An easy, utterly flavorful recipe for slow-cooked Lentil Bolognese sauce to serve over pasta. French puy lentils add peppery deliciousness. Vegan, nut-free, soy-free.
Pasta and legumes are made for each other. Together they are perfectly nutritious and delicious vegan eats because they pack a huge protein and fiber wallop. They also offer a perfect opportunity to create pasta dishes that are low-fat or even fat-free and utterly flavorful.
Recipes like lentil pasta sauce and lentil marinara are great examples of how well this combination works. Also here's my Slow Cooker Lentil Bolognese recipe - a pasta sauce that's meaty, delicious, healthy and, best of all, so easy.
This is a versatile sauce - you can also spoon it over quinoa or brown rice. I have a fat-free option for you in the recipe, but keep in mind that you are using just one teaspoon of oil for a recipe that makes eight servings, which means you get no more than 5 calories per serving from the fat.
To serve the bolognese, use a pasta that's either broad-- like pappardelle-- or a shaped pasta like penne rigate, elbows, or shell pasta. You want something that's wide enough to serve as a vehicle for the bolognese, or shaped so it will suck in and hold the sauce. The bolognese is gluten-free, so  if you are gluten-free you can make it with gluten-free pasta.
Recipe card
Vegan Slow Cooker Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried French puy lentils (Brown lentils or whole masoor are a perfectly delicious substitute)
- 2 carrots, chopped into 1-cm pieces
- 3 sticks of celery, chopped into 1-cm pieces
- 1 ½ cups tomato puree,
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable stock (use water if you don't have this)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
- Salt to taste
- parsley
Instructions
- Soak the lentils in enough water to cover and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a crockpot turned to the high setting, combine the oil, onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Add ½ teaspoon salt and half of the ground black pepper. Give it all a good stir, cover with the lid, and walk away from it for 30 minutes. (You can make this dish fat-free by adding a couple of tablespoons of stock instead of the oil). I find this first extra step of "sweating" the mirepoix of onions, carrots and celery really helps build the flavor.
- After 30 minutes, take off the lid, give everything a good stir, and add the lentils, tomatoes, vegetable stock, dry herbs, chipotle chili, remaining black pepper and salt to taste.
- Mix well and cover the crockpot again. Let the bolognese sauce cook for two hours on the high setting or until the lentils are tender. The carrots will still have some bite, which is wonderful. Check salt and add more if needed.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Add to the crockpot and give everything a good stir. Add some of the pasta cooking liquid if the pasta is too dry.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Nutrition Information
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Anjali says
Hi,
Really excited to make this recipe! Just wanted to ask how long you would suggest cooking it in an Instant Pot under the high pressure setting? I am looking to make it in less time. Thanks
Emmett says
So glad I stumbled upon this recipe! What would you recommend as a substitute for the chipotle adobo? Red pepper flakes or cayenne? And what amount? Thank you so much!
Anonymous says
This recipe is amazing! This sauce actually tastes like an authentic beef bolognese! I had to make a couple of tweaks to the recipe as I didn't have any tomato puree, so instead I added a can of diced tomatoes and two tablespoons of tomato paste. I also added mushrooms to give the sauce a bit of a meatier texture. I actually ended up cooking this for closer to five hours on high, rather than two and a half, as the sauce was very watery, but I don't think my slow cooker is very powerful so that's probably the reason why I had to cook the recipe a bit longer. Can't wait to eat this for dinner tonight!
Anonymous says
I just stumbled across this recipe and curious on how you get 8 servings out of this recipe?
Lauren says
So pleased I found this recipe! Its been simmering away today here in Kaukapakapa, New Zealand where we've been battling a storm and colds for a few days. Kids (17 months & 3.5 years) just devoured their dinner with brown rice and I'm looking forward to mine a bit later. We're all vegetarian and additionally our youngest is dairy intolerant so we rarely have dairy these days. It's so nice to find recipes that work for the whole family. FYI - I doubled the recipe to share with our neighbours as well and we still have plenty for the freezer for another cold night. Thank you!!!
Donna says
Going to try try this recipe,but have one question. Do you drain the lentils before adding to onion mixture?
Vaishali says
Donna, yes, drain and then add fresh water.
N says
How much pasta? Thx
Vaishali says
N, About 16 ounces or 1 pound should be perfect for this.
peggella says
I'm going to make this right away. Looks great!
Cathy says
Wow! I love lentils, and use them often, but never even thought about using them in a Bolognese sauce! I work in a residence with clients who have limited insight about healthy foods. I am always on the lookout for healthy dishes for our weekend "House Lunch", and you have just inspired my next menu!
Vaishali says
Cathy, hope you try it! 🙂
jacey says
did I miss the bit about how much pasta to cook?!
smallftprints says
Oh my ... you've put together two of my favorite foods ... lentils and pasta! This looks so yummy ... I can't wait to try it. And, using the crockpot makes this dish very efficient as well.
Well, I have to say ... I am totally impressed with your dedication, especially that we now know your husband isn't vegan. It is HARD to maintain an eating plan when others aren't on board. It's great that he loves your vegan food but I can see how it would be difficult to go out when there isn't always a veg option. You've touched on something I've learned, though ... most chefs are happy to whip up something for a vegan ... we just have to ask. I will say that this does not work at chain restaurants. But at the independent places, the staff typically is more than happy to accommodate us.
Annapurna says
It takes a lot of determination and mental strength to be a vegetarian especially a vegan in this day and age. Kudos Vaishali for sticking to your guns even in hard situations. BTW, the sourdough bread turned out great. It deflated a bit, since I touched it, but next time I know better. Black bean bolognese for dinner, since that is what I have soaked 🙂
Mary @ Mary's Test Kitchen says
I am going to try this recipe! I am not a big fan of lentils but maybe I'm just using them wrong. They are so healthy for us I need to get them in somehow! 🙂
Vaishali says
Hi Mary, lentils are amazing and they are each so different from the other with different textures and flavors. I hope you will try this!
divya says
beautifully made.looks amazing.
Vaishali says
Thanks, Divya. 🙂
kum says
All these days I assumed Desi was a vegetarian...
Lentil Bolognese looks so Yum! Thank you so much for posting so many plant-based recipes...
Global vegan fare
Vaishali says
Hi Kum, he is vegetarian most of the time and loves vegan food, but he also isn't a strict vegan like I am. When we travel, he likes to try different things.
Gita Jaishankar says
This one is a keeper for me Vaishali, I have been looking for pasta recipes with lentils (trying to make balanced dishes for the kiddos). Love this healthy pasta with all the vegetables and lentils. I am planning to make this for dinner tomorrow, thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe 🙂
Vaishali says
Hi Gita, I hope you will try it. I think kids would love all those nice flavors in there. 🙂