Lentil Bolognese

Difficulty: Easy – Medium

Serves 4

My brother was recently told not to eat soy so I’ve been trying to make tasty and satisfying meals without relying on tofu and soy-based mock meats. It can be tricky but I’ve managed to come up with a few bloody good recipes; this Lentil Bolognese is one of them and will be added to my rotation.

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 cups cooked lentils
• 1 800gram can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup vegan beef style stock (or vegetable)
• 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce (make sure it’s soy free too)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 500gram packet spaghetti
• Fresh basil to serve

Method

1. In a large pan, sauté the garlic and onion in a little olive oil.
2. Add the carrot and lentils before throwing in the diced tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mixed herbs, salt and pepper.
3. Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring occasionally before reducing to a simmer. The sauce will need to thicken over 20-30 minutes.
4. While the sauce is simmering, cook your spaghetti according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
5. When the sauce is ready, serve on top of the spaghetti with some fresh basil.