Lentil Quinoa Bolognese Sauce

By Kathy_Hester

This hearty, protein-rich sauce serves a crowd, or it can be a staple you make every month or so and freeze the leftovers so it will be there for you on those crazy weeks.

Ingredients

• 1 cups (192 g) lentils (green, brown, or Beluga)
• 3 medium carrots, each one cut into 4 large pieces
• 1 to 2 cups water (235 to 470 ml)
• 1/2 cup (85 g) quinoa, rinsed well
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) red wine (or 2 tablespoons balsamic)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 can (20 ounces/794g) crushed tomatoes (or 3 cups homemade purée plus 2 teaspoons dried basil)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper (or crushed chillies), optional
• 1 small bunch kale, stems removed and torn into small pieces (about 3 cups), optional
• salt and pepper, to taste
• cooked pasta, for serving

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 60mins
Adapted from amazon.com

Preparation

Step 1

Add lentils, carrots and water into a large soup pot. Turn heat up to high and cook until the mixture is simmering, then turn to low and cover. Cook until the lentils are tender about 20 to 30 minutes.

While the lentils cook heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until transparent. Then add bell pepper and garlic sauté for 1 minute more.

Once carrots and lentils are cooked remove the carrots from the pot of lentils and add it to a food processor or blender with the tomatoes, oregano, basil, red pepper and/or kale (if using), sautéed veggies and purée until smooth.

At the same time add the quinoa and red wine to the pot of lentils. Turn the heat to medium until it starts to simmer again, then cover and turn to low. Cook until the quinoa start to show their white tails.

Add the purée to the lentil quinoa mixture and cook covered on low heat until the sauce melds and heats thoroughly. This should take about 20 minutes.