Lentil and mushroom ragù with spaghetti

Name: Lentil and mushroom ragù with spaghetti
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 celery stick, finely chopped into 1cm chunks; 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 200g button mushrooms, sliced; 2 bay leaves; 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes; 2 x 400g tins green lentils, drained (or 250g dried, see Be A Better Cook); 150g mascarpone; 200g spaghetti, pappardelle or tagliatelle; 4 tsp finely grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative

By: Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 22 Nov 22
Updated: 23 Apr 24

Test kitchen approved

Lentil ragù offers all the rich depth of its meatier counterparts, finished with a dollop of luxurious mascarpone for the silkiest sauce ever. Using lentils instead of mince is not only cheaper and healthier; it cuts the simmering time right down, so dinner’s ready in minutes rather than hours.

Browse more quick vegetarian recipes.

Serves 4
Hands-on time 20 min. Simmering time 25 min

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Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped into 1cm chunks
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
200g button mushrooms, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g tins green lentils, drained (or 250g dried, see Be A Better Cook)
150g mascarpone
200g spaghetti, pappardelle or tagliatelle
4 tsp finely grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative

Method

Put a medium pan over a medium heat and, once hot, add the oil with the onion, garlic, celery and carrot. Season with a large pinch of salt and cook for 8 minutes until soft, stirring regularly.
Add the tomato purée, stir for a couple of minutes, then add the mushrooms, bay leaves, tomatoes and drained lentils and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. When the ragù is nearly ready, add the pasta to the water and cook for 8 minutes (or a little longer if you don’t like it al dente).
Stir the mascarpone through the ragù, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the water, then stir it through the sauce, adding enough pasta water to help emulsify the sauce. Divide among serving bowls, finishing with the parmesan.

Recipe from December 2022 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 544kcals
Fat: 25.5g (12.9g saturated)
Protein: 18.3g
Carbohydrates: 55.6g (10.2g sugars)
Fibre: 9.4g
Salt: 0.8g

delicious. tips

If you have a bit more time, it’s worth cooking dried lentils from scratch instead of using tinned. It’s cheaper and the cooking liquid can be added to the sauce, giving it even more flavour (just simmer it for an extra 15 minutes to reduce). Simply cook dried lentils in vegetable stock with a sprig of rosemary or thyme and a couple of bashed garlic cloves for around 20 minutes until tender. 250g dried lentils is equal to 2 x 400g tins.
You can freeze the ragù for up to 3 months. Simply defrost a portion of the sauce in the fridge overnight, then reheat and serve with freshly cooked pasta.

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