No meat? No worries. Thanks to a secret ingredient, you won’t know anything’s missing from my vegetarian bolognese.
Whether you’ve been struggling to track down mince meat at your local supermarket, trying to eat less meat, or have cut it out all together, this is the quick and easy recipe for you.
Taking full advantage of my food processor to cut down prep time, this veggie-packed bolognese is delicious, healthy and so so easy.
Using chopped nuts to add texture, you’ll be surprised by just how ‘meaty’ this tastes!
Best served with spaghetti or as zucchini rollups.
INGREDIENTS
VEGETARIAN BOLOGNESE
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 carrot
1 zucchini
1 tin cooked lentils
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tin diced tomatoes (+1 tin water)
1 tbs Italian herbs
1-2 tbs balsamic vinegar OR 1/2 cup red wine
2 tbs chili flakes (or to taste)
5-7 basil leaves, chopped finely
Salt and pepper to taste
ZUCCHINI ROLLUPS
4 zucchinis
2 cups passata
1/2 cup grated cheese
*Serves four.
METHOD
Either by hand or in a food processor, chop onion and garlic.
In a large pan, heat olive oil. Add onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened.
Grate or process carrot and zucchini. It shouldn’t form a paste – aim for textured chunks. Add to pan, along with drained lentils. Fry for a few minutes.
Add tomato paste and mix well. Add tinned tomatoes plus tin of water, Italian herbs, chili flakes and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer and reduce until excess liquid has evaporated. Season well.
Turn off the heat and mix through chopped basil leaves.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
To an oven-safe dish, add passata. It should be 1-2cms deep.
Using a veggie peeler, peel strips of zucs. Add a small amount of bolognese along each zucchini strip, roll up and pop in the passata. Repeat until finished.
Add cheese, and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown.
Best served with fluffy mashed potatoes or warm fresh bread.
Freeze any leftover bolognese for a rainy day. 🙂
