Lentil and Sausage Bolognese

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
Add the sausage and onion, and cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the carrot and celery. Cook until the onion is browned and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
Stir in the rosemary, sage, garlic, and red pepper ﬂakes. Cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
Then stir in the tomato paste and allow it to brown, 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and 1 ½ cups of water, using a spoon or spatula to break up the tomatoes.
Stir in the lentils, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let the lentils simmer gently until tender, about 40-60 minutes.
Meanwhile, in another large pot, bring water to a boil, then cook the pasta according to package instructions. Before draining the pasta, scoop out some of the pasta water with a mug or measuring cup and reserve it. Drain the pasta and set aside.
When the lentils are done cooking, add the cooked pasta to the dutch oven, add a splash of the pasta cooking water, and the cheese, and toss until the pasta is coated.

Banner Image:

LentilSausageBolognese.jpg

Grain:

Wheat [1]

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 (approximately 5 ounce) link sweet Italian chicken sausage, casings removed

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

4 cloves garlic, minced

⅛ teaspoon red pepper ﬂakes

1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste

1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with juices

¾ cup French green lentils

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 pound whole wheat pasta

½ cup freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Active time:

30 minutes

Yield:

6 servings

Nutrition:

Calories: 530, Total Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2.5g, Sodium: 640mg, Carbohydrate: 82g, Fiber: 12g, Total Sugar: 7g (Added Sugar: 0g), Protein: 26g

Author:

An Oldways recipe, courtesy of Kelly Toups (adapted from a Melissa Clark [2] recipe)

Diet:

Mediterranean Diet

Recipe tags:

Staff Favorites

Course:

Main dishes

Meal:

Dinner

Rating:

Description:

In this recipe, dried lentils are used to stretch a tiny bit of Italian chicken sausage into a hearty, mostly plant-based meal. These rich ﬂavors pair especially well with whole grain pasta.

Serving Size:

1/6 recipe