Everyday Red Lentil Bolognese
Everyday Red Lentil Bolognese is a meaty vegetarian main without the fake meat. Simmered with dry mushrooms, lentils, tomatoes, & herbs.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- 1 5 quart pot with lid
- 1 dishtowel
- 1 knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 measuring cup
- 1 small heat proof bowl
Ingredients
- 1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 ¼ cup warm water
- 1 ½ tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups yellow onions small chop
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt divided
- 4 oz. shitake mushrooms wiped clean, stems discarded, very small chop
- 3 inches carrot grated on a micro-plane/rasp
- 2 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian soffritto spice blend preferably from Trader Joes, see notes
- large pinch red chili flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon dry thyme crushed between your fingers
- 1¼ teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
- ¼ teaspoon dry oregano crushed between your fingers
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamari sauce sodium light preferred
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon dry red wine
- 24 oz. jar crushed tomatoes see notes
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
- 1 cup red lentils thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 3 bay leaves
- fresh basil for serving
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Place dried porcini mushrooms in a small, heatproof bowl. Pour the warm water over them and stir. Set aside.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a 5 quart pot over medium heat until shimmering.
- Add the onions and 1/8 teaspoon of Kosher salt. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Lower the flame to medium-low and cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Cook until onions are golden with browned edges and reduced. If you taste them they should almost melt in your mouth.
- Half-way through the onions cooking, check on the dried mushrooms. They should be soft and pliable. Using your hands, carefully squeeze out the dried mushrooms and mince them with a knife.
- Fold a dishcloth into quarters so there are four layers of cloth. Drape the cloth over a bowl and carefully pour the mushroom liquid over it. Discard the sediment left in the towel and reserve the filtered mushroom liquid. Set it aside.
- Back to the pot! Add the shitake mushrooms to the pot with another 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt and cook them for about 5 minutes, until golden. Add the dried, minced porcini mushrooms and sauté for one minute.
- Add the carrot, garlic, soffritto, thyme, rosemary and oregano and cook about 40 seconds until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, tamari sauce and stir well to incorporate.
- Add the tomato paste and stir slowly for a few seconds until fully incorporated.
- Add the red wine and stir, getting up all the lovely browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, stocks, lentils, and reserved mushroom liquid and remaining salt and bay leaves and stir well.
- Simmer the sauce for two hours. Stir often.
- Serve over pasta with fresh basil and piles of grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano cheese.
Notes
For my recipes - I strongly recommend using crushed tomatoes from a glass jar rather than a can. From the can, tomatoes tend to absorb a slight metallic/tin taste that will throw off the recipe. You can also use boxed crushed tomatoes if jarred is not available in your local store.
I love Trader Joe's Italian Soffritto Spice Blend. I highly recommend you give it a try. If you don't have this blend, you can substitute Italian seasoning with a few flecks of chili powder instead.