This recipe includes as much veg as you want. If you are using mince as well as the lentils/bean you might need more tomatoes (if you’re not using mince, you only need 1 tin of tomatoes). The veg listed is just a suggestion – use whatever veg you fancy or have got to use up. (Above photo has beef mince, green lentils, onions, garlic, celery, red pepper).
If you have a freezer, it’s good to make extra portions to batch freeze so you’ll need some containers or freezer bags.
Ingredients
1 tin any kind of lentils or beans (or dried lentils of any colour)
up to 500gms mince/quorn (optional)
3 tablespoons oil
1 large onion or 2 medium onions finely diced
2 large carrots, finely diced/grated
2 – 3 handfuls of chopped mushrooms, sliced celery, peppers and spinach (optional)
3-4 garlic cloves finely chopped/garlic puree
1 tablespoon dried herbs eg oregano
1 tin tomatoes
1/2 tube tomato puree (or you can use a 2nd tin of tomatoes)
⅓ cup (80 ml) water
4 good glugs of Worcestershire sauce
Pasta of your choice or baked potato or toast
Grated cheese (parmesan or cheddar)
Method
Lentils
If you have dry whole lentils, it’s good to soak them for about 4 hours before cooking. If you have split red lentils they can go straight into the sauce as they cook quickly.
Sauce
1. Heat oil in saucepan. Add half your chopped onion and stir and cook for a couple of minutes. If you’re using mince, break it up and add to the onion. Stir until mince no longer pink and break up any lumps. Take the onions and mince out and set aside.
2. Heat more oil in the saucepan, add the rest of your onion and veg. Saute for several minutes until soft. Add garlic and spinach and stir in.
3. Then add tin of tomatoes and your lentils/beans, herbs and Worcestershire sauce.
4. Blitz if desired for a smoother sauce (and to disguise the veg). Stir and simmer for 10 mins.
5. Add the cooked mince and onion and simmer for 5 minutes. Add extra tin of tomatoes or a good squirt of tomato puree and water to make the consistency you want.
6. Taste and season as required. Serve with pasta/baked potato/toast and top with grated cheese (optional). Instead of cheese you can drizzle some extra virgin olive oil if you want some extra richness.
Equipment
Hob, saucepan, sieve, tin opener, knife, chopping board, grater, wooden spoon, tin opener, garlic press, small bowls.
If you want to blitz the sauce you will need a magimix or a stick blender.
Freezer containers or bags.
This is what the bolognese looks like if you blitz the sauce before adding the mince and onion.
