Name: Mushroom Lentil Ragu
Prep time: 13 min
Cook time: 31 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil (for frying); 1 null onion (finely chopped); 1 null large carrot (finely chopped); 1 null stick celery (finely chopped); 8.8 oz mushrooms (finely chopped); 2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari sauce or balsamic vinegar); 3 null cloves garlic (minced); 0.5 cup dry green lentils (or brown lentils or canned lentils (see notes)); 0.5 cup red wine (or sub more veggie broth/water or coconut milk for richness); 14 oz can diced tomatoes (or passata or whole crushed tomatoes); 1 cup vegetable broth (or more as needed); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 null bay leaf; 2 tsp thyme leaves (fresh or dried); 1 tsp smoked paprika powder; 1 tsp miso paste (optional); 0.25 tsp salt (adjust to taste); 0.25 cup walnuts (crushed (optional)); 12.3 oz pasta of your choice (e.g. gluten-free pappardelle noodles); null null garlic mushrooms; null null vegan parmesan cheese; null null fresh herbs (e.g. basil or thyme)

Instructions

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1

Heat the olive oil (2 tbsp) in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion (1), carrot (1 large), and celery (1 stick). Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until the onion starts to turn translucent. Add the mushrooms (8.8 oz) and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have released most of their water. Add the soy sauce (2 tbsp), garlic (3 cloves), and dry green lentils (0.5 cup) and cook for another minute, stirring frequently until fragrant.
2

Pour in the red wine (0.5 cup), and cook for a minute until most of it has evaporated. Then add in the can diced tomatoes (14 oz), vegetable broth (1 cup), tomato paste (2 tbsp), leaf (1 bay), thyme leaves (2 tsp), smoked paprika powder (1 tsp), miso paste (1 tsp) (if using), and salt (0.25 tsp). Stir to combine and bring it to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 30 to 35 minutes until the lentils are done. (If the sauce becomes too thick, add more [vegetable broth] or [water]). Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Remove the leaf (1 bay) in the end and stir in the walnuts (0.25 cup) if using.
3

Start to cook the pasta of your choice (12.3 oz) in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions around 15 minutes before the sauce is done. Once the [pasta of your choice] is al dente, drain the cooking water and toss in a little bit of [olive oil] (optional to prevent from sticking). Also, sauté the extra [garlic mushrooms] in a skillet for the topping as instructed in this recipe.
4

Serve the [pasta of your choice] with the mushroom and lentil ragu and garnish with extra [garlic mushrooms], [vegan parmesan cheese], and [fresh herbs] or any topping you like. Enjoy!