Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce
A good galley recipe needs to be simple, adaptable and made from ingredients that are easy to keep on board. This vegetarian bolognese ticks all three boxes.
Most of the ingredients come from tins or the store cupboard, it only needs one saucepan, and there’s very little preparation involved. It’s also a particularly forgiving recipe, so quantities don’t need to be exact and you can easily adapt it to whatever you happen to have available.
It’s a great way to use up odds and ends too. Leftover vegetables, beans, soup or tomato-based sauces can all go into the pot. As with many of the best one-pot meals, a little experimentation often makes it even better.
The finished sauce is filling, warming and easy to serve with whatever pasta you have on board.
Ingredients
Serves 4
-
- 1 tin lentils, drained and rinsed
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tin baked beans
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed
- 125g mushrooms (optional)
- Oil for frying
- 100g double-concentrated tomato purée
- 1 teaspoon yeast extract, such as Marmite (if you love it!)
- 1 tablespoon brown sauce
- 1 red wine stock pot, or a stock cube of your choice
- 300ml water
- Dried mixed herbs
- Salt and pepper
- Any leftover soup, beans or vegetables you have to hand
Equipment
-
- Large saucepan
- Hob or gas ring
Preparation and Cooking Time
Approximately 40 minutes.
Method
-
- Heat a little oil in the saucepan and gently fry the onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes, taking care not to let it burn. Remove the onion and garlic from the pan and set aside.
- If using mushrooms, add them to the saucepan and fry until softened and lightly browned.
- Return the onion and garlic to the pan, then add the lentils, baked beans and chopped tomatoes.
- Stir in the yeast extract, brown sauce, red wine stock pot, tomato purée, dried herbs and water.
- Add any suitable leftovers you want to use up.
- Simmer gently for around 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced to the consistency you like.
- Taste, season with salt and pepper, and serve with the pasta of your choice.
Turn It Into a Vegetarian Chilli
The same basic recipe can easily become a vegetarian chilli.
Swap the baked beans for a tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed. Add half a sweet red pepper, frying it until soft and slightly browned, then season with chilli powder, cumin and paprika. Adjust the spices according to how hot you like your chilli.
Serve with rice, spoon over a baked potato, or simply eat it from a bowl with some crusty bread. If you fancy making your own, try our Three Easy Bread Recipes – simple homemade breads that are ideal for serving alongside a warming bowl of chilli.
About Lovesail
Lovesail.com is a global online dating and social networking site for sailing enthusiasts. Join to meet like-minded people for dating, friendships and crewing opportunities.
Photo credit: sanalisyan, Flickr
You must be logged in to post a comment.