For a change, I recommend this recipe Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce, a sauce rich in vegetables, and where lentils replace meat. I didn’t fall over my head, I used the same procedures as in traditional Bolognese, but I decided to replace the meat with lentils.
I made this recipe because my friend Vanessa was visiting me, so I had to honor her with a vegetarian dish. I like to challenge myself, and creating a vegetarian dish that was as close as possible to an “omnivorous” dish was so tempting! I had already seen a bit of Bolognese sauce “re-do” this beef cheek ragu with it, but I had never taken the step of making this sauce vegetable.
Preparing a vegetarian Bolognese sauce doesn’t have to be complicated, you just need to take the basics of a good Bolognese sauce and apply them. I vary this recipe to suit my taste.
One of the big changes I make compared to the classic recipe is the addition of vegetables, for a sauce rich in vegetables. I find it enriches the taste, and allows you to satiate more. That’s why I use canned vegetables, especially canned zucchini cooked with tomatoes, or eggplants cooked with tomatoes, in addition to polpa or peeled tomatoes that will be used to make the sauce.
How to make Meatless Bolognese Sauce?
So for this recipe, I made a normal sauce like Bolognese. I started with a sofrito base, a mixture of onions, carrots, and chopped celery, which I doused in olive oil. I then deglazed with a little red wine. I added canned peeled tomatoes and vegetables, a little tomato paste, and a little smoked paprika. I added 2 sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf. I covered it and let it boil for 20 minutes.
At the same time, I cooked my green lentils for 20 minutes. They were still crunchy. I booked them.
When my sauce has reduced a bit but not by much, I add the lentils, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
For this recipe, it is important that the lentils remain slightly tough to remember the texture of the minced meat. If you cook your lentils for too long, they run the risk of getting mashed up and making an unpleasant porridge!
Some people make vegetarian Bolognese with textured soy protein or cauliflower. It looks more like Bolognese sauce than it looks, but I think there is less (maybe something too much with the cauliflower which brings out the slightly sulfur flavor). That’s why I love lenses!
Do not opt for red lentils as they cook very quickly, and hence are not suitable for this recipe. Choose green, golden or brown lentils. Here, I chose what I had in the cupboard, that is, green lentils!
My Secrets to Successful Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce
The first secret to making a vegetarian Bolognese sauce is to start with a sofrito, that is, a A mixture of celery, carrots and onions cut into small, very fine cubes, and brown it in olive oil (or classic oil). Then, deglaze with a little wine, red or white, to bring out that flavor so distinctive to this sauce!
it is necessary to use very good quality peeled tomatoes, or pasta. I use peeled tomatoes for more substance in the mouth. I even add a little tomato paste to enhance it!
Finally, the last secret is… Time! A sauce that is simmered under the lid for a long time yields a delicious Bolognese sauce, nicely concentrated in the aroma. You don’t only have to heat the tomato sauce, you have to give it time to infuse with aroma!
Part: 4 People
cook lentils
prepare the sauce
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Peel the onion and carrot. Wash the celery stalks. Cut all these into small cubes.
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In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil. Add onion, carrot and celery. Fry everything until the onion becomes very light and translucent. Deglaze with alcohol.
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Add peeled, halved garlic cloves that have removed the germ. mix well.
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Then add peeled tomatoes, a box of vegetables, tomato paste, smoked paprika. is to match. Add salt and pepper and mix again. Add bay leaves and carom seeds, cover and simmer on low flame for 25 minutes.
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Stir regularly to see that the sauce does not stick.
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When the sauce starts to reduce, add the lentils, mix and cook for 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, cook your pasta.
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Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Place pasta on a plate and drizzle vegetarian Bolognese sauce on top.
* You can replace this box of vegetables with another box of peeled tomatoes
