Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce with Lentils

I make no secret about it - I love lentils! They are a healthy and economical source of protein and fiber and can be used in soups, stews, as a side dish, or on their own. Recently a friend of mine asked me if I had a good recipe for vegetarian lasagna and I began to think in terms of lentils as a replacement for the ground beef.

So before embarking on an entire lasagna, I thought I'd begin with a lentil inspired bolognese sauce done in the slow cooker and serve the end product with rigatoni.



















I'm not gonna lie, the lentils at the halfway point in my slow cooker looked like they were going to be an epic fail - but with a little patience and a full 8 hour cooking time on high, they came out BEAUTIFUL with the perfect texture for a sauce!

It also makes a lot so that you can freeze some for later - and I plan to make that lasagna with the next batch I pull out!

This is a healthy, and very delicious dish, so if you try it, let me know! As well, be sure to subscribe to follow this blog, and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube.

I upload two new recipe blogs and videos a week!

Visit the printable recipe here: Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce with Lentils

Or cook along with me at the Casa de Kitchen Witch on Youtube!



Ingredients
  • 1 cup diced white onion
  • 4 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 cup carrots diced into bite sized cubes
  • 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
  • 8 sliced button mushrooms
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 7 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 28 oz can tomatoes with juice
  • 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
  • 14 ounces dried, rinsed lentils
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Directions
  1. Place all ingredients but the balsamic vinegar in a slow cooker treated with cooking spray and cook on the low setting for 10-12 hours or high for 8 hours - until the lentils are soft and tender.Add the balsamic vinegar to the cooked warm lentils.
  2. Cool to room temperature.
  3. Using a blender, food processor, or hand blender, lightly puree everything to resemble a Bolognese sauce (as per the video)
  4. The sauce makes enough for four meals. Place into freezer bags and keep in the freezer up to 6 months.
  5. Heat and serve over your favorite pasta, vegetables, or both. 

Author:

Lyndsay Wells is a professional trainer, writer, and program developer with a passion for food and cooking. She is an award winning recipe developer, a former website ambassador for Kraft Foods Canada, the $20,000.00 winner of the online competition "The Real Women of Philadelphia" and a finalist on the Food Network Canada show Recipe to Riches. Lyndsay believes cooking should be approachable and easy and has great tips and ideas for putting together sophisticated looking dishes that cooks of all levels can accomplish.  
 

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