Lentil Bolognese
A slow-simmered green lentil and tomato sauce served on roasted spaghetti squash strands.
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Total time
68 min, show breakdown
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 45 min
- Clean up 8 min
- Pans
- 2
- Ingredients
- 12
- Cost/serving
- $2.11
Per serving
- Calories
- 408
- Protein
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 15 g
- Net carbs
- 55 g
- Fat
- 9.5 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Thiamin (B1) 141%, Vitamin B6 113%, Riboflavin (B2) 100%, Folate 91%, Vitamin B12 83%, Niacin (B3) 80%, Iron 40%, Vitamin C 36%, Vitamin A 34%, Potassium 31%, Vitamin E 31%, Zinc 29%, Magnesium 26%, Vitamin K 22%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 4
Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.
You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
1 cup green or brown lentils, dry (192 g)
Same amount as: 240 mL.
- 1 medium spaghetti squash (900 g)
2 tbsp olive oil (27 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
- 1 medium onion (110 g)
- 2 medium carrots (120 g)
- 2 stalks celery (80 g)
3 cloves garlic, smashed (9 g)
Same amount as: 3 tsp fresh minced garlic, 1½ tsp jarred minced garlic, ⅜ tsp garlic powder.
2 tbsp tomato paste (32 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
1 can canned crushed tomatoes (794 g)
Same amount as: about 3¼ cups.
2 cups water (480 g)
Same amount as: 480 mL.
1 tsp dried oregano (1 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
2 tbsp nutritional yeast, fortified (10 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
Amount for everything you're cooking. Missing an ingredient? Ask for it.
Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 4 servings. The sauce keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen. Roasted squash keeps 3 days.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (689 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 408 | ||
| Total fat | 9.5 g | 12% | |
| Saturated fat | 1.4 g | 7% | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 610 mg | 27% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 70 g | 25% | |
| Dietary fiber | 15 g | 54% | |
| Total sugars | 20 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 55 g | ||
| Protein | 19 g | 38% | |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 176 mg | 14% | |
| Iron | 7.1 mg | 40% | |
| Potassium | 1,479 mg | 31% | |
| Vitamin A | 309 mcg | 34% | |
| Vitamin C | 32 mg | 36% | |
| Vitamin E | 4.6 mg | 31% | |
| Vitamin K | 27 mcg | 22% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 1.7 mg | 141% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 1.3 mg | 100% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 13 mg | 80% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.9 mg | 113% | |
| Folate | 363 mcg | 91% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 2 mcg | 83% | |
| Magnesium | 108 mg | 26% | |
| Zinc | 3.1 mg | 29% | |
| Selenium | 4.9 mcg | 9% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Heat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
Rub the cut sides with 1 teaspoon of the oil and a pinch of salt. Roast cut side down on the sheet pan for 40 minutes.
Done looks like: Skin gives when pressed. A fork pulls the flesh into strands. Meanwhile, rinse the lentils. Dice the onion, carrots and celery small. Mince the garlic.
Heat the rest of the oil in the pot on medium. Cook the onion, carrot and celery 8 minutes, stirring now and then.
Done looks like: Vegetables soft and starting to brown. Add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir 1 minute.
Add the lentils, tomatoes, water and oregano. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so it bubbles gently. Simmer 30–35 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
Done looks like: Lentils tender but holding their shape. Sauce thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail. Stir in the nutritional yeast. Taste, then add salt and pepper.
Scrape the squash into strands with a fork. Serve the sauce on top.
Equipment
Large pot or Dutch oven, 5 L (5 qt) $30–80
What to look for
- Heavy base so soups and chili do not scorch
- Lid that fits
Skip: Enameled cast iron is lovely but not needed. A heavy stainless pot works.
Rimmed sheet pan (half sheet) $12–25
What to look for
- Heavy aluminum that does not warp in a hot oven
- Rim all the way round so juices stay in
Skip: Dark non-stick sheet pans; they burn the bottoms of vegetables.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
Silicone spatula $5–12
What to look for
- One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
- Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick
Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Lentils still hard | Old lentils, or acid from the tomatoes slows them down. | Add ½ cup water and simmer 10 minutes more. |
| Watery squash | Roasted cut side up, or overcooked. | Roast cut side down and check at 35 minutes. Drain the strands in a sieve. |
| Sauce catches on the bottom | Heat too high as it thickens. | Keep the bubbles small and stir the bottom often. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 20 min, total 68 min. | 408 kcal 19 g protein 15 g fiber 55 g net carbs 9.5 g fat |
| Higher carb | Pasta instead of squash. Hands-on 20 min, total 68 min. | 561 kcal 25 g protein 14 g fiber 86 g net carbs 9.1 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.