High Protein Lentil Bolognese (Vegan, Grain-free)

4.98 from 42 votes

High Protein Lentil Bolognese (Vegan, Grain-free)

Hearty, healthy, homestyle bolognese, made with lentils and grain-free (chickpea) pasta. It is vegan, easy, frugal, and very high in protein (almost 20 grams per serving).

Prep Time5

Cook Time47

Total Time52

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bolognese, grain-free, high protein spaghetti sauce, lentils, vegan

Servings: servings

Author: Camilla

Ingredients

1 medium carrot peeled, cut into pieces
1 large stalk celery cut into pieces
1 medium-large onion cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian dried herb blend
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup red lentils rinsed
2 cups 500 mL water
1 28- ounce 794 g can tomato puree (not crushed tomatoes)
1/2 cup 125 mL dry white wine (see note for options)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup 75 mL nondairy milk
16 ounces 454 g chickpea pasta (I used penne)
Optional: chopped fresh parsley leaves Vegan Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

Place the carrot pieces, celery, onion and garlic in a food processor; process until finely chopped.
Heat the oil in a large pot or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables; cook and stir for 6 to 7 minutes until softened. Add the herbs and salt; cook and stir 1 minute longer.
Add the lentils, water, tomato puree, wine, and vinegar to pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Partially cover and cook 20 minutes longer until sauce has thickened.
Remove pot from heat and stir in milk. Adjust the salt to taste.
Toss the sauce with the hot cooked pasta. Serve, sprinkled with optional parsley and Vegan Parmesan Cheese.

Notes

Storage: Store the cooled sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Wine Options: An equal amount of red wine, vegetable broth or water can be used in place of the white wine.

Lentils: Other varieties of lentils can be used in place of the split red lentils. Split red lentils cook faster than other lentils, so plan on simmering the sauce for an extra 15 to 20 minutes and add an extra 1/2 cup of water, or more as needed.

Nutrition