Hearty Lentil Bolognese with Rigatoni
A meat-free ragù of brown lentils, carrot, celery and tomato simmered until thick and savory, tossed with rigatoni and finished with Parmesan.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- 6
Finely dicing the vegetables and cooking the tomato paste until it darkens builds the deep, slow-cooked flavor of a classic ragù without any meat. Leftover sauce thickens in the fridge and freezes well for up to three months.
Method
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Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the carrots and celery for until softened.
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Stir in the tomato paste and cook for until it darkens, then pour in the wine, if using, and scrape up any browned bits.
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Add the lentils, crushed tomatoes, water, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover partly and cook for , stirring now and then, until the lentils are tender and the sauce is thick. Add a splash of water if it gets too dry.
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Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
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Discard the bay leaves. Toss the pasta with the sauce, butter and Parmesan, loosening with pasta water until glossy.
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Serve topped with basil and more Parmesan.
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