Plant based bolognese

Tofu & Lentil Bolognese

Serves: 4 | Total Time: 45 minutes | Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• Olive oil

• 1 medium carrot, finely diced

• 1 medium onion, finely diced

• 4–6 button mushrooms, finely diced

• 2–3 cloves garlic, minced

• 300g firm tofu, roughly cubed

• ½ cup cooked lentils

• 1–2 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1–2 tsp sugar

• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 vegetable or vegetarian “beef” stock cube

• ½ cup water (optional, for consistency)

• Nutritional yeast (for serving)

• Fresh basil (for serving)

Directions

1. Prep: Dice carrot, onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Cube the tofu.

2. Sauté: In a large pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, onion, mushrooms, garlic, and tofu. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Season: Add smoked paprika, balsamic vinegar, and sugar. Cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.

4. Simmer: Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, stock cube, and about ½ cup of water. Stir well and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce: Turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20–30 minutes. Remove the lid in the last 5–10 minutes to reduce the sauce until thick and rich.

6. Serve: Spoon over your favourite pasta. Top with nutritional yeast, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh basil leaves.

Tips

• Use red lentils for a softer texture, or green/brown lentils for more bite.

• Add a splash of red wine before simmering for extra depth.

• Keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 days and freezes beautifully.