Lentil Mushroom Ragu

A red Dutch oven filled with hearty vegan lentil ragu, brimming with mushrooms, tomatoes, and vegetables. The pot rests on a white surface with a striped towel beneath, and a wooden spoon is partially submerged in the rich mixture.

5 de 2 votos

Lentil Mushroom Ragu

This lentil mushroom ragu is rich, cozy, and ready in about 30 minutes — a plant-forward sauce made with mushrooms, hearty lentils, and a tomato base that tastes like it simmered all afternoon. It’s naturally vegan, deeply savory, and perfect for spooning over pasta, creamy polenta, or roasted vegetables on a chilly weeknight. Simple ingredients, big flavor, zero drama — my kind of dinner.

people

Calories: 180kcal

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
2 sliced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups chopped or sliced mushrooms
3 cups cooked lentils without liquid
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
2 cups of canned tomato
freshly ground black pepper to taste
fresh basil leaves to serve *optional
parmesan cheese vegan if needed

Instructions

In a large pot with lid, preferably thick bottom put olive oil and onion over medium heat.
When the onion is soft, about 5-7min. Add the garlic and red pepper with a pinch of salt. Let them sautee and occasionally move until the red pepper is soft.
Put the mushrooms, lentils, oregano, basil, and tomato puree.
Cover it and leave it for about 20 min. over low -medium heat. Do not bring it to a boil.
Add salt and black pepper.
Serve on top of quinoa, pasta or spaguetti squash.

Notes

This hearty mushroom and lentil ragu is so good over pasta or quinoa—and even better if you can get your hands on quinoa pasta for an extra boost of protein.

Make sure to slice the garlic instead of mincing it. Thin slices gently flavor the sauce without burning. (Burnt garlic = bitter sauce, and we don’t want that!)

If you're cooking your lentils from scratch, use 1½ cups of dry lentils to get about 3 cups cooked. Just simmer them in a big pot of water until tender—no need to overthink it.

And if you're making tomato purée at home? Blend a few ripe tomatoes with just enough water to get your blender going. It doesn’t need to be fancy—just fresh and flavorful.

Nutrition

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vegan Italian Cuisine

Diet: Vegan

Keyword: how to prepare mushrooms, lentil ragu, plant-based italian sauce, vegan ragu

Author: Alejandra Graf