Growing up, my all-time favourite meal was the classic Italian dish, spaghetti bolognese. My mum made THE BEST spag bol in the universe, and when I first stopped eating meat, it was one of the main things I missed the most.
Not anymore.
I believe that I have perfected the vegan version of the ultimate comfort food that is Spag Bol – using mushrooms and lentils is a great replacement for mince, and the rest of the elements of the classic dish remain mostly unchanged.
So, grab a glass of vino and get cooking – your taste buds will thank you!
Mushroom & Lentil Spag Bol
Serves two with leftovers.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 brown onion
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
- 1 cup button mushrooms
- 1 ½ cup mixed mushrooms
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- ¼ cup fresh oregano
- 1/3 cup fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 cup passata
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1x 400g can brown lentils (drained & rinsed)
- 1x 400g can diced tomatoes
- Spaghetti (Don’t ask me how much… it is impossible to cook the right amount of pasta).
- Olive oil
METHOD
- Dice mushrooms into small pieces and put to the side.
- Dice brown onion and add to pot with garlic.
- Coat in olive oil and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes.
- Add brown lentils, diced mushrooms, basil, oregano and a pinch of salt & pepper before cooking for another 3 minutes, stirring consistently.
- Add paprika and soy sauce and cook for 1 and a half minutes.
- Add grated carrot and zucchini and stir through. Add diced tomatoes, red wine and passata and turn to low heat.
- Simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
- When you’ve simmered for about 45 minutes, put a saucepan of water with a pinch of salt on to boil, then add spaghetti.
- Boil for around 15 minutes, or until the pasta is ready.
- Enjoy!
NOTES
- You don’t have to simmer for an hour; if you’re in a rush, then it will be ready to eat after about 10-15 minutes. Simmering, however, really helps to bring out the flavours so I recommend simmering for as long as possible – even up to 2-3 hours!
- If you do choose to simmer for longer than an hour, keep a close eye on the sauce to make sure it doesn’t dry out. Add extra water or passata if required.
- This is yet another dish that tastes 150% better if you drink red wine whilst cooking. FACT!
Remember – eating just one vegan meal a day can make a really big difference. It is an easy and tasty way to help the planet, the animals, and yourself!