Name: Lentil bolognese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 onions finely chopped; 3 carrots finely chopped; 3 celery sticks, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves crushed; 500g bag dried red lentils; 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 2 tsp each dried oregano and thyme; 3 bay leaves; 1l vegetable stock; 500g spaghetti; parmesan or vegetarian cheese, grated, to serve

Lentil bolognese

Struggle to get your five-a-day? This superhealthy lentil ragu will get you four steps closer and can be frozen for extra convenience

1 hr 30 min total 15 min prep 1 hr 15 min cook 6 715 cal

Instructions

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1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook gently for 15-20 mins until everything is softened. Stir in the lentils, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, herbs and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 40-50 mins until the lentils are tender and saucy – splash in water if you need. Season.
2 If eating straight away, keep on a low heat while you cook the spaghetti, following pack instructions. Drain well, divide between pasta bowls or plates, spoon sauce over the top and grate over some cheese. Alternatively, cool the sauce and chill for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months. Simply defrost portions overnight at room temperature, then reheat gently to serve.