Budget veggie bolognese
A rich tasting, family-friendly bolognese packed with vegetables and lentils. Any leftovers keep well in the fridge for a couple of days and can be frozen too.
This recipe is part of a Budget vegetarian meal plan for four. In October 2023 this recipe was costed at an average of £3.83 when checking prices at four UK supermarkets. This recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2–3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 medium courgette, trimmed and diced
- 200g/7oz mushrooms, any kind, sliced or quartered if large
- 400g tin green lentils, drained
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
- ½ tsp dried mixed herbs
- 250g/9oz dried spaghetti
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú cheddar, grated
- salt and ground black pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan, sauté pan or wide-based saucepan and fry the onion, carrot, courgette and mushrooms over a high heat for 8–10 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, stirring regularly.
Add the lentils, tomatoes, stock cube, tomato ketchup and herbs. Refill the tomato tin with water (it will measure around 400ml) and pour into the pan. Season with salt and lots of ground black pepper.
Cover with a lid and bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and all the vegetables are softened, stirring regularly – especially towards the end of the cooking time as the sauce thickens. Season to taste.
While the bolognese is simmering, cook the pasta according to the pack instructions. Drain the pasta and serve topped with the bolognese and a little grated cheese.
Recipe Tips
You can use any tinned lentils for this bolognese. Sachets of lentils work too, although they are more expensive. Alternatively, use beans or chickpeas if you have some handy.
Ketchup adds sweetness to the bolognese and is a handy store cupboard ingredient for tomato-based sauces, but you could use tomato pureé instead.
If you keep a lid on your pan you can lower the heat on the hob to reduce energy use – just make sure you stir the bolognese regularly.