Today I have for you, The Best Ever Lentil Ragu recipe. Yes, I know, I'm 100% biased because it's my own recipe, but my friends, you have no idea. No idea until you try it anyway, then you'll know the amazingness that is this lentil ragu recipe. This vegan ragu is so hearty, rich, slightly smoky, it makes for the best (secretly pretty healthy) comfort food heaven. But it gets even better...
...this recipe takes just 15 minutes to make. No really, 15 MINUTES. That's it. Talk about a perfect easy weeknight meal.
My hack is using a jar of store-bought tomato sauce. Then you just cook the lentils right in the sauce so they suck up the tomato deliciousness. Stir in chopped walnuts which add to the texture and richness, and spices to take it from store-bought to OMG how in the world did you make this sauce so scrumptious?
You may have tried my Tofu Bolognese recipe before, which is one of my most favourite recipes (I'm pasta obsessed). Well, this lentil version is competing now. They are both wonderful in their own unique ways so I recommend trying both dishes to see which one you like best. Or if you are like me, then you could add both pasta recipes to the regular rotation, because can you ever have too many pasta nights? The answer is no.
To make The Best Ever Lentil Ragu: bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
Add the tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and lentils to a large skillet or saucepan. Now, I know I will be asked if you can use green or brown lentils instead of red lentils. The answer is yes, but both green and brown lentils take about 20 minutes to cook (instead of the 10 minutes red lentils take to cook), so this will no longer be a 15-minute recipe. That's why I am such a huge fan of red lentils.
Cover and bring to a simmer stirring gently every now and then. Simmer covered for about 10 minutes until the lentils are tender.
Finish the sauce by stirring in the walnuts and all of the seasonings.
You can either toss the hot pasta with the sauce or spoon the sauce over top of the pasta. Garnish with Parmegan if desired.
The Best Ever Lentil Ragu!
Ingredients
For the lentil ragu:
- 1 650ml jar tomato sauce (or 3 cups homemade tomato sauce)
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup red lentils
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce (gluten-free if preferred)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
For the pasta:
- 400 g spaghetti or pasta of choice (gluten-free if preferred)
- Parmegan (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
- Add the tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and lentils to a large skillet or saucepan. Cover and bring to a simmer stirring gently every now and then. Simmer covered for about 10 minutes until the lentils are tender.
- Finish the sauce by stirring in the walnuts and all of the seasonings. You can either toss the hot pasta with the sauce, or spoon the sauce over top of the pasta. Garnish with Parmegan if desired.
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Raluca says
This is a good recipe, but I had a little problem with transforming the cups in ml/gr.. if you google it you find different measures so I puzzled me big time!
Danielle says
I made this with impossible burger, onions, garlic and mushrooms and it was SO easy and delicious. This will be my go-to when cooking quick meals for picky or non-vegan eaters!
LilyCatsMom says
Hearty, simple, and SO tasty. Simmered some chopped onion and celery in water until softened and then adding the tomato sauce, lentils (pre-soaked in hot water), and water with a tsp of "Better than Bouillon" vegetable base. Didn't have liquid smoke but used a dash of smoked paprika and the sauce had a lovely mix of flavors. Definitely going into the regular rotation, one of my teens is on an oil-free vegan diet for Lent and I'm so happy that oil-free vegan food can taste THIS good!
Sandra says
I had made this before and I forgot how quick and easy it was! I made it again tonight. I love how you can make it w pantry staples. It’s So good! You may want to season your sauce depending on what you use. I didn’t have veggie broth and I used better than bouillon - that stuff in a jar - and it still came out great!
Tara says
We made this ragu last night and loooooovvvved it! My husband who isn’t a big fan of lentils even had seconds. We had to skip the walnuts but added a little chopped kale that was on its last legs and chili flakes right at the end of cooking. Still it was excellent. And congratulations on your engagement!
Steph says
Stumbled along this recipe a while ago and its the BEST ragu that I have yet made!! We've had it a few times now and will keep doing so. Thank you
Maria says
I printed this recipe weeks ago and finally made it yesterday. The best vegan ragu ever. It's so much better than using the processed vegan meat crumbles. Thank you so much for sharing. The only ingredient I didn't use was the chili powder and I added sauteed onion and garlic at the beginning as well as some fresh basil. It was perfect for me and my family!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww yay!! Thrilled you enjoyed it, Maria 🙂
Rose says
I made this today! It is the best pasta recipe ever!
Delia Fey says
I loved the flavor!! I took some lentil mixture before I put the chili powder & walnuts in for my 4yo since she doesn't like spicy (LOL - I often can't be detect the spice but she's sure it's in there) and she cannot eat walnuts. I mixed those into the rest for my husband and myself - we loved it!!
This is saying something since I took a chance & used old red lentils that took a super long time. I had seen the recipe in a recent email & have been thinking of it ever since. What kind or brand of red lentils do you recommend, so it's fine in the least amount of time?
I will definitely look for fresher red lentils as soon as I can so can make this again!! Yum! Yum! YUM!
Delia
Rikki says
The walnuts and liquid smoke are what make this recipe delicious. I sautéed some mushrooms first to add extra veggies....or fungi ( Ha!).
This will be on my regular rotation!
Bravo, Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it, Rikki 🙂
Jennifer says
Very flavorful recipe, but the cooking time for the lentils is incorrect. They need to be cooked for at least 30 minutes (likely closer to 45) in this recipe to be properly cooked and not crunchy. The flavor and texture are otherwise excellent. I’ve never heard of cooking lentils for less than a half hour, and this recipe is definitely no exception.
Nkr says
This recipe calls for red lentils. Red lentils cook for a much shorter time than other varieties. If you had problems with cooking time, it may have been because you used a different variety of lentils.
Karen says
I love this recipe so much! I had some extra veg in the fridge so added diced Carrot, mushrooms, red pepper, white onion and garlic to the recipe. Turned out amaze-balls. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Karen 🙂
Janell says
Love this recipe....have made it numerous times and always enjoyed by adults and grandchildren! Have used 28oz of fire-roasted crushed tomatoes too as I always have that on hand...and it's fantastic. Thanks for all your work on your recipes.
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Janell, so happy you love my recipes 🙂
Rebecca Finnegan says
I am wondering if when the recipe calls for tomato sauce if that is truly just tomato sauce or if it's pasta/spaghetti sauce.
Sam Turnbull says
A pasta sauce would be perfect 🙂
ren says
Thank you! I was just going to ask this question Tomato sauce is tomato sauce, tomato based marinara sauce is (apparently) what this recipe calls for.
Simone King says
This recipe was a massive success - So quick and easy - my sister and niece are raving about it! My first time using liquid smoke too! 🙂 Thanks Sam! Oh and voted for you too!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Simone! I appreciate it 🙂
Mady says
I had a problem with this recipe, it tasted amazing but the lentils never fully cooked. I looked up why and it is because of the acidity of the tomato sauce does not allow the lentils to ever finish cooking. Next time I make it I will cook the lentils in the broth before I add the sauce. Other than that one minor issue it was good.
Sam Turnbull says
I've never had that problem before!
Rebecca says
Mady, I found this tip so helpful! Whenever I make a lentil and tomato based sauce, I now cook the lentils quickly on the stove first. I used to wonder why my lentil "sloppy joes" would have to cook for so long and still be crunchy.
Though my husband cooked this tonight and I forgot to mention your tip to him, so we had crunchy sauce, haha!
I saw a bunch of other comments saying their lentils didn't cook and I am guessing the acidity contributes to that! I do wonder why it works for some people and not for others. We add our lentils to a homemade sauce made from canned tomatoes - maybe it's more acidic than the pre-made store bough sauce.
Bekah says
Good for a chilie not a ragu.
Evie Werle says
Hi, could i make this with tinned rinsed lentils as I am on the fodmap diet and can't eat freshly cooked lentils.
Thanks
Evie says
Hi,
I only just stumbled across your site.
This recipe sounds delicious. I just have one problem, I follow the low fodmap diet, do you think I could substitute the red lentils with drained and rinsed tinned lentils as they are the only ones allowed on the fodmap diet.
Looking forward to your reply.
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, but I would reduce or omit the vegetable broth as the lentils are already cooked and won't absorb it. Hope that helps!
Amanda says
Just wanted to let you know that I combined three of your recipes to prepare a lasagna: this lentil ragu layered with tofu ricotta and the melty-strechy-gooey mozzarella on top, and it turned out epic! 😀
Sam Turnbull says
amazing! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Sari says
This is absolutely divine! I quickly made my own marinara and followed your recipe. The combination of lentils,walnuts, and spices is perfection!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!! SO thrilled you loved it so much, Sari 🙂
Barbara Pfieffer says
Great recipe! I didn't use walnuts cause I never use nuts, but otherwise, followed it exactly. The flavors you used are different than most but made it very tasty. I used medium shells as my pasta. Turned out great.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed, Barbara 🙂
Alessandra says
Hiii, here vegan recipes newbie, and I am not vegan but I am doing vegan days and I love your website!
I cooked your chili with tofu and... I fell in love!!!
Then I was looking for other recipes and I found this one. I must admit... I didn’t really followed it because, well, I am Italian and my conscience doesn’t allow me to cook ragù (this is how we call Bolognese) without the basic of ragù. Which is not meat, I mean also, but that wouldn’t be vegan...sooooo... the real must of any respectable ragù is soffritto. That is a base of celery, carrot and onion that gets cooked in olive oil at the very beginning and gives the taste to the ragù. That said I let your recipe inspire me and I did my own version of it but I’d like to thank you because I would’ve never thought of making ragù with red lentils!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you are enjoying my recipes so much, Alessandra. You might also enjoy my Tofu Bolognese recipe (or whatever you would like to call it) 😉
Jim says
Banging recipe, cheers! It comes pretty close to replicating the divine richness of ‘real’ ragu that I was so craving. I substituted your liquid smoke for smoked paprika, worked a treat.
Meredith says
Totally yummy. My 15-year-old son recently declared his intention to give up meat as a way of eating in a way t’s better for the planet, so I’ve been looking for recipes to up my veggie/vegan meal game. This was awesome. I sautéd onions, red pepper flakes and garlic first, and deglazed with red wine. I just used one teaspoon of sugar. And I’d never cooked with nutritional yeast before but I loved it. I’ll be searching for more on your site!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Meredith! I hope you enjoy many more of my recipes 🙂
Jennifer Baker says
I made this lentil ragu in the instant pot. It is delicious. 4 minutes high pressure. With quick release. Instant pot read burn! Oops! My bad was putting in the spices before the cook, instead of after. (I’m assuming that’s what went wrong, or not enough water?) I added some twirly pasta that I cooked separately. I forgot to add the walnuts, still Very yummy and easy. This recipe is a keeper, I love that lentils can be used to replace meat.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Jennifer!!
Katie says
This was delicious and so rich ! I even convinced my very picky, meat eating daughter to try it and she loved it. Yum! I added garlic, basil, and Italian seasoning. So good. Thank you !
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you loved it, Katie 🙂
Julia says
Hmmm. This cane out tasting like BBQ or maybe a sloppy joe type filling not anything like a ragu for pasta. It sure why mine didn’t come out like the others.
Sam Turnbull says
Sorry you didn't enjoy it more, Julia.
ren says
Probably because you used regular tomato sauce, which the recipe seems to call for. However, it's supposed to be tomato based marinara sauce, or as some folks call it "spaghetti sauce". Hope this helps.
Augusta Noble says
Really tasty! The liquid smoke gives it a really nice depth. I used less stock (low sodium) and still found it a little bit too salty for my tastes but I still loved it.
Sam Turnbull says
Happy you ejoyed!
Jo says
This is so good! We used to use TVP in all our pasta sauce (and loved it) but lentils make for an amazing change of flavour.
Sam, I'm only now getting around to reviewing a small handful of my favourite recipes, but my husband and I have been relying on your site more and more over the past few months. It's been literally life-changing to find all these easy, incredible recipes of yours -- thank you so much for sharing them with us. A common occurrence in our house now, come dinner time, is for one of us to be cooking and the other one to say "That smells great, who's the recipe from?" The reply is always: "who do you think?"
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's so amazing, Jo!! I'm so incredibly flattered, you totally put some extra pep in my step today. 🙂
Lucie says
Really good ! I was a little bit afraid because i never use before chili powder in a sauce. I follow exactly the recipe and i will make this recipe again. I have serve this recipe on half pasta and zuchinni noodles. I even had enough to freeze for later. I also want to add that i have tried 3 recipes of your cookbook and they are amazing too.
Sam Turnbull says
That's awesome!! Thrilled you are loving my recipes so much, Lucie 🙂
Jessie Furman says
Delicious recipe, just made it tonight! I always tinker with recipes, but only made the slightest of changes. (Add in chili powder initially with tomato sauce to allow more flavor release, and I crushed the walnuts for more consistent bite.) Very, very minor changes - great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it!
M. says
Hi, Sam! How are you? My Mom and I love watching your YouTube videos! We think you are so bubbly and joyful! This recipe looks so good! Do you know how I can make this in a pressure cooker (Instant Pot)?
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thanks so much, thrilled you love my videos so much!! 🙂 I don't actually own a pressure cooker, so I'm not really sure! Sorry I can't be more help!
Belinda says
Hi Sam,
Needed something to do with the red lentils I bought. Scrolling through your blog and saw this recipe. Got one thing to say this is really good. Just finished making it. Added garlic and dehydrated onions but otherwise stuck to the recipe. Love it. Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Belinda 🙂
Cristin says
Oooh garlic would be a nice addition. I loved this recipe! I have been following your blog for a few months now and love so many of your recipes. But, this one was so good I had to comment. I struggled to wait for the pasta to be done! I wanted to just eat a bowlful. I am thinking of decreasing the moisture and making this my go to Sloppy Joe mixture. Thanks for the great recipes!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!!! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Cristin, and happy you are loving my blog so much 🙂
Katie Creek says
Just curious if it would be possible to make this without the walnuts? Not a big fan of them, but not sure how integral they are to the recipe as a whole.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Katie, absolutely. The walnuts add a bit of crunch and texture to the dish, so without them, the sauce might be lacking a little chew, but by all means, skip em if you don't like em!
Debra says
Can you make this in advance? Does it freeze/reheat ok? Many thanks
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried it myself, but my research says that lentils should freeze fine. Enjoy!
Debra says
Thank you!
Yulca says
So easy & soooooooo good! Carnivore husband basically inhaled it, too (he denies that now, but I know what I saw ;-)!). Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Bahahaha! Love it!!
Liz says
Love your site and videos! I'm looking forward to making this for dinner...what are your thoughts on using coconut sugar instead of brown?
Thank you so much.
LS
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks so much, Liz! Coconut sugar should work just fine 🙂
kd12 says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it tonight for the first time and it turned out awesome. Lots of flavor, lots of meaty texture with the walnuts and lentils. It was pretty close to a bolognese style sauce, and it came together so quickly. I make a lot of vegan meals from scratch and it can be very time consuming, so I love that this is a quick and easy meal to put on the table. My only change was to add in some Italian "sausage" I made using crumbled seasoned tofu that I baked earlier. I also loved your seasoning choices -- they really make a jarred sauce sing.
This is definitely a recipe that goes into my permanent "make again" file!!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!!! SO happy you enjoyed it so much. I'm all about quick and easy recipes, jampacked full of flavour, so I hope you find more recipes to enjoy on my site 🙂
Amanda says
I love what you've done here. This is a new family go-to recipe. Yum!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Thrilled it's a new fam fave, Amanda 🙂
Joanne says
Delicious! I think the chilli I have in the spice rack at the moment is a bit potent so I dialled down on the quantity of chili tonight having first made a version that was definitely more like a spicy curry than a ragu. Both versions lovely in their own way but a bit less heat went better with the pasta so I’ll be checking the chili in future! I found pecans make a good sub for the walnuts if the cupboard stock-control has gone wonky ;o)
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Joanne 🙂
Kelly says
Oh my gosh. . . this was so delicious! I only had brown lentils in my pantry so I had to increase the cooking time a bit, but it turned out amazing! Loved it! Thanks for yet another great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it so much, Kelly 🙂
Shelley says
Yummmmmmmm! My husband and I were delighted!
Sam Turnbull says
Happy to hear it, Shelley 🙂
Joanna says
Hi, firstly we love thIs versatile recipe. Thank you! is it possible to freeze?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes the sauce should freeze well, but prepare a fresh batch of pasta and you should be good to go 🙂
Diane says
I made this last night and we really liked the flavor of the sauce. However, it seemed like the lentils absorbed too much of the sauce. I did cook it longer than 10 minutes though as the lentils we're too crunchy when I tried them. Any suggestions?
Sam Turnbull says
Did you use red lentils? I ask because green or brown lentils take twice the time to cook. If you did use red lentils, it could have taken longer just due to different stoves. If your sauce gets too thick you can always just thin it out with a bit more tomato sauce, vegetable broth, or water.
Vicky says
Hi Sam, I made this tonight and we LOVED it. I was a little worried about my husband liking it because of the lentils in the tomato sauce. He wasn't sure if he wanted the walnuts in the sauce, so I sprinkled some on top for both of us. We agreed it added a really nice texture to the dish. I was so happy when he wolfed it down and then said, "I think I'll take this for lunch tomorrow." I told him, "It's a Sam recipe so I knew it would be great!"
Thank you for sharing your talent with us. Every recipe I have tried is wonderful so far!
Sam Turnbull says
Oh yay!!! So happy you and your husband loved it so much, and every recipe you have tried 😀
Amanda says
This is really delicious and super easy to make. We will be having it again for sure!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! Thrilled you loved it, Amanda!
Sherryl Judd says
Loved this recipe. It was easy to make as advertised. Couldn't use the walnuts as I'm allergic but it was delicious without them. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Sherryl 🙂
Briigtte says
I have been cooking my hearth out this week well like every week .... with all your recipes !!! Let me tell you this ragu was the best ever ....but I tweaked it a little bit . First I sautéed a finely chopped red onion than I added garlic added the chili powder to give it some flavor and I followed the recipe . I didn’t add the walnuts , sugar because after tasting it I thought I could add some sautéed garlic mushrooms I degleased with about 2 table spoon of some dry Marsala wine and I added to the finish product ...I skipped the walnuts and the nutritional yeast....this recipe was soooo good ...I know I replaced some ingredients but it such a versatile recipe ...you can change it the way you want ...thank you for this amazing recipe !!
It’s so hard to find good vegan recipe , this one is so satisfying you trully don’t miss the meat ..
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you loved it so much, Briigtte 🙂
Sue says
Hi there. I just made this for NYE dinner. It was delicious but I just wanted to make 2 comments. I feel like it needed something so next time I would start with onion or garlic and I also think some more seasoning and parsley. Otherwise it was great. Will check out some other of your recipes. Happy new year.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Sue, glad you enjoyed it. The spices can depend on the tomato sauce you use as well, as they can vary hugely in flavour. You can always spice to taste 🙂
Emily says
This was easy-peasy and delicious! I didn't have enough walnuts and subbed some almonds - it turned out great. Will make again 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!
Lauren says
I had my doubts when I smelled the liquid smoke, but I’ll be darned if it didn’t come out deliciously! I made my own marinara but the hubs even enjoyed it. Thanks, this one will be a regular!
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, liquid smoke can be potent when first added but the flavour quickly simmers down. Thrilled you loved it so much, Lauren!! 🙂
Bethery says
Say, I love the pictures of Chickpea in your cookbook. (The recipes ain't bad, either.)
Sam Turnbull says
Haha thank you, Bethery 😀
Joanne says
Just what I needed! Something quick, satisfying, and tasty for dinner. I have been doing so much cooking over the holidays I was ready for something easy! This is great. Thanks so much! PS - the waffles from your cookbook were a hit at my Xmas brunch. Someone compared them (favorably) to funnel cakes. I also used your version of scrambled tofu with lots of toppings. I make them before the guests arrive and keep them warm in a rectangular Crock-Pot.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! Thrilled you loved it, Joanne, and thrilled you loved the waffles and tofu scramble as well 🙂
Debra says
Had this for dinner tonight - will be making it again. All I had were brown lentils, so it did take a little longer, but was very good! The hubs and I are working towards healthier eating and looking to have many meatless meals as we work towards a whole food plant based diet.
Sam Turnbull says
So thrilled you enjoyed it, Debra! 🙂
Carol says
In my world, pasta and chocolate tie for first place. However, I began a 60 Day Juice Cleanse yesterday, but I am still going to make this dish, not with regular pasta, but with spiralized zucchini and summer squash!!! Woot! My inner Santa gave me a vegetable spiralizer for Christmas, so now all I have to do is just sub the veg noodles for the flour-carb encrusted usual. The only ingredient I need are the red lentils, I have all the other ingredients - Thanks so much for this gem, Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Pasta and chocolate... you are speaking my love language! Hahaha! Good luck with the cleanse, I hope you enjoy this pasta 🙂
Deb says
I'm a new follower and this looks like delicious, quick comfort food. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Welcome, Deb! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Chana says
What kind of tomato sauce do you use?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Chana, whichever your favourite tomato sauce is will work perfectly. This time I used Classico brand Tomato & Basil. 🙂
ALI GRUTTADAURIO says
Looks great, Sam, I'm assuming the calories per serving include the pasta?. I'm counting carbs for diabetes. i'd like to swap out the pasta for zucchini noodles do you have a nutritional count for the sauce only?
thanks
Ali
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks, Ali! Yes, it does. I've added the recipe to My Fitness Pal without the pasta so you can see the nutrition. Enjoy!
Suzy says
This looks like the perfect dish for my late work days! However....my husband is not a fan of nuts. In.Anything. Can I use more lentils? Substitute something else? Thank you! I can't wait to try this!
Sam Turnbull says
The walnuts add a bit of texture, so you could simply skip them, or you could try adding in a seed such as sunflower seeds if that is appealing to you. Enjoy!