Red Lentil Bolognese
Serves 1
Directions
- 1Brown the onions to build a savory base for the pasta sauce.
- 2Add garlic, dried herbs, and cook down an entire tube of tomato paste.
- 3Add a generous glug of red wine, or skip it if preferred.
- 4Combine red lentils and walnuts with the flavor base.
- 5Cook until a thick and rich sauce forms.
- 6Toss the sauce with cooked pasta.
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1.5 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 5 oz tube of tomato paste
- 0.5 cup dry red wine
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup red lentils, soaked for 30 minutes
- 0.25 cup walnuts, crushed finely
- 14.5 oz canned crushed tomatoes (or whole peeled tomatoes)
- 12 -16 oz long, wide pasta (tagliatelle, pappardelle, or fettuccine) OR rigatoni
- 1 tablespoon high-quality aged balsamic vinegar
- Fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
Tips
- Since this recipe uses a lot of tomato paste, seek out tubed tomato paste instead of canned. Tube varieties are preserved with salt (canned tomato paste usually use citric acid) so the flavor is purer, richer, and more seasoned. And there’s no tinny aftertaste.
- The red wine adds a richer body and flavor, but if you can’t have alcohol, just skip it.
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