This Big-Batch Vegan Bolognese Sauce recipe is an exclusive from Henry Firth and Ian Theasby’s new cookbook BOSH! on a Budget. Click here to find out where you can order it.
We’ve written a fair few bolognese recipes over the years, but this one, made with celery root and lentils, is one of our best. Be warned though, it makes a BIG batch! One portion of this will happily feed sixteen people, but it freezes like a dream. Having a few portions in your freezer is a great idea as it means you’ll have something delicious to eat even if you don’t fancy cooking from scratch!
Big-Batch Vegan Bolognese Sauce from BOSH! on a Budget by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 large white onion
- 1 celery root - about 1lb 2oz trimmed weight
- 1 leek
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 lb 5oz mushrooms
- 6 garlic cloves
- A handful of parsley stalks
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Generous ⅓ cup wine - optional
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 4 14oz cans of basic chopped tomatoes
- 2 x cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- Salt and black pepper
Equipment:
- Large food processor
- Large saucepan with lid
- Freezer bags or containers
Instructions
- Soak the lentils
- Tip the lentils into a bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside.
- Prepare the veg
- Trim and roughly chop the onion, celery root, leek, celery, and mushrooms.
- Peel the garlic.
- Add the onion and celery root to the processor with half the mushrooms. Pulse until you have rough dice, then tip into a bowl.
- Add the onion, leek, celery, garlic, and parsley to the processor with the rest of the mushrooms.
- Pulse to chop, then add to the bowl with the onion and celery root.
- Continue in batches until all the vegetables are chopped. Stir to combine.
- Cook the veg
- Place the pan over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chopped veg, stir, cover, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove the lid.
- Add the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan to get any tasty bits of caramelized veg off the bottom.
- Add the wine (if using), stock, chopped tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and thyme. Season generously. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Drain the lentils and add them to the pan, cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the lentils are cooked.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more balsamic vinegar if you want more sweetness and acidity. Remove the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves and you’re good to go!
- Store
- Allow the Bolognese to cool and then portion up and freeze lying flat as this makes it super-quick to defrost when you want a quick supper.
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Excerpted from BOSH! on a Budget by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby. Reprinted with permission of HarperCollins, 2022. Photo credit: Lizzie Mayson.
Click here to order your copy.
About the Author
Lifelong friends from Sheffield, Henry and Ian are the guys behind BOSH! – the biggest plant-based video channel on Facebook. Totally powered by plants, BOSH! create mouthwatering meat- and dairy-free recipes that are shared across the globe, reaching over 25 million people a month.
About the Book
BOSH! are back with the ultimate money-saving, plant-based cookbook.
Number one Sunday Times bestselling authors Henry and Ian know how to make outrageously tasty, super satisfying food without breaking the bank. In BOSH! on a Budget, they share over 100 delicious recipes and prove that great-tasting food doesn’t have to cost the earth.
If you’re looking to save a few pennies or even some serious dough, BOSH! have you covered. From hearty midweek dinners and comfort food feasts to indulgent brunches and unbelievably tasty treats, this book is also packed with money-saving hacks and batch-cooking tips and tricks.
Whether you’re living completely meat-free, or just looking to introduce more plant-based meals into your week, this is the money-saving cookbook for you.
Disclaimer: the cookbooks we feature are independently selected by our Best of Vegan editors and are in no way sponsored by the author and/or the publisher. All content is used with permission.
