Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or more oregano)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (5.3-ounce / 150 g) tube tomato paste
- ½ cup (120 mL) mixture of ¼ cup balsamic vinegar + ¼ cup vegetable broth
- 3 cups (720 mL) vegetable broth
- 1 cup (185 g) red lentils, soaked 30–60 minutes
- ¼ cup (32 g) walnuts or pecans, finely crushed
- 1 (14.5-ounce / 410 g) can crushed tomatoes
- 12–16 ounces (340–454 g) pasta (tagliatelle, pappardelle, fettuccine, rigatoni, penne rigate, or gnocchi)
- 1 tablespoon high-quality balsamic vinegar (to finish)
- Flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Soak red lentils in water for 30–60 minutes. While soaking, prep all other ingredients.
- Heat a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, then onions with a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring until lightly browned.
- Deglaze with a splash of water and continue cooking for another 4–5 minutes until onions are soft and golden.
- Add garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 60–90 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes until it darkens and caramelizes.
- Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar and broth mixture, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the mixture becomes jammy.
- Pour in the remaining vegetable broth, then add soaked lentils and crushed walnuts. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for another 15–20 minutes, until lentils are tender but not mushy. Add water as needed to prevent sticking.
- Meanwhile, boil a large pot of salted water and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve some pasta water and drain the rest.
- Taste the bolognese and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar to finish.
- Toss cooked pasta with the lentil bolognese, adding a splash of reserved pasta water to help coat the noodles.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or basil if desired and serve warm.
Notes
- Soaking the lentils reduces cooking time and improves texture.
- Use a food processor to finely crush the walnuts for a meatier texture.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free pasta.
- This sauce stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 640mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
