Lentil Bolognese
- 20m Prep Time
- 20m Cook Time
- 40m Ready In
A hearty lentil bolognese sauce with ground beef, mushrooms, and red lentils served over spaghetti. Topped with toasted pine nuts and pecorino cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 clove garlic
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 medium carrot chopped
- 3/8 lbs button mushrooms
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can whole tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dried red lentils
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- Grated pecorino cheese
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 13 of 16 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 180 mg
- Iron: 4.02 mg
- Magnesium: 78 mg
- Phosphorus: 382 mg
- Potassium: 791 mg
- Zinc: 3.87 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 2 clove garlic
- 3/8 lbs button mushrooms
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can whole tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dried red lentils
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- Grated pecorino cheese
Prepare
- Chop 1 small onion
- Chop 1 medium carrot
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
In a food processor, pulse together 2 cloves garlic, 1 small chopped onion, 1 medium chopped carrot, and 6 ounces button mushrooms until finely chopped.
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Step 2.
Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
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Step 3.
Add 8 ounces ground beef (at least 90% lean) to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
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Step 4.
Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes with their juices, crushing them with your hands as you add them to the skillet. Add ½ cup dried red lentils, 2 cups water, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
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Step 5.
While the sauce simmers, cook 1 pound spaghetti according to package directions. Drain the pasta.
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Step 6.
Toss the drained spaghetti with the lentil bolognese sauce. Top with ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts (if using) and grated pecorino cheese (if using) before serving.