Slow Cooker Lentil Bolognese

Two bowls of slow cooker lentil spaghetti Bolognese, with sprinkle of nutritional yeast, wedge of her bread, silver fork and red check tea towel, featured image.

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 4

Total Time: 4 10

Servings:

Calories: 174kcal

Author: Jacq

Our Slow Cooker Lentil Bolognese is perfect for those busy days when you need an easily prepared family meal packed with wholesome ingredients. We use dried green lentils, carrots, bell pepper, onion, and garlic. For convenience, you can add a jar of pasta sauce or a few cans of chopped tomatoes.

This is a no-oil Bolognese recipe and we also provide guidance on how to prepare our Bolognese as gluten-free.

For guidance on preparing this Bolognese on the stove-top see our recipe notes below.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Slow cooker/crock-pot (at least 3-3.5 litres/ 3-4 quarts)
Saucepan, for cooking spaghetti, optional

Ingredients

250 grams green or brown lentils [dried]
100 grams celery [2 sticks, fine diced]
230 grams carrot [2 medium, fine diced]
200 grams bell pepper [about 1 large, diced. Or use 1 ½ cups of mixed frozen pepper slices]
150 grams onion [1 small, diced, or 2-3 teaspoons dried onion]
4 cloves garlic [minced or fine diced. Or 2-3 teaspoons dried garlic]
500 grams jar pasta sauce Use any flavour of pasta or Marinara sauce. Alternatively, use a carton of passata (500g/2 cups) or 2 tins (2 x 400g/14-15oz) of chopped tomatoes (varieties with added herbs are ideal). If using passata or plain chopped tomatoes, add 1 teaspoon of sugar to the slow cooker.
1 tablespoon tomato puree [paste]
1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar [or balsamic vinegar]
1 tablespoon soy sauce
250 millilitres vegetable stock [we used 250ml of water plus 1 teaspoon of vegan 'beef' flavour stock powder. Additionally, if using plain chopped tomatoes or passata, add ½-1 stock cube to the Bolognese, or a few teaspoons of stock powder or paste.]

To serve:

300 grams spaghetti pasta [we use whole-wheat but you can use any spaghetti or pasta shape, including gluten-free]

Optional:

4 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes [sprinkle 1 tablespoon over each serving or mix through each serving]

Instructions

Switch your slow cooker to the high setting.
Add all the ingredients, except the spaghetti and nutritional yeast flakes.
If you are using plain passata or chopped tomatoes instead of jarred pasta/Marinara sauce, also add 1 teaspoon of sugar and ½-1 vegetable stock cube or 2-3 teaspoons of stock powder/paste. Mix well.
250 grams green or brown lentils, 100 grams celery, 230 grams carrot, 200 grams bell pepper, 150 grams onion, 4 cloves garlic, 500 grams jar pasta sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato puree, 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 250 millilitres vegetable stock
Pop the lid on and leave it for 4 hours or until the lentils are cooked through and the vegetables are soft.
This recipe makes a thick Bolognese sauce, so if you prefer a thinner consistency, you can thin it out with ½ cup of hot vegetable stock.

While the Bolognese is cooking:

Prepare the spaghetti according to the packet instructions before the Bolognese sauce is ready.
300 grams spaghetti pasta

Serve:

Check the Bolognese seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with the cooked spaghetti.

Optional:

Add one tablespoon of nutritional yeast flakes sprinkled over each portion. Alternatively, grated vegan cheese can be used as a garnish.
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

Notes

Nutritional info is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
Nutritional data does not include spaghetti or nutritional yeast flakes.
This recipe uses the high temperature setting of the slow cooker and it generally takes about 4 hours for the lentils and vegetables to soften. For longer cooking times select medium and cook for around 5-6 hours, or low and cook for 6-8 hours. Exact cooking times will depend of your own brand of slow cooker or crockpot and the size of your cut vegetables and how old your lentils are.
Leftover Bolognese will keep fresh in the fridge for 3 days. Or freeze for up to 2-3 months.
Leftover spaghetti will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat leftover Bolognese by heating in a skillet or pan until piping hot. Add a little extra vegetable stock to loosen up the sauce as the lentils will likely continue to soak up the liquid.
Reheat leftover spaghetti by pouring boiling water over or sit in a pot of boiling water for a minute, drain and serve.
Serve Bolognese with garlic bread, crusty bread, side salad, and/or spaghetti/tagliatelle or other pasta shapes.
Leftovers are very good when reheated and served over a slice of your favourite toast for the next day's lunch.
Or turn leftovers into individual shepherds pies by adding the Bolognese to ramekins and topping with mashed potato. Bake in a hot oven until the filling is bubbly and the topping is crisp.
Gluten-free Bolognese: Use a gluten-free vegetable stock and a gluten-free soy sauce, such as Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos. Always check each ingredient you use for gluten, including any herbs, spices, or vinegars. Additionally, you can serve the Bolognese with gluten-free spaghetti. We have tried the Co-op's own brand of Free From Spaghetti pasta, and it is very nice.
Stove-top Bolognese:
If using dried green lentils, I recommend adding all the ingredients to a non-stick soup or stew pan. Ensure you use enough vegetable stock to cover the lentils so they cook through properly. As the lentils absorb the liquid and the sauce thickens, you can add more stock as needed.
If you prefer not to use dried lentils, you can also use 2-3 cans (400g/14-15oz) of pre-cooked green or brown lentils instead. Just add the drained canned lentils to the rest of the ingredients and stew for around 30 minutes, adding extra vegetable stock if the sauce becomes too thick.
For a variation, the onions and garlic can be sautéed in one tablespoon of olive oil or in ½ cup of vegetable stock before adding the rest of the ingredients. This will enhance the flavours before combining everything to stew.

Nutrition