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Lentil ragu with spaghetti recipe

Lentil ragu with spaghetti recipe

377 ratings

Packed with nutritious lentils and Vitamin C-rich carrots, this vegan version of spaghetti bolognese is on the table in just over half an hour. A failsafe weeknight meal sure to feed (and please) the crowd. See method

  • Serves 4
  • 5 mins to prepare and 30 mins to cook
  • 648 calories / serving
  • Freezable
  • Healthy
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Dairy-free

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 red onions, finely chopped
  • 300g carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed or grated
  • 225g red lentils
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 vegetable stock pot, made up to 1ltr
  • 350g spaghetti
  • 20g fresh basil, leaves picked
  • 50g baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
If you don't have red onions, try using white, brown or spring onions

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    2730kj
    648kcal     32%

  • Fat

    11g 15%

  • Saturates

    2g 8%

  • Sugars

    16g 17%

  • Salt

    1.2g 20%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 101.2g Protein 28g Fibre 17.1g

Method

  1. Put the oil, onions and carrots in a large, deep frying pan and fry for 15 mins over a medium-low heat until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more.
  2. Stir in the lentils, tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-18 mins, stirring frequently to stop it sticking, until the lentils are just tender.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti to pack instructions.
  4. Reserve the smaller basil leaves for serving; roughly chop the rest, then stir through the sauce with the spinach. Season to taste, then serve with the spaghetti, topped with the reserved basil leaves.

Cook's tip: Add 1-2 tsp dried oregano at the start of step 2 and 1 tsp Marmite stirred in at the end for a good hit of umami flavour.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

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