Vegan Bolognese

Ingredients

• 360 g tagliatelle pasta
• 350 g mushrooms - I’ve used a mix of portobello and Swiss brown mushrooms
• 2 small carrots
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 white onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 cup passata
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cooked lentils
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Chop mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion and garlic all into small cubes

2. 2

   Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan or pot and add mushrooms. Saute over a high heat and once browned, season with salt and pepper and remove mushrooms from the pan

3. 3

   In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil, onions, celery and carrots. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent

4. 4

   Add the garlic along with turmeric powder and sauté for a few minutes. Then add the tomato paste and make sure to fry this down for a few minutes with the vegetables. Add the passata and water, season with salt and pepper

5. 5

   Add mushrooms then season with nutmeg and oregano and allow the sauce to simmer for 45 minutes on a low- medium heat so the flavours develop

6. 6

   Then add and stir in the cooked lentils. If the sauce is too thick, you can add more water if necessary. Allow to cook for 15 minutes

7. 7

   At the same time add pasta to a pot of salted boiling water and cook pasta until al dente. Add pasta with the bolognese sauce with some pasta water. Mix together for a couple of minutes on low heat.Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and some chilli flakes and enjoy!