Lentil & Tofu Bolognese
Serves: 4
Time: 40 minutes
A delicious Bolognese full of texture thanks to the lentils and tofu, and packed full of flavour. It’s honestly so delicious and has already made it to the ‘favourite meal’ list, and a recipe I’ll come back to time and time again. I served it here with some brown rice spaghetti, but it would work great with any pasta of your choice.
Ingredients for the Bolognese sauce:
150g red lentils (washed) OR 400g can of cooked lentils drained
1 red pepper
1 medium onion
3 cloves of garlic (chopped finely)
1 chilli pepper (chopped finely)
500ml of vegetable stock
1 tablespoon of mixed herb seasoning
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
400g can of crushed tomatoes
Salt & pepper
Ingredients for tofu:
180g smoked tofu
3 tablespoons of tamari
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon of onion granules
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
Cooking Steps:
Pre-heat your oven to 200C.
Place all the ingredients for your tofu marinade in a bowl. Crumble your tofu into the bowl in small pieces and mix it all to ensure it’s all coated. Place on a lined baking tray in the oven for around 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, add a drizzle of olive oil to a large saucepan and cook your garlic, onion, pepper and chilli until soft with the mixed herb seasoning.
Now add your crushed tomatoes, lentils, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for around 25-30 minutes until the lentils have softened and cooked. If using canned lentils, simmer for around 15 minutes.
When the tofu has browned and cooked, add it to the mixture. Stir it all together over a low heat and serve over your choice of pasta. Garnish with fresh basil and nutritional yeast. Enjoy!