Spicy Beluga Lentil Pasta Sauce

If you are looking for a great meatless pasta sauce, this Beluga Lentil Pasta Sauce is ideal.

Rich and hearty black lentils make this sauce thick, and nutritious. Dried mushrooms (soaked in red wine) add delicious savoury and earthy tones.

This plant-based beluga lentil pasta sauce is hearty, wholesome and easy to make. Packed with fibre, protein and bold flavours. A twist on traditional bolognese.

My family would eat pasta every night of the week if I let them. Healthy sauces are just what we need. Tomato puttanesca is another favourite of ours.

Lentils are actually pulses, the edible seed of legumes. They come in a variety of colours like red, brown, green and black. They can be used in a lots of creative ways from soups to stews, dips, salads and more. Great for gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan recipes. They are a budget-friendly source of protein, hearty healthy and low in fat.

Black lentils are also known as beluga lentils because they resemble beluga caviar. This vegetarian lentil bolognese is a great way to turn them into a gourmet meatless sauce. They are great in Poached Eggs & Lentil Hash for brunch or dinner.

Here are a few ways we enjoy cooking lentils in our house:

• Puy Lentils – another great pasta with lentils recipe.
• Marinated Lentils – perfect to add to soups, stews, sandwiches, and more.
• Meatless Tourtiere – a healthy version of the classic French Canadian holiday dish.
• Cream Cheese Balls – a fun appetizer for your next party.
• Vegan Mushroom Pate – excellent as a topper, sandwich spread, or dip.

Lentil Pasta Sauce Ingredients

Although this wholesome plant-based sauce has some gourmet ingredients, they are not hard to find. Be sure to check out the suggestions and recipe tips below.

• Dried mushrooms
• Red wine
• Black lentils
• Onion
• Garlic
• Bell peppers
• Canned tomatoes
• Red chili flakes and additional seasonings
• Tomato sauce
• Olive oil
• Garnish

Easy Beluga Lentil Pasta Sauce

This easy lentil bolognese is cooked in one pan. Full instructions are in the recipe card below.

Here is a quick overview:

• Soak the mushrooms in the wine. Drain and chop. Reserve the wine.
• Rinse lentils and set them aside.
• Chop all your veggies (onion, garlic, and peppers).
• Heat the oil in a skillet.
• Cook onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
• Add reserved wine and additional seasonings.
• Toss in lentils, mushrooms, and peppers.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water.
• The sauce is done when it has a nice thick consistency.

This flavourful black lentil pasta sauce is a great alternative to a traditional meat sauce. It takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. During that time cook, your pasta.

Serve this lentil mushroom sauce over any pasta for a satisfying plant-based meal. Garnish with fresh grated and chopped basil.

Suggestions/Recipe Tips

Dried Mushrooms – There is a huge variety of dried wild mushrooms to choose from. Morels, Chanterelles, Lobster, Black Trumpet, Porcini and more. All have unique flavours and any variety will work wonderfully in this lentil mushroom sauce. They can be found in grocery stores and online too. They always need to be reconstituted. You can use any liquid you like. You can replace the dried mushrooms with regular mushrooms but you made need to increase the amount.

Red Wine – Dry red wine is best for this recipe. You can use white if you prefer. Don’t want to use wine? No problem, leave it out. Water can be used for the dried mushrooms instead.

Seasonings – Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning. You can play around with any combination you like.

Garnish – Grated cheese and fresh herbs are always great choices.

Pasta – You can choose any kind and shape of pasta you wish. You can even use gluten-free pasta. Did you know there is lentil pasta? So delicious. This sauce would also be perfect over homemade herbed potato gnocchi.

Storage – Always store in a sealed container in the fridge. This sauce will last 4-5 days. It also freezes well and will last 4-5 months in the freezer.

Reheating – I like to reheat in a pot on the stove. Another option is in a covered dish in a moderate oven. You can use the microwave too, but be sure to mix often, and do it on a lower setting to get even heating.

Need a little more meatless inspiration? Give these lentil recipes a try:

• Curried Coconut Lentils
• Lentil Salad
• Rice and Lentil Soup