Lentil ragù
A hearty lentil ragù with red and green lentils, slow-cooked vegetables and tomatoes — a plant-based stand-in for any meat sauce. Excellent with wholewheat pasta; freezes well in portions.
About this recipe
A thick lentil ragù that uses lentils in place of meat — meant as a stand-in for any recipe that calls for a mince-based sauce. Red lentils break down completely as they cook and thicken the sauce, while green lentils hold their shape and add body. A base of onion, celery and carrot, cooked down until it takes on colour, builds the flavour. It wants plenty of pepper and is excellent over wholewheat pasta for a fibre boost.
Ingredients
- For the sauce
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 250 g onion, finely chopped
- 250 g celery, finely chopped
- 250 g carrots, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped — optional
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3 tins of passata or good-quality chopped tomatoes (≈1,2 kg)
- about 1 l water or vegetable stock, added gradually
- salt, to taste (at least 1 tbsp, up to 2, for the whole sauce)
- freshly ground black pepper, generously
- For the lentils
- 500 g lentils (300 g red lentils + 200 g green lentils)
- water or vegetable stock for cooking, at a 1:2½ ratio (≈1½ l)
- 1 tbsp salt per 1½ l of water
Method
1. Soak the lentils
Put the lentils in a bowl, cover with warm water and leave them to soak while you make the sauce.
2. Chop the vegetables
Finely chop the onion, celery and carrots into small, roughly even pieces.
3. Soften the onion (5 minutes)
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then.
4. Add the celery and carrots
Add the celery and carrots. Cook until they just begin to catch on the bottom of the pan — that's where the flavour builds.
5. Tomato purée, garlic and herbs (1-2 minutes)
Add the tomato purée, garlic (if using), thyme and oregano. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to open up the aromas.
6. Add the tomatoes and the first of the liquid
Pour in the tinned tomatoes and half the hot water or stock (~500 ml). Bring to a simmer, then lower to medium-low.
7. Simmer the sauce (1 hour 30 minutes)
Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 1 hour, adding the rest of the liquid gradually as the sauce reduces. Then uncover and simmer for a further 30 minutes, so the sauce reduces and thickens. Stir occasionally. The vegetables are ready when they crush easily against the side of the pan.
8. The lentils — two methods
Method 1 (in the sauce): once the vegetables crush easily, add the drained lentils straight into the sauce. Pour in water or stock gradually (a 1:2½ ratio, ≈1½ l), depending on how much the lentils absorb. This needs constant attention and frequent stirring — there's a risk of catching on the bottom.
Method 2 (separate, recommended): cook the lentils alongside, in water with 1 tbsp salt (a 1:2½ ratio, ≈1½ l), for 30-40 minutes, until soft. Pour the lentils into the sauce together with the remaining cooking liquid — don't drain them, the starchy water thickens the sauce. Simmer together for a few minutes until it reaches the consistency you want. Safer, with no risk of catching.
9. Season and serve
Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Serve over wholewheat pasta cooked al dente.
Notes and tips
Why two kinds of lentil
Red lentils break down completely as they cook and thicken the sauce, giving it the texture of a ragù. Green lentils keep their shape and add bite. Together they mimic the structure of a mince sauce well.
Freezing
The sauce freezes very well. Make a larger amount and portion it into freezer bags — a ready meal for busy days.
How much pepper?
This sauce wants a lot of black pepper, more than you'd expect. Grind it generously at the end and taste.