Meat Free Monday - recipe #3

Here’s our recipe for a vegan spaghetti bolognese – you won’t even miss the meat!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large white onion (finely chopped)

1 large carrot (finely chopped)

1 celery stick (finely chopped)

1 garlic clove (minced)

400g cooked green lentils (drained and rinsed)

400g chopped tomatoes

175ml glass of Merlot

1 tbsp tomato puree

½ tsp dried mixed herbs

Salt and pepper (to taste)

½ tsp unrefined caster sugar

150g whole wheat spaghetti

Vegan parmesan cheese (optional)

Method:

Heat your olive oil in a pan on medium heat and add the onion, carrot and celery. Leave it to cook down for 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables are nicely softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. Add the glass of Merlot and cook for a few minutes, until the mixture has reduced. Throw in the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, dried mixed herbs, and unrefined caster sugar. Bring the mixture to the boil and taste – this is a good time to add more salt and pepper if needed. Turn the hob down to low, cover the pan with a lid, and leave the mixture to simmer for half an hour. You may need to add a splash of water to the mixture and check it periodically to stop it sticking. After 30 minutes, add the lentils to the pan. Let the mixture cook for another 20 minutes with the lid off – this gives the lentils time to take on the flavour of the sauce. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook your spaghetti according to the packet instructions (12-15 minutes). Drain your spaghetti in a colander once it’s cooked, reserving some of the pasta water in a mug. Add your pasta to the bolognese mixture, adding a few splashes of pasta water as you go to bring the whole dish together. Serve in big pasta bowls and garnish with fresh pepper and a grating of vegan parmesan.