Easy lentil ‘Bolognese’

Recipe for TiffinWalli By Lucy Jessop (ANutr)

Serves 4

Total time 30-45 mins

125g mushrooms, cleaned of dirt

½ tbsp rapeseed oil

1 large onion

1 carrot 

1 stick of celery

3 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 bay leaf

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce or 1 tsp marmite (vegetarian)

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

½ vegetable stock cube

300g wholewheat spaghetti

1 x 400g tin lentils in water, drained 

Strong cheese, to serve 

Extra virgin olive oil, to serve 

1. Chop the mushrooms. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole (ideally non-stick), over a medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until the water has evaporated and they’ve turned brown.

2. Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery. Add to the pan, stir and cover with a lid. Cook over a low-medium heat for 5 minutes until softened. Stir now and then.

3. Meanwhile, finely chop or grate the garlic. After 5 minutes, stir in the garlic, tomato puree and bay leaf. Cook for 2-3 mins.

4. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes and crumble in the stock cube. Fill the empty tomato tin with cold water and tip into the pan. Season with black pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, simmer gently for at least 15 minutes.

5. After 15 minutes, cook the pasta in boiling water according to the packet instructions.

6. Taste and check the seasoning of the sauce. Stir in the lentils, simmer over a very low heat until the pasta is cooked, adding another splash of water if needed.

7. Serve with the pasta, grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil if you like. 

About this recipe

• Budget friendly

• Find many ingredients in the store cupboard

• Good for Batch-cooking – freeze leftovers

• Healthy

• Balanced

• Good way to reduce red meat intake 

• Low in saturated fat

• High in vegetables – onion, carrot, celery, mushroom, tomatoes – providing a variety of important vitamins and antioxidants as well as fibre. All contributing to your 5 a day.

• Lentils are a plant-based source of protein and high in fibre. They also count as one of your 5 a day. To make this recipe feed more – add another tin of drained lentils.

• Fibre – this recipe contains plenty of fibre which is key for helping to combat high cholesterol and prevent Type 2 diabetes. Its also important for maintaining a healthy digestive system and reducing risk of colon cancer. 

• Wholewheat pasta- also provides fibre and slow-release energy. Wholegrain starchy carbohydrates in general provide more fibre and also have a lower Glycaemic Index, which means that they have less of an impact on our blood sugar levels, helping to keep these stable. 

• Protein and fibre can help us feel fuller for longer, preventing hunger and reducing the likelihood of craving sugary snacks.