Red Wine Lentil Bolognese

Hearty and delicious, this Red Wine Lentil Bolognese is a meat-free wonder that's made it into our winter weeknight rotation faster than any other. If you can get your hands on them, smokey shiitake mushrooms bring a delicious umami, meaty flavour, along with a source of vitamin D to help support immunity in the cooler months. We've topped this recipe with an incredible vegan parmesan, which will satisfy even the greatest cheese aficionado.

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, grated

6 slices of dried shiitake mushrooms

1/2 cup red wine

1 can tinned tomatoes

1 can lentils, drained

1 heaped dessert spoon tomato paste

1 bunch of basil, stems finely chopped, leaves set aside

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 bay leaves

4-5 fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

2-3 sprigs of thyme, plus extra for garnish

pasta of your choice to serve 4

1/2 tsp garlic powder

PRODUCTS

1 tbsp Vegetable Broth

The Wholefood Pantry Pink Himalayan Crystal Salt

3/4 cup The Wholefood Pantry Raw Cashews

3 tbsp The Wholefood Pantry Vegan Nutritional Savoury Flakes

Method

1. Soak dried shiitake in water for 20 minutes to soften. Remove stems as they are too tough to eat.

2. Cook pasta according to packet instructions.

3. Meanwhile, soften the onion, garlic, fresh mushrooms, and basil stalks in a pan with olive oil on medium heat.

4. Add in grated carrot and thyme leaves, and stir until softened.

5. Add in lentils and red wine, cook down for 3-4 minutes until liquid has reduced by half.

6. Add in tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, 1/2 cup water, softened shiitake, Worcestershire sauce, chilli flakes, bay leaves, and vegetable broth, simmer for 15 minutes.

7. With 5 minutes to go, chop 3/4 of the basil leaves and add to sauce.

8. Meanwhile, combine cashews, vegan nutritional flakes, garlic powder and a pinch of salt to a food processor, pulse until the mixture forms a crumb-like consistency.

9. Combine pasta into the bolognese, serve onto 4 plates, top with vegan parmesan and remaining basil leaves.