Lentil Ragù

Red Lentil Ragú with Cashew Parmesan

vegan, gluten free*

This hearty, flavourful, umami-rich, meat free ragú is made with red lentils, mushrooms, crumbed walnuts and a fragrant soffritto.  Easy to prepare, batch cook and freezer friendly and a comforting crowd pleaser for vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters too! Serve with your favourite pasta and garnish with cashew parmesan and fresh flat leaf parsley. You can also use this ragú  recipe for lasagne!

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Serves: 6-8

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Cook time: 45 minutes

Utensils needed: deep 12-inch sauté pan, blender

• Ingredients

  Ragú

  2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  1 large red onion, diced

  1 large carrot, diced

  2 celery sticks, diced

  200g chestnut or button mushrooms, roughly chopped

  4 garlic cloves, minced

  1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 2 tsp dried)

  1 tsp dried oregano

  100g/4 tbsp of tomato paste

  200g red lentils, soaked, washed and drained (see notes)

  1000ml vegetable broth

  1 can of chopped tomatoes

  100g walnuts, blitzed to a crumb

  1 tsp arrowroot powder + 60ml water (optional)

  1 - 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

  1 tbsp rose harissa paste (optional)

  1 tsp sea salt, plus extra to taste

  Pinch of black pepper, to taste

  Cashew Parmesan

  150 cashews

  4 tbsp nutritional yeast

  1 tsp sea salt

  1/4 tsp garlic powder or granules

  1/4 tsp dried mixed herbs (optional)

  To Serve/Garnish

  Pasta* e.g. spaghetti, tagliatelle, fettuccine, pappardelle or penne (if you require gluten free I recommend Dove’s Farm range of pastas, especially their spaghetti).

  Cashew Parmesan

  Flat leaf parsley or basil, chopped or teared

• Method

  For the Ragú

  1. Warm the olive oil in a deep 12-inch saute pan over a medium heat.

  2. Add the onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms with a pinch of sea salt and sauté for approximately 10 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and are golden brown. Stir occasionally.

  3. Add the garlic and herbs and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

  4. Stir through the tomato paste, then add the lentils and stir constantly for a few seconds to coat the lentil in the tomato paste and absorb some of the flavour.

  5. Pour in the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan and stir thoroughly to combine. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  6. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and blitzed walnuts. Stir to incorporate and then gently simmer ifor another 20 minutes until the mixture has thickened and the lentils are cooked through. At this point it is optional to add the arrowroot mixed with water if you would like the ragú a little thicker. I personally like to do this.

  7. Stir through the balsamic vinegar - I really recommend that you don’t miss out this ingredient as it enhances the flavours! Also, stir through the optional harissa paste - I think this ingredient really enhances the dish so I recommend trying!

  8. Taste and add any extra seasoning e.g. salt, pepper, balsamic, harissa or even a drop of maple syrup, if necessary.

  For the Parmesan

  1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blitz until it resembles a very fine crumb. Be careful to not over blend because the nuts will combine to form a thick stodgy mixture.

  To Serve

  Serve with your chosen pasta, garnish with parsley or basil and a sprinkle of cashew parmesan.

• Notes

  • Store the ragú in the fridge for 3-5 days.

  • Batch cook and store in portions in the freezer for up to three months. Simply defrost portions overnight at room temperature, then reheat gently to serve.

  • You may soak the lentils for 30-60 minutes whilst you prepare the veggies in order to reduce cooking time and to improve digestion. Soaking lentils reduces the phytic acid, allowing the body to absorb more nutrients. However, red lentils will still cook without soaking if you don’t have the time.

  • When you’re combing the pasta and ragú before serving, add a few splashes of pasta water to the ragú to help the sauce coat the pasta.

• Allergens

  Celery, Nuts

  If you’re using a stock powder or cube make sure to check if they contain potential allergens like celery or gluten.

  Balsamic vinegar may contain sulphites if you don’t buy high quality or sulphite free.