Beef and Lentil Bolognese

There is nothing as iconic in Italian food as Bolognese. This homemade Beef and Lentil Bolognese is rich, delicious, and satisfying, but can also be made on a budget! A hearty lentil, beef and mushroom Bolognese sauce, made with tomato, garlic, herbs and spices that will have the family coming back for more!

A bowl of beef and lentil bolognese.

This is my famous one pot Beef and Lentil Bolognese sauce recipe (or spag bol for short in Australia), which I’ve been making for about 15 years. It’s a hit with kids, lentil haters, and meat eaters alike.

Now, this is by no means a genuine authentic Bolognese sauce recipe. It’s kind of a blend between northern and southern Italy styles, but dairy free. However, I think it still would’ve gotten my Nonna’s approval.

Don’t let all the veggies fool you, this Beef and Lentil Bolognese sauce still has a great, rich meat flavour. Once the veggies are chopped, you just throw it together and let it cook – super easy! Great for cleaning out those leftover veggies – you can also customise it – vegan, vegetarian, and more!

A bowl of Beef and Lentil Bolognese.

There are many fantastic reasons to love Beef and Lentil Bolognese, such as:

  • It has a delicious lentil ragu sauce – approved by both meat lovers and kids!
  • Is the ultimate comfort meal when paired with pasta – and a great winter warmer!
  • Is a one pot meal – so minimal clean up! Bonus!
  • The recipe can be adapted for a slow cooker.
  • It is perfect for feeding the family on a budget – thanks to the lentils.
  • No gourmet ingredients – you’ll find everything you need at the supermarket!
  • Will leave you feeling full and satisfied!

Yes! As a dietitian, I love this simple Beef and Lentil Bolognese sauce because is loaded with healthy vegetables and lentils, but also tastes amazing. What makes this recipe a fantastic choice because:

  • It’s high protein, with 20g per serve. You get protein from the beef, but also plant-based protein from the lentils. So you know it’s going to keep you full!
  • It is loaded with fibre, with a whopping 9g per serve. The lentils and veggies are full of dietary fibre, which feeds our gut bacteria. Making this a great recipe for supporting your gut health.
  • Low fat (particularly, saturated fat) when compared to other Bolognese recipes, because it uses less meat.
  • Uses mostly low GI ingredient and contains no added sugar – so it is less likely to spike blood glucose and insulin levels.
  • Lower in sodium compared store bought Bolognese sauces, which is more beneficial for our blood pressure and heart.
  • Loaded with vitamins and minerals – such as potassium, phosphorus, iron, folate, and vitamins A and K.
Ingredients for beef and lentil bolognese.
  • Onion and garlic – Classic staple ingredients for any Bolognese sauce.
  • Ground beef / mince – Preferably lean to reduce the amount of fat, but this recipe works with any ground beef within your budget. Beef is best for this recipe, as it has more flavour. Whereas pork adds more juiciness. Since we’re cutting back on the meat, we want to maximise that flavour.
  • Vegetables – Although not traditional, I use carrot, zucchini, white cup mushroom and frozen spinach. Mushroom adds to the meaty texture. Whereas the zucchini and spinach melt into the sauce to give a thick, chunky texture (you wouldn’t even know they were there!).
  • Spices – I used a combination of Masterfoods Italian herbs, bay leaves, cinnamon and whole nutmeg. The Italian herbs and bay leaves give the sauce more depth of flavour. While cinnamon and nutmeg are great for balancing the acidity of the tomatoes without using sugar.
  • White wine;
  • Tinned tomatoes – Because it is not a Bolognese sauce without tomatoes!
  • Tomato paste – Adds a richness of the sauce.
  • Stock cubes – Choose reduced salt or low sodium (per 100g) bouillon / stock cubes or powders. I use Massel 7’s chicken style stock cubes, which are much lower in sodium. They are also vegan friendly.
  • Lentils – Are the perfect substitute for mince due to their meaty texture. While lentils are not traditional, they are great way of adding extra nutrients, protein and fibre to Bolognese. Lentils, canned or dried, are also very cheap compared to beef (AUD$11.00 vs $2.62 per kg), which helps bring down the cost. Choose low / reduced salt canned lentils, I get mine from Woolworths.

Authentic Italian Bolognese traditionally uses dry white wine. I also recommend it for this Lentil and Beef Bolognese, as it enhances the flavour, but doesn’t overpower the meat and sauce. The following are wines that I would use are:

  • Pinot grigio – Light, dry and clean – a classic widely used in Italy.
  • Sauvignon blanc – Is crisp and zesty, with citrus notes.
  • Unoaked chardonnay – Dry and smooth, has a clean fruit flavour without the oak.

I don’t recommend using cooking wine, as it may have added salt or sweeteners. A general rule I follow, if it’s good enough to drink, it’s good enough for cooking.

A fork twirling pasta coated in beef and lentil bolognese sauce.
  1. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium – high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion becomes soft and fragrant. You’ll know they’re almost done when you get that beautiful smell of onion and garlic.
  2. Increase the heat to high and add the ground beef to the pot. Cook, while breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it is almost completely browned.
Steps 1 and 2 of making beef and lentil bolognese.
  1. Add the vegetables, mushroom, Italian herbs and bay leaves to the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
  2. Pour in the white wine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, while scraping the bottom of the pot.
Steps 3 and 4 of making beef and lentil bolognese.
  1. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, stock cubes, remaining spices and enough water to cover the top of the Bolognese sauce. Stir the sauce and bring to a simmer. Put the lid on the pot, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4-6 hours. Stir occasionally. Add extra water if the sauce becomes too thick for your taste.
Step 5 of making beef and lentil bolognese.
  1. Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, add the lentils and stir to mix. Remove the pot from the heat. If you want mushy lentils that blend in with the sauce, cook for an extra 30 minutes.
Step 6 of making beef and lentil bolognese.
  1. Serve the Beef and Lentil Bolognese sauce over wholemeal pasta and with an optional sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Bon appetit!
Tongues grabbing Beef and Lentil Bolognese with pasta.

This Beef and Lentil Bolognese Sauce is perfect for making in a slow cooker!

  1. Follow the recipe to step 4.
  2. Transfer the vegetable mince mix to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 6 – 7 hours.
  3. Add the canned lentils, stir through and serve. Refer to the section below if you want to use dried lentils.

Yes you can! However, the texture and cooking time can vary with each type of lentil. Here is a break down of the different types of lentil:

  • Green or Brown lentil – These lentils will hold their texture and shape when cooked for long periods. Add them to the Beef and Mushroom Bolognese sauce in step 6, or when adding liquid to the slow cooker. Puy lentils are a type of green lentil. Are also used for canned lentils.
  • Black lentil (aka Beluga lentil) – Are rich, and have the most flavour out of all the lentils. Hold their structure and texture similarly to green / brown lentils.
  • Yellow or Red lentil – Take 10 minutes and will turn mushy if cooked for a long time. However, they could be a good choice for kids or young children who are picky eaters or don’t like the look of lentils.

Use half a cup of your lentil of choice with 1 1/2 cups of water.

A label scooping Beef and Lentil Bolognese out of a pot.
  • Spaghetti Bolognese – Serve it with wholemeal spaghetti pasta noodles for extra protein, fibre and nutrients! Otherwise, you could also use a pulse pasta, such as chickpea or lentil pasta.
  • Gnocchi – Serve it over pillowy cooked gnocchi.
  • Lasanga – This Lentil Bolognese sauce makes a real amazing lasanga when layered with bechamel and tasty mozzarella cheese.
  • Pasta bake – Mix the Bolognese sauce with pasta in dutch oven / baking dish, then top with cheese!
  • Cottage pie – My garlicky Potato & White Bean Mash would be perfect for this!
  • Jacket potatoes – With cheese on top.

This tinned Lentil Bolognese Sauce will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, add it to a microwave safe container and heat in the microwave until warm. If dry, add a splash of water and mix.

Otherwise, up to 3 months if put into the freezer.

To defrost, leave the container of Lentil and Beef Bolognese in the fridge overnight.

A bowl of beef and lentil bolognese.
  • Vegetables – This Lentil Bolognese sauce recipe works with any vegetable that can be easily diced, such as eggplant / aubergine, chilli, capsicum, celery, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage even Asian vegetables like bok choy. The only veggies I don’t see working are potatoes, beetroot, pumpkin, ginger.
  • Mushroom – Oyster or cremini / Swiss brown. However, any mild flavoured mushroom will work.
  • Diced tomatoes – You can use passatta, or canned whole tomatoes.
  • Wine – You can use red wine instead of white, or just leave it out. Recommend red wines include malbec, Sangiovese / chianti, merlot. Avoid bold reds with high tannins such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah / Shiraz – they can make the sauce bitter or too intense.
  • Stock cubes – Can be substituted for beef.
  • Gluten free – Make sure to use gluten free certified pasta or gnocchi.
  • Low sodium – Reduce the stock cubes to one and don’t add salt to pasta water.
  • No garlic / onion – Leave them out, or substitute with infused extra virgin olive oil.
  • Vegan / vegetarian / meat free – Remove the meat and add an extra can of lentils.
Two bowls of beef and lentil bolognese.

Cooking this Beef and Lentil Bolognese Sauce low and slow is key to developing great flavours. The longer the better!

Want a quick version of this recipe? Grate the vegetables and use either dried red or canned lentils.

If serving with pasta, add the pasta to the pot with 1/4 – 1/2 a cup of reserved pasta water and stir to mix!

If you’re not used to eating much fibre, start with regular pasta — too much fibre too fast can upset your stomach.


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A bowl of beef and lentil bolognese.

Beef and Lentil Bolognese

5 from 1 vote
Lauren
Servings: 5 – 6

Tap or hover to scale

Ingredients
 

  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow / brown onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 250 g ground beef / mince (Note 4)
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini / courgette, diced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, finely diced (Note 5)
  • 1 cup frozen chopped spinach,
  • 3 tsp Masterfoods Italian herbs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (Note 6)
  • 2 400 g cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 chicken stock cubes, preferably reduced salt (Note 7)
  • 2 pinches ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg, either whole or ground
  • 1 400g can lentils, drained & rinsed, preferably no added / salt reduced (Note 8)

Instructions

  • Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium – high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion becomes soft and fragrant.
  • Increase the heat to high and add the ground beef to the pot. Cook, while breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it is almost completely browned.
  • Add the vegetables, mushroom, Italian herbs and bay leaves to the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
  • Pour in the white wine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, while scraping the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, stock cubes, remaining spices and enough water to cover the top of the Bolognese sauce. Stir the sauce and bring to a simmer. Put the lid on the pot, reduce the heat to medium and cook for4-6 hours. Stir occasionally. Add extra water if the sauce becomes too thick for your taste.
  • Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, add the lentils and stir to mix. Remove the pot from the heat. If you want the lentils to be mushy and blend in with the sauce, cook for an extra 30 minutes.
  • Serve the Beef and Lentil Bolognese sauce over wholemeal pasta and with an optional sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Bon appetit! (Note 9)

Notes

  1. Health benefits / nutrition – In depth nutrition details about this recipe and ingredients are in the post above.
  2. Instructions with photos – Detailed in the post above.
  3. Measurements – This recipe uses 250ml cup and 20ml tablespoons measurements. Using US cups / tablespoons may alter the results of the recipe.
  4. Ground beef – Is best for this recipe, as it has more flavour. Whereas pork adds more juiciness. Since we’re cutting back on the meat, we want to maximise that flavour.
  5. Mushroom – Oyster or cremini / Swiss brown. However, any mild flavoured mushroom would work, excluding shitake.
  6. Dry white wine – Pinot grigio, Savuignon blanc or unoaked chardonnay. You can use red wine instead of white, or just leave it out.
    • Recommend red wines include malbec, Sangiovese / chianti, merlot. Other reds with high tannins can make the sauce bitter or too intense.
  1. Stock cubes – I use Massel 7’s chicken style stock cubes, which are much lower in sodium. They are also vegan friendly.
  2. Lentils – Can be substituted for dry lentils, but the texture and cooking time can vary with each type of lentil. Use half a cup of your lentil of choice with 1 1/2 cups of water.
    • Green or Brown lentil – These lentils will hold their texture and shape while being cooked for longer periods. Add them to the Beef and Mushroom Bolognese in step 6, or when adding liquid to the slow cooker. Puy lentils are a type of green lentil.
      • Black lentil (aka Beluga lentils) – Are rich, and have the most flavour out of all the lentils. Hold their structure and texture similarly to green / brown lentils.
      • Yellow or Red lentils – Generally take 10 minutes and will turn mushy if cooked for a long time. Could be a good choice for kids or young children who are picky eaters or don’t like the look of lentils.
    1. Hot tip – Add the pasta to the pot with 1/4 – 1/2 a cup of reserved pasta water and stir to mix!
    2. Slow cooker – This tinned lentil Bolognese sauce is perfect for making in a slow cooker! Simply follow the recipe to step 4, then transfer the vegetables and ground meat to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 6 – 7 hours. Add the canned lentils, stir through and serve.
    3. Gluten free – Make sure to use gluten free certified pasta or gnocchi.
    4. Low sodium – Reduce the stock cubes to one and don’t add salt to pasta water.
    5. No garlic / onion – Leave them out, or use infused extra virgin olive oil.
    6. Vegan / vegetarian / meat free – Remove the meat and add an extra can of lentils.
    7. Storage
      • Fridge – Will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
      • Freezer – up to 3 months if put into the freezer. To defrost, leave the container of Lentil and Beef Bolognese in the fridge overnight.
      • Reheat – In a microwave safe container and heat in the microwave until warm. If dry, add a splash of water and mix.
    8. Nutrition – Calculated per serve, assuming 5 serves without pasta.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 214kcal (11%), Carbohydrates: 28g (9%), Protein: 20g (40%), Fat: 4g (6%), Saturated Fat: 1g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 31mg (10%), Sodium: 173mg (8%), Potassium: 1175mg (34%), Fiber: 9g (38%), Sugar: 10g (11%), Vitamin A: 8368IU (167%), Vitamin C: 31mg (38%), Calcium: 159mg (16%), Iron: 6mg (33%)
    Keywords bolognese, pasta sauce
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