Description
This delicious vegan red lentil ragu is inanely delicious and packed full of healthy veggies. Rich and hearty, it's the perfect winter meal.
Ingredients
Units
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- 1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
- 3 ribs celery (diced)
- 2 medium white onions (diced)
- 2 large carrots (grated)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 cups white mushrooms (sliced)
- 4 fresh tomatoes (diced)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (400g)
- 2 cups veggie broth
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp thyme (dried)
- 1/2-1 tbsp oregano (dried)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- chilli flakes (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup split red lentils
- 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
- 500 g rigatoni pasta
- fresh basil (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in the biggest saucepan you have over medium heat. You will be adding a lot of veggies, so the bigger the pan, the better.
- Once oil is warm, add the diced celery, onions, and carrots. Cook until the veggies begin to brighten, 2-3 mins.
- Add the mined garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 2 mins.
- Add mushrooms and cook until soft, but not yet brown, about 3 mins.
- Add fresh tomatoes, the can of diced tomatoes, veggie broth and balsamic vinegar, and bring to a boil.
- Once the sauce is boiling, add bay leaves, thyme, oregano, paprika, chilli flakes and salt. Let simmer for a few minutes, until the sauce becomes fragrant.
- Reduce heat to low and add the red lentils and red wine. Cover the saucepan with a lid and allow everything to simmer, mixing occasionally until the veggies are cooked through and the lentils are softened, about 30-45 minutes. Keep an eye on the sauce, adding more water as needed as the lentils absorb the liquid (I added about 1 cup extra).
- While the sauce is cooking, heavily salt a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, and drain. Coat with olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together while waiting for the sauce to finish.
- Once the sauce is ready, carefully add the cooked rigatoni into the saucepan. Stir carefully, so as not to break the pasta. Add pasta water as you go to help the sauce slick up and coat the pasta. Taste to adjust seasonings, adding more salt for depth and more chilli for spice as needed. Serve topped with fresh basil.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Bianca Zapatka's Mushroom & Lentil Ragu.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Australian
Nutrition
- Calories: 624
- Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 104.4
- Protein: 24.1