Dr Mobeus
One Pot Lentil Bolognese
This lentil bolognese is the meal prep MVP. At 45p per portion it costs less than a packet of instant noodles, but it tastes like you spent proper time on it. The trick is red lentils – they break down during cooking and create a thick, rich sauce that clings to pasta exactly like a meat bolognese would. Make a big batch on Sunday and you have dinner sorted for half the week.
Total cost: £1.80 (£0.45 per portion) – Serves 4 people. Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 25 mins
One-Pot Lentil Bolognese
A rich, hearty pasta sauce that costs pennies per portion. Red lentils break down into a thick, meaty sauce that most people can't tell apart from the real thing. Batch cook and freeze for the week.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the red lentils, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano and basil. Stir well.
- Pour in 400ml of water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and the sauce is thick.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain and serve with the lentil bolognese on top.
Tips and Variations
Freezes brilliantly for up to 3 months. Add a grated carrot and a diced pepper to the onion stage if you want to sneak in extra veg. A sprinkle of parmesan on top takes it from good to great but adds about 15p per portion.
Is it cheaper to make this from scratch? Use our Cook vs Buy Calculator to compare the real cost of homemade vs shop-bought.
