This hearty vegan sauce is incredibly easy to make and seriously delicious. Filled with lots of veggies and protein-rich lentils it is also super healthy. Make a big pot as it both reheats and freezes very well and the whole family will love it!
You can use any kind of lentils you prefer, even tinned lentils would work well. Dried mushrooms and dried herbs would all be great substitutes if you don’t happen to have fresh available.
Lentil and Mushroom Ragu
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion , finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery , finely diced
- 2 medium carrots , grated
- 3 cloves garlic , crushed
- 12 medium mushrooms (about 200g) , finely diced
- 3 tsp dried Italian herb mix , or dried oregano
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary or thyme leaves , finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup red split lentils , or any other of kind of lentils
- 700 g tomato puree or passata , or 2 x 400g tins tomatoes
- 1 & 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water
- 1 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves , finely sliced
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan , or nutritional yeast flakes
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot and add the onion, celery and carrot with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook gently until the vegetables are very soft and and caramelised, for about 20 minutes.
- Mix in the garlic, mushrooms, dried Italian herb mix, fresh rosemary or thyme and nutmeg. Cook for a couple of minutes.
- Rinse the lentils very well and then add them to the pot, along with the tomato puree, vegetable stock or water, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour until the lentils are very tender and the sauce has thickened. Stir the pot occasionally, adding a little more stock or water if necessary.
- Add the basil or parsley and taste for salt and pepper. Serve the ragu over your favourite pasta or zoodles, with a sprinkle of parmesan or nutritional yeast flakes.
