This nutritious Vegetarian Quorn & Lentil Bolognese is so versatile and delicious! It is a mix of both a meat substitute and lentils, plenty of veg and lots of delicious herby tomato flavour. You can enjoy it in so many ways too, with pasta and rice, on a jacket potato, or with nachos. It's a quick and easy meal, great for weeknights and something the whole family will enjoy!
What's great about this recipe
- It's a delicious meal for the whole family
- It freezes great, so it's perfect for batch cooking
- It's healthy and low fat, yet filling
- It can be served in various ways
- It's great with cheese sprinkled on top!
What you will need
- Onion - a medium sized white onion is perfect for this recipe, you could also use red onion instead if you like
- Pepper - also know as bell peppers or capsicums, I use two in this recipe. Red, orange or yellow peppers are best and I like to use one of each colour - purely for aesthetic reasons!
- Carrot - finely diced or grated, carrot is a great flavour and veg boost in this recipe
- Garlic - You can use fresh, frozen or pureed garlic, for plenty of tasty garlic flavour in this recipe
- Pasta sauce - don't feel guilty about using a shop bought pasta sauce, they are so handy and convenient and they taste great too. I use them often, however if you don't want to then replace this ingredient with two tins of chopped tomatoes. You may also want to add some extra herbs too
- Tomato puree - for an extra boost of tomato flavour
- Quorn mince - I use this vegetarian mince regularly as it's so convenient and easy to use, you can use any vegetarian or vegan meat substitute that you prefer in this recipe. If you don't want to use a meat substitute, then add an extra tin of lentils instead or some mushrooms
- Tinned lentils - I like to mix lentils into my vegetarian bolognese for extra protein and goodness too
- Red wine stock pot - my secret ingredient! Not only does it save opening a whole bottle of wine (or you'll have more for drinking!) but it packs in lots of flavour and really makes this bolognese rich and special
- Oregano - an essential ingredient in bolognese, this tasty herb adds delicious flavour. Fresh is best but you can use dried too
- Thyme - another fragrant herb that adds yummy flavour to this dish, you can use dried or fresh
How to make Vegetarian Quorn & Lentil Bolognese
Cook the onion, garlic, carrot and pepper in a pan with a little oil until soft. Add the vegetarian mince and lentils and mix in.
Then add the pasta sauce, tomato puree, herbs and red wine stock. Simmer for 15 minutes, then serve.
How long does the bolognese last and can it be frozen?
Once fully cool, this bolognese can be stored for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat either in the microwave or in a pan on the hob.
Can this recipe be made vegan?
Yes! The only thing you will need to change is the Quorn mince as it is not vegan. You can replace it with a vegan mince substitute, or instead add an additional can of lentils, or some chopped mushrooms.
What can you serve with this recipe?
- Pasta
- Rice
- Jacket potato
- Chips, fries or wedges
- Garlic bread
- Any vegetarian or vegan cheese!
More tips for making Vegetarian Quorn & Lentil Bolognese:
- You can add other vegetables to the bolognese depending on your preference. Such as chopped mushrooms, courgette or celery. I usually add whatever veg is languishing in the fridge!
- I've not made this recipe using dried lentils. Tinned lentils are so much more convenient and are low cost too, I really recommend trying them
- You can cook Quorn mince directly from frozen, so there's no need to worry about defrosting it
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
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Vegetarian Quorn & Lentil Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 White onion medium, diced
- 2 Peppers diced
- 1 Carrot diced or grated
- 3-4 cloves Garlic finely chopped
- 300 g Vegetarian mince I used Quorn
- 235 g Tinned lentils drained
- 500 g Pasta sauce (or 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes)
- 1 tbsp Tomato puree
- 1 Red wine stock pot
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Thyme
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a low heat
- Add the onion, pepper, garlic and carrot to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes until the onion has softened and starts to go translucent
- Add the Quorn mince and lentils, and stir everything together
- Then add the pasta sauce, tomato puree, red wine stock pot, oregano and thyme, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer
- Simmer for 15 minutes. While it is simmering you can cook pasta or rice to serve it with if you like
- Serve immediately, and top with grated cheddar cheese if you like
- Once fully cool, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months
Monika Dabrowski
The recipe looks delicious! Congratulations on starting a new blog, I am sure it will do great!
katsvegkitchen
Thank you so much Monika!
Polly
This bolognese is so delicious and so good for you with all the extra veggies. It was great with spaghetti but would also be good as a jacket potato filling or served with rice. This is a tasty and versatile meal that can also be frozen
katsvegkitchen
I'm so happy you liked it Polly! Thank you so much for your lovely and helpful feedback 😀