Big Batch Bolognese
This is our go-to when we want something that feels proper and hearty, the kind of bolognese that fills the whole kitchen with an incredible smell and has everyone hovering around the hob. We've packed it with lentils and a serious amount of veg, blitzed and slow-cooked until the sauce is rich, thick and deeply savoury. It's got that long-cooked depth that makes you think it's been on the stove all day, even though it's ready in just over an hour. We make a big batch every time because it freezes brilliantly and honestly tastes even better the next day. If you've been on the fence about plant-based pasta dishes, this is the one to win you over.
Before You Start
- Food processor
- Large bowl for soaking lentils
- Large heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven
- Soak lentils in cold water (Step 1)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp tomato purée
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 200g red lentils
- 1 large white onion
- 1 celeriac - about 500g trimmed weight
- 1 leek - washed
- 2 celery stick
- 600g mushrooms
- 6 garlic cloves
- handful of parsley stalks
- 100ml red wine
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 2 x 400g can(s) of chopped tomatoes
- 2 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 sprig of fresh thyme
Method
Soak the lentils
- Tip the lentils into a bowl and cover with cold water
- Set aside
Prepare the veg
- Trim and roughly chop the onion, celeriac, leek, celery and mushrooms
- Peel the garlic
- Add the onion and celeriac to the processor with half the mushrooms
- Pulse until you have rough dice , then tip into a bowl
- Add the onion, leek, celery, garlic and parsley to the processor with the rest of the mushrooms
- Pulse to chop, then add to the bowl with the onion and celeriac
- Continue in batches until all the vegetables are chopped
- Stir to combine
Cook the veg
- Place the pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil
- Once the oil is hot, add the chopped veg, stir, cover and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove the lid
- Add the tomato purée and balsamic vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan to get any tasty bits of caramelised veg off the bottom
- Add the wine (if using), stock, chopped tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, bay and thyme
- Season generously
- Simmer for 30 minutes
- Drain the lentils and add them to the pan, cover and cook for another 10–15 minutes, until the lentils are cooked
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more balsamic if you want more sweetness and acidity
- Remove the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves and you’re good to go!
Store
- Allow the bolognese to cool and then portion up and freeze lying flat as this makes it super quick to defrost when you want a quick supper
Tips & Variations
- Make it gluten-free: Serve over your favourite GF pasta or even a big pile of creamy polenta. Both work brilliantly with this sauce.
- Batch and freeze: This is one of those recipes we almost always double. Portion it into freezer bags flat and you've got instant weeknight dinners stashed away for up to 3 months.
- Boost the umami: If you want to take it to another level, stir in a tablespoon of soy sauce or a teaspoon of Marmite near the end of cooking. Trust us on this one, it makes the whole thing taste even richer and more savoury.
Why This Works
The trick here is pulsing the veg in the food processor before it goes in the pan. It might sound like a shortcut but it's actually the secret weapon, it gives you this incredibly fine, even texture that melts into the sauce and creates that proper bolognese consistency you'd expect from a meat version. The lentils do the heavy lifting on texture and protein, and because they soak up all those tomato and herb flavours as they cook, every mouthful is really satisfying.