Best Vegan Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Lentil Bolognese with onion, garlic, mushroom, carrot and tomato

Lentil Bolognese Pasta Sauce: If spaghetti bolognese was one of your best food friends before going vegan, or if you just need to feed some vegans, weep no more.

SpagBol has gone vegan - a vast improvement IMHO because now it's not just yummy and satisfying, it's actually good for you!

Our Best Vegan Spaghetti Sauce Recipe is not only for spaghetti. It also goes with quinoa or millet, tortilla chips, tucked in a burrito, in a bowl with corn bread on the side - anyway you like it.

Total prep & cook time: 30 min

Yield: 4 Servings

Nutrition Data Per Serving, 289g: 229 cal, 29g carb, 10g fat, 415 mg sodium, 9g fiber, 10g protein, low Cholesterol, good source Folate, Potassium. Estimated glycemic load 10

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small carrot, shredded
• 1 celery rib, diced
• 1 cup diced fresh mushrooms OR 1/4 cup dried mushrooms
• 1 cup diced red pepper
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked brown or French lentils with liquid

• 15 oz can whole plum tomatoes, chopped, with liquid (use food processor if you have one, or strain & chop) OR 4 fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 tsp molasses or maple syrup
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Optional: 1/4 cup red wine
• Optional: 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Optional: 1 tsp dried savory or tarragon leaves
• Optional: 1/2 cup diced veggie sausage OR tempeh bacon
• 2 tsp dried basil leaf or 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Water or vegetable stock to thin
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prep all the vegetables
2. Heat oil on medium heat in a large saute or sauce pan
3. Stir fry onions until soft
4. Add the rest of the vegetables and stir fry until soft
5. Add lentils and liquid, chopped tomatoes, molasses, paprika and optional ingredients as you wish
6. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring several times.
7. Cook the pasta while the sauce is simmering
8. Thin the sauce if needed with water or vegetable stock, add salt & pepper to taste
9. Stir in the basil, and serve the sauce over hot pasta, garnishing with chopped basil or parsley, vegan sour cream or vegan parmesan

Recipe Tips:

Canned tomatoes, lentils & cooking wine have plenty of salt, and so do veggie sausage & tempeh bacon, so taste before you add extra salt to the sauce.

The optional ingredients take this dish over the top, so add them if you can. I went for the wine, balsamic vinegar, and tarragon since I had those on hand.