Lentil Bolognese
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large (220g) or 2 medium brown onions, finely chopped
  • 1 medium (200g) eggplant, finely diced
  • 250g portabello or other large flat mushrooms, finely diced
  • 2 medium (200g) carrots, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup (210g) puy lentils or uncooked brown lentils
  • 500g jar pasta sauce* (I used Aldi organic pasta sauce)
  • generous ½ cup (125+ ml) red wine
  • 2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
  • handful baby spinach leaves, optional
  • ½ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
  • 300g (or more if serving hungry males) wholemeal pasta (or gluten free pasta if coeliac)
  • 2 medium-large (300g) zucchinis
  • 20g fresh parmesan or vegan cheese, optional
Instructions
  1. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat
  2. When hot, add the oil and onion and sautee for 4-5 minutes until it softens and starts to brown
  3. Add a little water if the onion starts to stick
  4. Add the eggplant, mushrooms and carrots and sautee for 3-4 minutes before adding the garlic
  5. Sautee for another 3-4 minutes before adding the lentils, pasta sauce, red wine and vegetable stock
  6. Stir well and allow to come to the boil, then turn heat down and if you have a lid, cover the pan
  7. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are cooked
  8. Add extra water if needed
  9. Meanwhile cook your pasta and shred zucchini
  10. To assemble, toss zucchini through cooked pasta
  11. Stir spinach and basil through bolognese and serve on top of the 'zoodles'
  12. Sprinkle with parmesan just before eating
  13. Serve with salad
Recipe by Healthy Home Cafe at http://healthyhomecafe.com/2015/03/21/lentil-bolognese/