Slow Cooker Lentil Bolognese (Easy Vegan Recipe)

This slow cooker lentil bolognese is a rich, hearty pasta sauce made with green (or brown) & red lentils, vegetables, and a rich tomato sauce. Great for an easy, budget-friendly dinner you can make ahead.

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Slow Cooker Lentil Bolognese

My homemade slow cooker sauce for spaghetti bolognese is a game-changer. You don't have to stand stirring the sauce; just chuck all the ingredients in and go relax.

With no added fats, it's low-calorie, plant-based, dairy-free, and full of good stuff, as well as being very tasty.

Make a batch and let the slow cooker do all the work. This vegan lentil bolognese will soon be a family favourite.

At-A-Glance: Slow Cooker Lentil Bolognese

👩‍🍳 Ready in: 5 hours 15 minutes, slow-cooked on high (or 7 hours 15 mins cooked on low)

👪 Serves: 6-8

🍽 Calories: 6 portions = 298 calories per portion, 7 portions = 255 calories per portion, 8 portions = 223 calories per portion

🧾 Main Ingredients: Onion, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, lentils (red and tinned brown or green lentils), tomatoes, tomato puree/paste, oregano, balsamic vinegar, Henderson relish or soy sauce, vegetable stock, seasonings

👩🏻‍🍳 Suitable for: Plant-based, vegan, dairy-free, vegetarian & gluten-free

⭐ Why You'll Love It: It's a rich, comforting sauce that's fuss-free to make and can be made ahead and frozen.

Add this hearty and low-calorie pasta sauce to your meal plan this week. It's one you will return to again and again.

🍅 Why Make Lentil Bolognese in a Slow Cooker?

Slow cooking the lentils and vegetables gently in a slow cooker or crock pot allows the flavours to develop and leaves you with a thick, satisfying sauce for your pasta.

And of course, cooking this vegetarian bolognese in the slow cooker makes it a much easier sauce to make and no standing at the cooker stirring. There's something fun about just throwing everything in, hitting start, and walking away.

📋 Key Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this slow cooker pasta sauce.

The full recipe list and method are in the recipe card.

• Lentils - canned green or brown lentils will hold their shape when cooked, and red lentils will thicken the sauce as they soften
• Balsamic vinegar - for the sweetness
• Henderson relish - if you can't find this, you can add vegan Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
• Dried oregano - or basil

💡 Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Bolognese

Follow these few simple tips to make sure you have the best lentil spaghetti bolognese every time.

1. Rinse the lentils well - to remove any dirt or stones; rinsing lentils also makes them easier on the stomach
2. Don't add extra liquid - it might seem like there isn't enough liquid, but trust the recipe; slow cooker recipes need much less liquid as they don't burn it off while cooking like when you cook in a pot
3. Only give it a stir once or twice - each time you open the lid, the temperature drops, and water from the steam can drip from the lid into the sauce, making it watery
4. Taste before serving - to see if it needs more seasoning

🍝 What to Serve with Vegan Lentil Bolognese

You might immediately think spaghetti, but to serve this the Italian way (in Italy this would be known as a ragu and made with meat and not lentils), serve it with tagliatelle.

Of course, you can serve it with your favourite pasta shape; penne, rigatoni or fusilli would be good too.

And to make it a more satisfying meal, serve it with my easy Air Fryer Garlic Bread, top it with my tasty Vegan Herb & Garlic Parmesan, and serve a dressed salad or steamed broccoli and green beans on the side.

👩‍🍳 Other Ways to Serve Bolognese

I use this slow cooker vegan bolognese to make a really delicious lasagne; just add some to your oven dish, then top with lasagne sheets, more bolognese, more sheets, then top with the easy microwave cheese sauce I shared in this Asparagus Tart Recipe, and bake in the oven.

More bolognese ideas:

• Serve in a burger bun with grated vegan cheddar for an easy sloppy joe
• Top wth mashed potato and bake until golden for a really delicious pie
• Spoon over a baked potato and top with grated cheese
• Use as a filling for a quesadilla with grated smoked vegan cheddar

👩‍🍳 How to Make Slow Cooker Lentil Bolognese

These step-by-step photos will show you how easy it is to make this slow cooker ragu made with lentils.

The printable recipe card has the full ingredient list, method, notes, and nutritional information.

Step 1

Add all the chopped vegetables and garlic to your slow cooker.

Step 2

• Now add both types of lentils to the slow cooker.
• Then add the sauces and herbs.
• Season well.

Step 3

• Add the stock and give it a stir.
• Set it to high or low, depending on how long you have or how long you want it to cook.

💭 Jac's Top Tip 

Set the slow cooker to cook overnight, then in the morning, you can portion it up to store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or the freezer for 3-4 months.

💡 Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use dried lentils for this bolognese?

Yes, you can definitely use dried lentil, but you have to soak and then cook them first, just as you would usually do when adding them to a dish.

Can you make this bolognese ahead of time?

Make the bolognese, spoon into airtight containers (lid off) to cool, once cool. You can add the lid and chill in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for 3-4 months. Reheat before serving.

When should I add the lentils to this bolognese?

You can add the lentils at the same time as the other ingredients. The canned lentils will heat as the bolognese cooks, and the red lentils will soak up the sauce as they cook.

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Dinner

Italian

Yield: 6-8

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Slow Cooker Lentil Bolognese

This slow cooker lentil bolognese is a rich, hearty pasta sauce made with green (or brown) & red lentils, vegetables, and a rich tomato sauce. Great for an easy, budget-friendly dinner you can make ahead.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 5 HourTotal time: 5 H & 15 M

Ingredients

• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 250g (about 9 oz, a bit more or less is fine) mushrooms, chopped
• 235g (8 oz) canned green or brown lentils (350g / 12 oz tin, drained), rinsed
• 150g (5 ⅓ oz or ¾ cup and 2 tablespoons) red lentils, rinsed well
• 800g (2 x 400g or 2 x 14oz tins) chopped tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons tomato puree (tomato paste)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Hendersons Relish (or soy sauce, tamari sauce for gluten-free)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 375ml (1½ cups) vegetable stock (3 stock cubes)
• Salt & black pepper

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and season well.
2. Give it a good stir.
3. DO NOT add extra stock. It may seem like there isn't enough, but trust the recipe.
4. Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 7 hours.
5. Enjoy!

Notes

• Don't keep opening the lid to check; it will reduce the temperature and allow water to drip from the lid, making the sauce watery.
• Once cooked, cool and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for 3-4 months; reheat before serving.

Calories

6 portions = 298 calories per portion

7 portions = 255 calories per portion

8 portions = 223 calories per portion

Nutrition Facts

Calories

223

Fat (grams)

1 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

0 g

Carbs (grams)

40 g

Fiber (grams)

18 g

Net carbs

23 g

Sugar (grams)

7 g

Protein (grams)

15 g

Sodium (milligrams)

245 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

0 mg

The nutritional information is supplied by an app and is generally good, but might not be exact.

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