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A pan of lentil ragu sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Lentil Ragu

Robyn
This vegan lentil ragu with earthy green lentils and sweet butternut squash is a healthy and comforting family dinner, perfect for winter.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people
Calories 313 kcal

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. 
TIPS
  • 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
Keyword autumn fruit, butternut squash, green lentils, vegan ragu, Winter

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