Rich Lentil Bolognese | Vegan, Slimming World Syn Free
Make a big batch of this Lentil Bolognese because you are gonna love it! This vegan Bolognese sauce tastes just as delicious as the original and is so versatile. An excellent Syn Free Slimming World meal that’s also great for freezing. Make it on the hob, in your Instant Pot or the slow cooker!
250g| 1 cup cubed butternut squashcut into small cubes
400g| 14oz tin chopped tomatoes
960ml| 4 cups vegetable stock made with 2 stock cubes
200g| 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
100g| ½ cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over
To serve
2tbspfresh rosemary leaves, very finely diced, to serve
Vegan hard cheese to serve
pasta or riceto serve
Instructions
Lentil Bolognese on the hob
Spritz a large lidded pan with olive oil cooking spray. Add the onion, carrots, celery and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium-low heat until softened. If the pan gets too dry add a little stock.
Add the garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, sweetener and salt. Cook for a minute, stirring.
Stir in the tomato purée and Marmite or yeast extract. Add the squash, chopped tomatoes, soy sauce, vegetable stock and lentils.
Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft.
Remove and discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Check the seasoning and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Toss the sauce with spaghetti or serve over brown rice, garnished with finely chopped fresh rosemary and a little grated hard vegan cheese if you like.
Instant Pot Lentil Bolognese
If you are in a hurry you can make this a ‘dump and start’ recipe. Add all the ingredients in your pressure cooker ending with the chopped tomatoes. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes then release pressure manually. If you have the time, follow the method below!
Spray your Instant Pot with olive oil spray and press Sauté/Normal. Add the onions, carrots celery and squash once it displays ‘HOT”. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring.
Add the garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, sweetener and salt. Cook for a minute, stirring. Stir in the tomato puree and Marmite or yeast extract.
Add the stock, soy sauce, lentils and finally the chopped tomatoes. Do not stir.
Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow for 5 minutes natural release then release the pressure manually.
Remove and discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Check the seasoning and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve as desired.
Slow Cooker Lentil Bolognese
Follow steps 1-2 of hob method then add all remaining ingredients and cook on low setting for 6-7 hours. Stir and check if lentils are cooked to your liking. Adjust the seasoning to your taste!
If you are feeling lazy, simply combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir well. Cook as above.
Notes
Lentil Ragu uses
This is such a great recipe! You can eat it on its own as a thick soup with some bread. You can serve it over spaghetti or other pasta shapes in the same way you would a meaty Bolognese sauce. I also like it a jacket potato filling or served over nachos!Lentil Bolognese can be used to make Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie (or should that be Shepherdless pie?) or as the base of Vegetarian Moussaka. Follow the recipes on the links but substitute the meat filling with lentil bolognese.
Can I make it gluten free?
This recipe is naturally gluten free provided the vegetable stock is also GF. Serve with gluten free pasta or over rice if you prefer.
Is this recipe vegan?
This Bolognese recipe is vegan or vegetarian if you decide to serve with cheese. There’s a few nice vegan cheese options on the market as well.
Is this recipe suitable for weight loss diets?
This delicious vegan recipe is Syn Free on Slimming World, around 230 calories per serving and 7 SmartPoints on Weight Watchers without any pasta or additional toppings. As always, keep an eye on your serving sizes and additional extras!I really love this Bolognese with wholemeal spaghetti or with brown rice – it adds lots of fibre to your diet too! ––––––
Please note I am not affiliated in any way with Slimming World. Syn values are based on the Slimming World online calculator.
––––––
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.