Bethany's Vegan Kitchen

If mock meats aren’t for you, you can always make a great spaghetti bolognese without them. I used minced chestnut mushroom and lentils for the “mincemeat” in this ragu, they work together very well. This would be perfect served with some dairy free garlic bread, for a bit of an Italian inspired meal

Yield; Three – Four servings Cook time; 30 minutes

You’ll need;

1. One teaspoon of both oil and dairy free butter
2. One brown onion, minced
3. Two or three cloves of garlic, minced
4. 250g/9oz chestnut mushrooms, minced
5. One 400g/14oz tin of lentils, drained and rinsed
6. One tablespoon of tomato puree
7. One 400g/14oz tin of chopped tomatoes
8. Herbs – half a teaspoon of both dried basil and dried oregano
9. Two teaspoons of fish free Worcestershire sauce
10. Salt and black pepper to taste

Method;

• Start by prepping your vegetables. I put them into bowls purely for aesthetic reasons, mostly I try and cram everything (except the tomato) on the chopping board so I don’t add to the washing up
  
• Then melt the oil and butter together in a frying pan over a medium heat. Next add the garlic, onion and mushroom. Allow them to cook for about five to ten minutes
• Once they’ve started to soften, add the tomato puree and stir it through. Give it a minute or so to warm through, then add the tomato (for a smoother sauce, I blend mine with my stick blender). Also add the herbs, Worcestershire sauce, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper
  
• Then allow it to cook for another 15 minutes or so. If your tomatoes are quite thin, cook uncovered to allow the sauce to thicken. If they’re already thick, pop a lid on so the sauce doesn’t become too thick
• Finally, boil some pasta as per the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, drain it well and stir it through the ragu. Serve immediately