Is it me, or does it seem like there is not enough time in the day anymore? If you agree, then this recipe can help give you a little extra time while still making a tasty and healthy vegan dinner for the family. This vegan Bolognese is also a perfect meal prep recipe that you can make in 20 minutes and have lunch for the whole week.
The ingredients are minimal, but you can add in diced veggies and spinach to upgrade the nutrition factor of this recipe. However, without any upgrades, this plant based recipe is still high in protein, iron, and fiber.
This recipe is so quick because we are using a store bought pasta sauce. Any red sauce will do, just make sure it’s vegan. I recommend using red lentils for this recipe, but this time I used a mix of brown and french lentils and it was still delicious.
I am using TVP in this version, but this vegan dinner can easily be more whole foods plant based friendly by using diced mushrooms instead. If you’re up for it, you can make your own marinara too.
The lentils and TVP add bulk and texture to the sauce that you would expect in a bolognese.
To start this recipe, begin to boil the lentils and prep the TVP. To prep the TVP, all you need to do is soak it in water for 5 minutes. Then boil pasta, heat sauce, add lentils and TVP to the sauce, and mix in the pasta once it is cooked. Simple. Quick. And tasty too.
I love to add fresh greens to pasta, but you can also add them into the sauce and cook them. Eating steamed and cooked greens is the best way to start liking them. They are super good for you, so find a way that you like them – or can hide them – and eat them whenever possible.
If you are making this vegan bolognese as a meal prep recipe, add greens into each container with the pasta, that way you are kinda forcing yourself to try to eat them at least once a day =]
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Watch my video to learn how to make the easiest vegan bolognese in 20 minutes and 2 other quick and easy vegan dinner recipes:
Who’s hungry? Let’s get started!
Easy Vegan Bolognese – Ready in 20 minutes
- Total Time20 min
Ingredients
For the Lentils
- 1/2 cup uncooked lentils
- 1 + 1/2 cups water
For the TVP
- 1/2 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
- 1/2 cup water
Other ingredients
- 16 oz. vegan marinara sauce
- 1 lb. uncooked pasta
Directions
Bring the lentils and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until soft.
Soak the TVP and water in a bowl for 5 minutes.
Boil the pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, add the marinara sauce to a large pot, add the re-hydrated TVP and cooked lentils, mix well.
Once the pasta is cooked, add to the pot of sauce and mix until the noodles are well coated in sauce.
Enjoy!
