Healthy Beef and Lentil Bolognese (Printable)
Hearty Italian-style sauce with lean beef, protein-rich lentils, and plenty of vegetables for a nutritious meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz lean ground beef
→ Legumes
02 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
→ Liquids
10 - 3 cups low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Herbs & Spices
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 tsp dried basil
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Optional Garnishes
17 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
18 - Grated Parmesan cheese
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and red bell pepper. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until softened.
02 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes to develop flavors.
05 - Add lentils, diced tomatoes with juice, and broth. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
06 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and sauce has thickened. Add more broth or water if needed for desired consistency.
07 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve hot over whole wheat pasta, zucchini noodles, or rice. Garnish with fresh herbs and Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It is an absolute protein powerhouse that still feels like comfort food
- The lentils create this incredible velvety texture that coats every strand of pasta perfectly
02 -
- The lentils will continue absorbing liquid as they sit, so the sauce might look thicker the next day
- Do not skip the step of scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, that is where all the flavor lives
03 -
- If you want to make this entirely vegetarian, just double the lentils and use vegetable broth
- A splash of red wine added with the tomatoes takes the flavor to another level