This vegan green lentil ragu with butternut squash is a delicious protein rich dinner, and perfect healthy comfort food for cold winter evenings. Taking just 10 minutes to prepare, it can be made ahead and frozen too.
There is nothing better than a bowl of this steaming hot ragu on a cold winters night! The butternut squash brings a slight sweetness that my family loves, as well as adding an extra serving of veggies, which I love! (If you are looking for butternut squash recipes, this roast butternut pasta is another easy recipe that can easily be made vegan.)
This vegan ragu is great for batch cooking and freezes well too, and is also suitable for those on a gluten free diet.
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Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
- Green lentils – I like using green lentils, but you can also use brown lentils
- Butternut squash – adds a sweetness to the ragu. You can use pumpkin instead.
- Stock – vegetable stock, or if you are not vegan or vegetarian, chicken stock works well.
- Tinned tomatoes – canned diced tomatoes, or use canned/tinned plum tomatoes and break them down with a spoon.
FAQ
Are green and brown lentils the same?
Green lentils are more peppery in taste than brown lentils, however in dishes such as this they are interchangeable.
Can you cook green lentils without soaking?
Yes you can. Although soaking the lentils can help reduce the cooking time. You should always rinse lentils under running water and pick over any lentils that are broken, or any bits of debris in them.
Can I add other vegetables?
Absolutely! This lentil ragu recipe is made without mushrooms, but feel free to add them, finely chopped, along with the celery and carrots. A diced red or green pepper / capsicum is a lovely addition, as is a cubed or grated courgette / zucchini.
My Recipe Tips
- Caramelising the onions adds a deep richness to this vegetarian ragu, and the butternut squash provides a sweetness – which makes it more popular with the kids!
- Fast dinner – use ready cooked tinned lentils and reduce the stock by 1 c /240ml.
- For a thicker ragu – take out 1 ½ cups/ 3 heaped tablespoons of the ragu and blend until smooth before stirring back in to the ragu.
Serving Ideas
- Spoon the lentil ragu over your favourite pasta.
- Rice or quinoa are great options for a gluten free ragu.
- If you are a fan of potatoes then gnocchi, mashed potato, or even roast potatoes all make the ragu into a delicious meal!
- With a slice of garlic bread – or air fryer garlic bread – on the side.
Ideas for leftover ragu
- Blitz any leftovers ragu into soup with a little more stock for a smooth lentil soup, or leave chunky and if you have any leftover pasta, heat together with some more stock to make a chunky minestrone-type soup.
- Layer in between sheets of lasagna to make a vegetarian lasagna.
More lentil recipes for you
I love cooking with lentils! They can be the star of the show like in the lettuce wraps, or hidden when blended into a soup.
Lentil Ragu
Author: Robyn
This vegan lentil ragu with earthy green lentils and sweet butternut squash is a healthy and comforting family dinner, perfect for winter.
Equipment
- 1 large pan with lid
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 carrot finely diced
- ½ large butternut squash (or 1 small, around 700g), cut into 1.5cm / .6inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree tomato paste
- 120 ml red wine optional
- 200 g green lentils
- 400 g tin/can crushed tomatoes
- 360 ml vegetable stock
- 360 ml water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- black pepper
- fresh parsley to serve, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion over a low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally until soft and caramelised.
- Add the garlic, celery, carrot, and butternut squash, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are starting to soften.
- Stir in the tomato puree and cook for 30 seconds then turn the heat up and add the red wine, if using. Simmer until the wine is almost evaporated.
- Add the lentils, tinned tomatoes, stock, water, bay leaf, rosemary, soy sauce and black pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down slightly and simmer for 40-45 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are tender.
- *If you want a thicker sauce, see notes below.
- Serve with pasta and fresh parsley sprinkled over the top.
Notes
STORAGE
-
- Fridge: Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
-
- Freezer: Cool completely then freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- I like to use a mixture of stock and water to prevent the ragu from being too salty. If you are using homemade vegetable stock use all stock.
- Butternut Squash – or use pumpkin.
- Soy sauce – adds a Unami flavour to the sauce, if you don’t want to use it, season to taste with a pinch or two of salt.
- Fast dinner – use ready cooked tinned lentils and reduce the stock by 1 c /240ml.
- Extra step for a thicker sauce – take out 1 ½ cups/ 3 heaped tablespoons of the ragu and blend until smooth before stirring back in to the ragu.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 17gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 776mgPotassium: 1275mgFiber: 20gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 13049IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 6mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 carrot finely diced
- ½ large butternut squash (or 1 small, around 700g), cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree tomato paste
- ½ c red wine optional
- 1 c green lentils
- 400 g tin/can crushed tomatoes
- 1½ c vegetable stock
- 1½ c water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- black pepper
- fresh parsley to serve, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion over a low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally until soft and caramelised.
- Add the garlic, celery, carrot, and butternut squash, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are starting to soften.
- Stir in the tomato puree and cook for 30 seconds then turn the heat up and add the red wine, if using. Simmer until the wine is almost evaporated.
- Add the lentils, tinned tomatoes, stock, water, bay leaf, rosemary, soy sauce and black pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down slightly and simmer for 40-45 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are tender.
- *If you want a thicker sauce, see notes below.
- Serve with pasta and fresh parsley sprinkled over the top.
Notes
STORAGE
-
- Fridge: Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
-
- Freezer: Cool completely then freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- I like to use a mixture of stock and water to prevent the ragu from being too salty. If you are using homemade vegetable stock use all stock.
- Butternut Squash – or use pumpkin.
- Soy sauce – adds a Unami flavour to the sauce, if you don’t want to use it, season to taste with a pinch or two of salt.
- Fast dinner – use ready cooked tinned lentils and reduce the stock by 1 c /240ml.
- Extra step for a thicker sauce – take out 1 ½ cups/ 3 heaped tablespoons of the ragu and blend until smooth before stirring back in to the ragu.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 17gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 776mgPotassium: 1275mgFiber: 20gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 13049IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 6mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 carrot finely diced
- ½ large butternut squash (or 1 small, around 25 oz), cut into .6inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree tomato paste
- ½ c red wine optional
- 1 c green lentils
- 14 oz tin/can crushed tomatoes
- 1½ c vegetable stock
- 1½ c water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- black pepper
- fresh parsley to serve, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion over a low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally until soft and caramelised.
- Add the garlic, celery, carrot, and butternut squash, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are starting to soften.
- Stir in the tomato puree and cook for 30 seconds then turn the heat up and add the red wine, if using. Simmer until the wine is almost evaporated.
- Add the lentils, tinned tomatoes, stock, water, bay leaf, rosemary, soy sauce and black pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down slightly and simmer for 40-45 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are tender.
- *If you want a thicker sauce, see notes below.
- Serve with pasta and fresh parsley sprinkled over the top.
Notes
STORAGE
-
- Fridge: Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
-
- Freezer: Cool completely then freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- I like to use a mixture of stock and water to prevent the ragu from being too salty. If you are using homemade vegetable stock use all stock.
- Butternut Squash – or use pumpkin.
- Soy sauce – adds a Unami flavour to the sauce, if you don’t want to use it, season to taste with a pinch or two of salt.
- Fast dinner – use ready cooked tinned lentils and reduce the stock by 1 c /240ml.
- Extra step for a thicker sauce – take out 1 ½ cups/ 3 heaped tablespoons of the ragu and blend until smooth before stirring back in to the ragu.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 17gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 776mgPotassium: 1275mgFiber: 20gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 13049IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 6mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
David says
Where do the tinned tomatoes get added? Presumably with the tomato puree / stock?
Robyn says
Hi David, yes you are correct, add them after the tomato puree and lentils. I have amended the recipe to include this.
Sylvie says
What a delicious and comforting dish! Love the use of lentil to replace meat, and the butternut is the perfect addition for winter!
Robyn says
Thanks Sylvie! Yes the butternut is a delicious winter addition!
Sarah says
What a great recipe, I wouldn’t have thought of putting pumpk and lentils together but I can see what a great combination they are here. Great winter comfort food 🙂
Robyn says
It is a delicious combination, and sweet pumpkin or butternut squash always is a win in our house!
Alex says
This is exactly the kind of warming dish I am craving during the cold weather – the flavours in this are superb.
Robyn says
It is so comforting and healthy too! 🙂