# 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. - **Category:** Main courses - **Prep:** 20min - **Cook:** 1h 30min - **Total:** 1h 50min - **Yield:** about 10 portions - **Difficulty:** easy - **Cuisine:** Italian - **Tags:** legumes, fasting, slow-cooking, gluten-free - **Published:** 2026-06-18 - **Page:** https://faracarne.com/en/recipe/lentil-ragu - **In Romanian:** https://faracarne.com/ro/reteta/ragu-de-linte --- ## 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 - about 1 l water or vegetable stock, added gradually - 250 g onion, finely chopped - 250 g celery, finely chopped - 250 g carrots, finely chopped - 6-8 garlic cloves, finely chopped — optional - 1 tbsp tomato purée - 1 tsp dried thyme - 1 tsp dried oregano - 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil - salt, to taste (at least 1 tbsp, up to 2, for the whole sauce) - freshly ground black pepper, generously - 3 tins of passata or good-quality chopped tomatoes (≈1.2 kg) ### 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.