Since slowly turning vegan, there’s a few things I have really begun to miss. Good cheese, scrambled eggs, whipped cream. I’m sensing a pattern here…..There are some ingredients that are nearly impossible to veganise; you then just to have adapt and find something or a substitute that does the job that this previous item once did, rather than replicate it. Even better; when you find something new which does the job, but also has it’s own identity. This is when you get the non-vegans to also love your food!
I think pasta with lentils does that. I will not call it Lentil Bolognese here, because to me it’s not. You can veganise Bolognese by using a vegan minced meat substitute and it can taste pretty good. (My husband’s step-mum once actually tricked his dad by serving bolognese with soy mince and not telling him, and he didn’t even notice!) But sometimes it tastes weird, and it is different (to me, at least) depending on the product you use. It’s also very pricey and not always accessible, depending on where you live.
That’s where lentils come in. Think of them as being the building bricks to a warm, stewy, tomatoey, garlic-y seasoned goodness sitting on top of a pile of al dente spaghetti and topped with a glug of olive oil, a crack of pepper and chopped parsley. As a bonus, it’s super economical, easy to make and there’s also a couple of hacks if you’re in a time crunch. They’re also loaded with protein. Sounds good?
So I don’t have any official recipe for this. I have a general way of making it, but depending on what lentils I have, and how much time I have to cook, the “recipe” varies. That’s why I’m going to give you a cooking plan, as opposed to something more official. I will get onto that eventually, but feel free to google it. There are dozens of recipes out there.
Prep it!
If you are short on time or just hungry, I recommend soaking your lentils first while you do the rest. That way, when you add them in they’re already partially cooked. you don’t have to – it just means you’ll have to cook the sauce longer. Ignore this obviously if you’re using tinned lentils, if using you will need 2 tins (partially drained).
To soak the lentils I would take about 1 cup of brown, puy or similar hard lentils and cover them with hot or boiling water, making sure there’s enough excess water once they start to absorb. DO NOT USE red lentils, they will basically evaporate. You want your lentils to have a big “chew” to them in this sauce!!
If you’re in a rush, now’s a good time to get your pasta water going. This recipe is enough for 500g plus you will have leftovers for the days to come.
Make your “Mirepoix“
Heat up a couple of teaspoons of olive oil in a pan and fry 1 diced onion on medium – can be white, brown or purple. When it starts to look translucent, add about 2 stalks of cut celery and 1 large or 2 medium carrots. Try to cut your veggies around the same size. The less time you have for cooking, the smaller they should be!
Right at the end add a couple (or 10) crushed cloves of garlic, and stir for 30-60 seconds.
Add the lentils & stock
Add your drained, soaked lentils, with about 3 times as much vegan stock (or stock powder and equivalent amount of water). Don’t add the tinned lentils in too quickly, make sure the vegetables are basically cooked, or you will end up overcooking the lentils. They are already cooked in the can, and just need time to absorb the flavours and heat up – roughly 5-10 minutes on simmer.
Flavour her up!
Chuck in a couple of bay leaves, dry fresh herbs (whatever you have – oregano, parsely, time, basil etc.), a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste (get the good quality stuff!), a gentle slug of balsamic vinegar, 1/2-1 tablespoon of maple syrup/sugar/preferred sweetener, a bit of salt and pepper. Stir, add a dollop of olive oil and cover, simmer until the lentils are cooked.
Once they’re just about done, you can add a touch of vegan cream or milk – i find this can balance out the bitterness or the vinegar, lentils and bay leaf. Check on the thickness – it should somewhat resemble bolognese, in that it’s firm, but there’s a bit of juice to go around the pasta. Too much juice then it turns into soup, so try and get the balance right. it makes such a difference!
Have a taste – is the flavour balanced? does it need more sugar, vinegar, or something else? get used to “feeling” how this dish should taste, which is entirely dependent on your preferences. Add whatever you think is missing. This, to me, is the secret to a GREAT sauce. Use your senses – smell, sight. Be as tuned in to the food as you can be. Imagine yourself as a stranger eating it, and how it would taste to you. Now make your adjustments.
Serve it
I put the pasta straight onto the plate and add the desired amount of lentils. Top with a generous amount of olive oil, yeast flakes and/or vegan parmesan, some chopped, fresh parseley and cracked pepper. Sometimes a little chilli, if you’re feeling it.
Enjoy. It’s that good.
How about you? Have you made this yet or have your own version? Tell us in the comments!
