The perfect pasta for your cozy weeknight in? It’s here! This 10-ingredient vegan bolognese is comforting, easy to make, and packed with hearty mushrooms and protein-rich red lentils.
It’s an ideal way to warm up on a chilly night and incorporate nutrients into your everyday sauce in a flavorful way. Let us show you how it’s done!
What is Bolognese?
Bolognese is an Italian sauce, typically made with meat, that gets its name from the Italian city of Bologna. The sauce is often served on top of pasta or as a component in lasagna and is made by cooking meat with soffrito (onions, celery, and carrots) and tomatoes to create a thick sauce.
The following vegan version uses mushrooms and lentils for a similar texture and super-savory flavor!
How to Make Vegan Bolognese
Similar to traditional bolognese, this recipe starts with a soffrito-inspired base of carrots, onions, and garlic. Since we want a saucy sauce, blitzing them in the food processor saves time on chopping and creates a beautiful, fine texture.
While the veggies sauté, the mushrooms take a turn in the food processor before joining the party. Then the other party-goers arrive, including salt, tomato paste, red pepper flakes (optional), crushed tomatoes, lentils, and water.
Then the sauce cooks to meld the flavors for a comforting and rich result. While the sauce is cooking, there’s time to cook the pasta and get the garlic bread in the oven, friends! Lastly, a touch of fresh basil, and it’s done.
We hope you LOVE this vegan bolognese! It’s:
Savory
Garlicky
Subtly spicy
Comforting
& SO flavorful!
It’s satisfying on its own or paired with other Italian-inspired dishes. Pairing ideas? Try our Garlicky Sautéed Greens, Perfect Roasted Asparagus, or Fluffy Gluten-Free Focaccia Bread!
And for dessert? Our Vegan Tiramisu Pudding Cups are not to be missed!
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Pasta (GF)
- Vegan Pasta Al Limone
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff (GF Optional)
- Easy 1-Pot Vegan Spaghetti (30 Minutes!)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Bolognese with Mushrooms & Red Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped (1 onion yields ~2 cups or 195 g)
- 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped (1 carrot yields ~1/4 cup or 60 g)
- 4 large cloves garlic (4 large cloves yield ~2 Tbsp or 18 g)
- 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz. whole baby bella or cremini mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ – 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1/2 cup uncooked red lentils
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (optional but recommended)
- 12 oz. dry pasta, ideally a short tube shape like rigatoni or penne (gluten-free as needed)
FOR SERVING optional
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Fresh basil, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Peel and roughly chop the onion, carrot, and garlic and add them to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Alternatively, finely chop by hand.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the finely chopped onion, carrot, and garlic and sauté until translucent and soft, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, add the mushrooms to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped (or chop by hand). Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until starting to brown. Next add the tomato paste, sea salt (starting with the lesser amount), and optional crushed red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, water, and lentils. Bring the sauce to a boil and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for ~30 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the lentils are tender and starting to break down. Then stir in the optional chopped basil and turn off the heat. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more tomato paste for richness or salt to taste.
- When the sauce is nearly done, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Once the pasta is al dente (tender with a little bite), drain it and divide between your serving bowls. Top with your desired amount of sauce and garnish with vegan parmesan cheese and more fresh basil (both optional).
- Leftover sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nikki says
Obsessed! Just made this tonight and it was SO good. Definitely sharing this one with my friends/family. Thank you for another great recipe!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nikki! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Janet says
This bolognese is so good!! Trying to incorporate healthier meals and was skeptical. Even my 70 year old husband loved it. Thank you!!
We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed it, Janet. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Katarina says
This is by far the best vegan bolognese I have ever made! Thank you!!
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review, Katarina!
Celine says
So tasty!! And the texture was so similar to a real bolognese.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Celine. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Katherine says
Great recipe! Love the mushrooms and lentils for a great bolognese-like texture. Makes more than I thought it would, this could easily serve a family/crowd! Would recommend and will be making again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Katherine. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Kate says
This is a wonderful dish, thank you so much. I’ve been looking for eons on a delicious recipe that includes mushrooms and this is it.. mission accomplished. So tasty, so good x
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kate. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Kathryn says
This tasted soooo good. Despite turning up his nose at the sound of it, my teenage son really enjoyed this meal. I’ll be cooking it again!
Thanks so much for the review, Kathryn. We’re glad you all enjoyed!
L says
I made this with green lentils and it was delicious and so easy to make. Will make with red lentils next time!
Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Stacy says
We tried this mainly due to the protein content, and we both really loved it. My husband wanted to add red wine to the sauce, but we didn’t have any on hand, so it was made as-is and was perfect.
Red wine would be delicious in this to deglaze the pan! We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed it, Stacy. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Suzanne says
Excellent recipe! Red lentils are my favorites and they do not get mushy. I did not have fresh basil so I used dried. I will make this again when basil is growing in my garden.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Suzanne. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Nikki says
Minimalist Baker for the win! Again! My teen declared “I really like mushrooms” after unknowingly devouring a plateful. A truly delicious and filling dish. Thank you so much for this and all of your veg-forward (and planet- AND family-friendly) recipes!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nikki. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Laura D says
The flavor of this was delicious!! I will absolutely make it again. I salted the veggies as I cooked them, and cooked the mushroom veggie mix a lot longer until they were starting to brown and stick to the pot. At the recommended cooking time they were still soggy and mushy.
I did have a problem with my lentils not getting soft and mushy like reds usually get for me- I simmered for an extra hour or two trying to get them to break down but they remained a bit toothsome. Worried about feeding potentially undercooked lentils to my kids, I ended up feeding them nuggets and my husband and I were the guinea pigs (we didn’t get sick so safe to say it was fine to eat).
I don’t think my lentils were old, so I’m wondering if cooking them in the salted and acidic tomato sauce was the reason they were tougher than usual? I’m not sure, but I’m hoping to figure it out and keep making this delicious dish. Thanks!
Hi Laura, thank you for sharing! We’re so glad you enjoyed the flavor. It’s normal for red lentils to be a little more textured when cooked this way, but we haven’t found it to be an issue. However, you can cook them separately in water, if preferred. We just prefer more texture. Hope that helps!
Allison says
Hi Dana! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. We made this last night and it was just perfect over pasta. The best leftovers, too. You are right about the basil – do add! We also had fresh thyme and oregano, so we added as well. I have been following you for quite some time and I enjoy all of the recipes you share with your community. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Allison! Thank you for your kind words and support!
Jana says
This turned out awesome!!! I didn’t have mushrooms, so I subbed a can of artichoke hearts… It was so yummy!!! I will make it with mushrooms next time! Thank you for sharing!!!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Jana!
Tara says
Really tasty, and my boys (1&3) loved it. I actually followed the instructions through step 3 and through everything in the slow cooker after lunch. Then all I had to do was cook some pasta at dinner time. Will make this again for sure.
So glad you and your family enjoyed this, Tara. Love your tip as well! Thanks!
Emily says
Super tasty!! Our whole family loved, and it was simple to make with a food processor. Will definitely make again! Thanks!!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Emily! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
Bakingbikingmom says
This was way yummier than I had even imagined! Absolutely delicious, and so healthy. I also added about 1/2-3/4 cup minced spinach leaves for extra iron.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review!
Bunny says
In the US your soffritto is called a mirepoix. I’m going to make this recipe for a dinner I’m catering in a couple of weeks. There will be a few vegans and I try to make something they can enjoy.
Bethany says
Delish! I don’t feel so bad eating pasta because this sauce is so healthy. Great for an easy winter meal.
Thanks for the review, Bethany!
Paul says
This is fantastic. This is definitely on the repeat list.
Yay! Thanks, Paul!
Brook P. says
I was excited to see this recipe as I love red lentils. I’m happy to report that my kids (ages 1,1 and 3) all gobbled it up! I will definitely be making this again, as it was a great way to sneak some veggies into them.
Woohoo! We’re so glad you all enjoyed this. Thanks for the lovely review, Brook!
Erin says
This was the perfect satisfying meal for my pasta craving! I decided to go with Italian tortiglioni pasta and real parmesan cheese but kept everything else the same. Delish!
Ooo yum! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Erin!
Norah says
I made this tonight without onion, because they sadly don’t agree with me, so I added an extra carrot and I used dried basil in lieu of fresh basil leaves. It was easy to make and so delicious! Flavors and textures were spot on. Love your recipes and always look forward to your newsletter. Keep ’em coming!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Norah. So glad you enjoy our recipes!
Sherri says
Made this tonight. So good! And fairly easy with the use of the food processor. I’m looking forward to leftovers. Will definitely be making this again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sherri. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Tamarque says
sounds good and simple to do. would omit the pasta and substitute a protein such as tempeh.
Wendy says
Made this today since I needed a lentil recipe. It was easy and quick. I added more carrots and some frozen cauli-rice and increased lentils to 2/3 cup, plus added some oregano. It was a great lunch – thanks!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Wendy!