Lentil Bolognese

In a large deep skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in the onion and garlic and 15 for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add in the celery, carrot, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Mix in the tomato paste and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.

Add in the wine (or ½ cup of additional broth if not using wine) and scrape the bottom of the skillet to deglaze. Add in the broth, lentils, walnuts, and crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until the lentils are tender and cooked.

Stir in the parsley and cheese and cook for 1 additional minute. Remove from the heat and enjoy over your favorite pasta!

Lentils – If you want to use red lentils for this recipe, just know that they’ll need less cook time and will end up quite a bit softer than the brown or green lentils.

Walnuts – I tested the recipe with and without the walnuts. You can leave them out as desired. They add a nice little bit of crunch to the recipe that I find really nice.

Parmesan- This can either be left out completely or replaced with a vegan parmesan.