- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stick
- 200g white mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 400g tin of green lentils
- 1 tbsp vegan fischy sauce
- 400g gnocchi
- A handful of oregano
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- A pinch of sugar (optional)
- 1.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Trim, peel and dice the carrot. Trim the dry ends off the celery stick and dice it. Rinse the mushrooms and slice or tear into small pieces.
- 2.
Warm a large pan over a medium-low heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil and the chopped veg. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and pop a lid on the pan (use a baking tray if you don’t have a lid). Fry the veg, stirring often, for 10 mins till they’re glossy and starting to soften.
- 3.
While the veg fry, peel and crush or grate the garlic. Stir the garlic and bay leaf into the veg. Cook and stir for 2 mins till the pan smells aromatic.
- 4.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes. Drain the lentils, then add them to the pan. Add 1 tbsp fischy sauce and a pinch more salt and pepper. Give it all a good stir, then bring to the boil. When the sauce is boiling, turn the heat down, pop the lid back on and simmer for 20 mins, stirring every so often, till the sauce has started to thicken.
- 5.
Meanwhile, put a large pan of salted water on to boil. When the sauce has 5 mins cooking time left, check the pan of water – it should be boiling. Add the gnocchi and simmer for 4-5 mins till they float to the surface.
- 6.
The bolognese sauce should have thickened and the lentils should be tender. Taste the sauce and add a pinch more salt, pepper, or a pinch of sugar, if you think it needs it. Drain the gnocchi and add to the pan with the sauce. Toss to coat the gnocchi. Divide the gnocchi and sauce between warm bowls and serve, garnished with fresh oregano leaves.
- Tip
Love Your Leftovers:
The gnocchi bolognese will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge in airtight tubs. Divide the gnocchi and sauce between the tubs and seal. Reheat in the microwave or on the hob, with an extra splash of water or stock, till piping hot. - Tip
Energy Saver:
When you’re frying veggies to start making a sauce, soup or stew, popping a lid on the pan helps to keep the heat and steam in the pan, speeding up the cook time and saving energy. If you don’t have a lid, use a baking tray to cover the pan or a circle of greaseproof paper laid over the top of the veggies. Remove occasionally to stir the veg. - Tip
Perfect Seasoning:
How much salt and pepper you use in your cooking is entirely up to you. If you’re adding salt or pepper, it helps to add a little at every stage of cooking, rather than seasoning at the end. Using a little as you cook means you typically add less salt and pepper than you would if you added it all at the end. When you do add extra salt and pepper at the end, stir it in and let the sauce sit for at least 30 secs before tasting again – this gives the seasoning time to mingle with the other flavours. Tomato-based sauces often also benefit from a small pinch of sugar, which can help mellow the tomatoes’ acidity.