Vegan Lentil Bolognese Zucchini (Printable View)

A nourishing plant-based lentil sauce paired with crisp spiralized zucchini and carrots for a fresh twist.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium zucchinis, spiralized
02 - 2 large carrots, spiralized
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
05 - 2 medium carrots, finely diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Lentils

07 - 1 cup dry brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 2 cups vegetable broth

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

18 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, optional
19 - Nutritional yeast, for sprinkling, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, celery, and diced carrots. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add lentils, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, oregano, basil, thyme, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine.
04 - Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and sauce is thickened. Add additional broth or water as needed.
05 - Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to preference.
06 - While the sauce simmers, spiralize the zucchinis and carrots. Set aside.
07 - Just before serving, lightly sauté spiralized zucchini and carrots in a large pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender but still crisp, or serve raw for extra crunch.
08 - Divide spiralized vegetables among plates. Top with lentil Bolognese. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and nutritional yeast if desired.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It tastes deliberately rich and comforting, not like you're sacrificing anything for being vegan.
  • The whole meal comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinners suddenly feel fancy.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the lentils or you'll end up with a slightly gritty sauce that feels off in your mouth.
  • The spiralized vegetables will release water if cut too far ahead, so do that step close to serving time or you'll have a soggy base.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of the sauce and freeze it in portions so you have a ready-made dinner waiting for the nights when you're too tired to cook.
  • Toast your dried herbs briefly in a dry pan before adding them to wake up their flavors and make the sauce taste more vibrant.
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