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    Home » Dinner

    Veggie Packed Lentil Bolognese

    AU$1.78 | £0.61p per serve
    By Robyn | Published: Oct 30, 2019 | Modified: Oct 6, 2022

    TO THE RECIPE
    plant based lentil spaghetti bolognese on blue plate topped with fresh basil leaves
    This vegan lentil bolognese is a delicious and easy vegan dinner recipe that the whole family love – really!
    blue plate topped with lentil bolognese to the left of the image, fresh basil leaves and black pepper to the right

    I served this for dinner last week and, a few mouthfuls in, Mr Jones said, “ Mmm, I love meat!”
    I could have so easily kept quiet and let him enjoy his ‘meaty dish’ but, whilst I was pondering whether to admit it or not, my smile gave me away.
    He looked at me and then the plate of bolognese. “There’s no meat in here, is there?”
    “Nope!”  I replied.
    “Well it’s yummy anyway.” He said, and carried on eating.

    Mini Jones is also a huge lentil bolognese fan, and so when I serve this up for dinner, there is always a happy silence whilst we eat.

    Why we love this lentil Bolognese:

    • It’s a budget friendly meal
    • You can meal prep/prepare it in advance
    • It freezes so well
    • It is packed full of vegetables
    • It can be used in many dishes: to make a vegan shephards pie, a vegetarian or plant based lasagne,
    • It’s suitable for babies, toddlers, kids and adults, which makes it a great dinner idea for all – less cooking and less washing up.

    What to serve with lentil Bolognese?

    I like to serve it with pasta (spaghetti), on jacket potatoes, or on nachos with some guacamole. If it’s a busy evening then I reheat this vegetarian Bolognese and boil some noodles, and dinner is on the table in 10 minutes!

    Can you freeze lentil Bolognese?

    Yes, you can. The Bolognese will keep in the freezer for up to a three months. I tend to make a big batch then freeze in individual portions so I can pull out 1 if it’s for Mini Jones’s lunch, or 3 if its for dinner for all of us. (It also takes less time to defrost than freezing the whole amount.)

    If you are looking for more family friendly vegan dinner ideas, why not have a look at my Coconut Chickpea Curry, Creamy Carrot Soup, or, a vegetarian favourite of ours, Cheese and Tomato Lasagne

    Tips:

    To Make Ahead Keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge.
    To freeze Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in fridge over night.

    lentil bolognese on spaghetti in blue plate topped with fresh basil

    Veggie Packed Lentil Bolognese

    Author: Robyn

    This toddler approved lentil bolognese is a midweek dinner our whole family love – meat eaters included!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Course baby led weaning, Freezer Friendly, Midweek Meals, Plant Based | Vegetarian, Toddler
    Cuisine Modern english/modern australian
    Servings 4 People
    Calories 253 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ tablespoon olive oil ($0.08 /£0.04p)
    • 1 brown onion, finely diced ($0.45 /£0.10p)
    • 1 clove garlic, crushed ($0.26 /£0.05p)
    • 2 sticks celery, finely sliced ($0.80 /£0.17p)
    • 1 green capsicum/pepper, finely chopped ($1.48 /£0.48p)
    • 2 carrots, grated ($0.70 /£0.08p)
    • 1 zucchini/courgette, grated ($1.18 /£0.56p)
    • 1 tablespoon tomato puree ($0.03 /£0.03p)
    • 400g (14oz) tin/can tomatoes ($0.75 /£0.28p)
    • 200g (1c) green lentils ($0.96 /£0.47p)
    • 750ml (3c) water or stock ($0/£0)
    • Bay leaf ($0.10 /£0.03p)
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin ($0.10 /£0.04p)
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander ($0.14 /£0.05p)
    • small pinch allspice ($0.03 /£0.01p)
    • Salt ($0.01 /£0.01p)
    • Black pepper ($0.02 /£0.01p)

    Instructions
     

    • In a large saucepan, fry the onion in the olive oil over a low-medium heat until soft – around 5 mins.
    • Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
    • Add the celery, capsicum, grated carrot and zucchini, stir, and then place a lid on the saucepan and cook, covered for another 5-10 minutes, until tender.
    • Stir in the tomato puree before adding the tinned tomatoes, green lentils, water (or stock), bay leaf, ground cumin, ground coriander, allspice and season with salt and black pepper.
    • Turn the heat up, bring to a gentle boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 40-45 minutes.
    • Remove the bay leaf before serving.
    • Serve straight away, or store in fridge or freezer.

    Notes

    Estimated costs: Australia $7.09 . Per serve = $1.78
    UK £2.41. Per serve = £0.61p
    America – I am yet to calculate the estimated ingredients costs to make this recipe in the US. If you would find it useful please let me know and I’ll get calculating 🙂 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 253kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 15gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 186mgPotassium: 1024mgFiber: 19gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 5476IUVitamin C: 49mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 6mg
    Keyword lentil recipe, toddler approved lentil recipe, vegan lentil bolognese, veggie packed bolognese

    HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?

    I’d love to see your creation!

    Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
    Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen

    Or just leave a comment below!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Andrea says

      November 05, 2019 at 2:11 pm

      This looks so delicious! We try to do 1-2 meat free family dinners each week, I can’t wait to try this!

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        November 05, 2019 at 2:22 pm

        Thanks Andrea, I hope you all enjoy it!

        Reply

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    Robyn Jones, Recipe Developer & Food Photographer

    Robyn Jones

    Recipe Developer | Food Photographer | Writer

    Hi! I'm Robyn, a toddler mum with a passion for all things food! Having moved internationally 7 times in the past 12 years I have developed a love of making international recipes into family friendly ones you can make in your own home, with local ingredients; wherever you live!

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