was a very Americanized version and not close to the traditional Italian dish. I developed this recipe based on one of my favorite meals from when I first started my vegan journey, about 6 years ago now. Valentines day is almost here so I wanted to keep that in mind and share a date-night-inspired recipe with you, but even if you're single like me you can still make this delicious recipe, because it is seriously super easy to make but still tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen making it.
The homemade tomato sauce is surprisingly easy to make and more flavorful than a can of chopped tomatoes would be, but if you don't want to go all out you can, of course, use canned tomatoes. Cooking the red lentils in the homemade tomato sauce makes them more flavorful, because they absorb the different layers of flavor we previously built with the aromatics, seasonings, tomato paste. This also means less dishes to wash. Red lentils are great not only because they have a meaty texture, which is key in this dish, but also because they are packed with plant-based protein.
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 small or 1 large carrot, diced
1/2 cup red lentils
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 fresh chopped tomatoes or 250g can of chopped tomatoes
125g spaghetti
100ml vegetable broth
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp each: oregano, basil, thyme
salt & pepper
Instructions:
Wash the red lentils at least 3 times or until the water runs clear and let them soak in water while you prepare the tomato sauce.
Saute the onion and garlic in a pan for at least 5 minutes, until the onion is nice and caramelized and light brown. This will create a layer of flavor.
Then add the seasoning, salt & pepper to taste and the tomato paste, stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the carrots to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Next add the chopped tomatoes, deglazing the pan. Bring it to a gentle simmer and cook for at least 25-30 minutes, letting the tomatoes release their liquid. After about 10 minutes of cooking time you can add your soaked lentils and veggie broth. Continue cooking stirring occasionally to make sure nothing burns. If you are using tomatoes from a can you can add them to the pan and this stage, followed by the red lentils and veggie broth, although you might want to add less of the veggie broth.
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt to the boiling water and cook the spaghetti to your liking, following package instructions. Once cooked, drain the water.
Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend half of the tomato sauce until smooth. This step is optional, but recommended for the texture of the sauce.
Serve the cooked pasta with some of the sauce on top as well as the lemon juice.
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to tag me on Instagram!
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