One pot Mushroom and Lentil Vegan Ragu Sauce is a great alternative to a traditional bolognaise. The lentils and mushrooms have a real 'meaty' quality to them and will leave you feeling quite full. It's a filling and tasty option for 'Meat-Free Mondays' and a great substitute for a traditional ragu sauce. It's also super healthy and goes perfectly with any pasta.
I love meals that can all be cooked in one pot. You can simmer this mushroom and lentil ragu on the hob, or if you need to go out, just pop it in the oven with a lid on. The other bonus is that this is a very cheap dish to make.
Red lentils are very easy to use as you don't need to soak them before hand. You can prepare this ahead of time if you need to and then re-heat it. I always try to cook the pasta fresh if possible. If you do need to cook some pasta ahead of time, place it back in boiling water for a minute. Don't overdo it or the pasta will go soggy.
Serving options for Mushroom and Lentil Ragu
I love to serve this mushroom ragu with pasta. Spaghetti, tagliatelle or pappardelle go very well as longer noodles are best. It's also good with rice and can be served with gnocchi or mashed potato.
Sustainability
If you're looking to add some 'meat free dishes' to your diet, this Mushroom and Lentil Vegan Ragu is a great option. All the ingredients are available organic. Try to buy the vegetables loose if possible to minimise packaging. Shopping local and buying locally grown produce will reduce the carbon footprint and help support the local economy.
Storing Mushroom and Lentil Ragu
You can store this mushroom ragu in the fridge for 3-4 days and freeze it for up to 6 months. I often make a batch of this and keep some in the freezer as it makes a great standby meal. Remember, cooked pasta can also be frozen if you cook too much. Rinse it with cold water to prevent ot sticking and freeze in portion sizes. For more tips on freezer storage, click here.
One Pot Mushroom & Lentil Vegan Ragu Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil organic, fairtrade
- 1 onion peeled & chopped, organic
- 2 cloves garlic peeled & crushed, organic
- 600 g mushrooms washed & diced, organic
- 2 tsp oregano chopped, organic
- 700 g passata organic
- 250 g dried red lentils organic
- 200 ml vegetable stock organic
- 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce organic
- 4 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 1 dash black pepper organic,fairtrade
- 1 dash salt
- 360 g dried spaghetti organic
- 25 g parmesan cheese organic, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or oven proof casserole dish over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft
- Add the garlic, mushrooms and oregano and fry for a further 3 minutes
- Add the passata and lentils and stir together
- Add the hot vegetable stock, worcestshire sauce, most of the fresh basil, stir and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, cook in the over at 180°C/360°F/gas mark 4 for 30 minutes
- 15 minutes before eating, bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti as per the packet instructions.
- Drain the spaghetti and serve with the ragu spooned over the top and a sprinkling of the remaining basil and the parmesan cheese.
Absolutely delicious even for the meat eaters in our family. Easy recipe to follow, not too many ingredients & timings spot on. Generous portions.
Will definitely be serving this again.