This slow cooker vegan lentil ragu is a perfect mid-week meal for busy families and is packed with flavour and nutrients. Simply put all the ingredients for this vegan bolognese recipe in the slow cooker in the morning and come home to a healthy and delicious meal.
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You'll know by now that I am a huge fan of a slow cooker meal and this slow cooker vegan lentil ragu is a firm favourite in our house. Although I work from home so I am around to cook, I find that because I am so busy cooking something in the slow cooker is a guaranteed way I can get a healthy meal on the table for a large family and still juggle all the after school activities and commitments.
Pasta is also one of the tried and tested staples of our family's diet - I know that pretty much everyone will eat it, which is an achievement indeed! This lentil ragu is the perfect alternative to a traditional bolognese sauce or plain tomato sauce - and much better for you. I'm sure it will go down well with meat eaters too.
If you are a pasta fan check out my other pasta recipes...
Vegan Lentil and Tomato Pasta Bake With Crunchy Topping
Ingredients
This recipe is a great one for using store cupboard ingredients. I have all of these things at home pretty much all of the time so this is a great meal to whip together when you haven't done a fresh food shop. It's such an easy dish to make, it will soon become part of your meal plan repertoire.
The red lentils provide much of the goodness here - they are high in B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. They're also a great ways of including of plant-based protein and fibre which is really important for vegans. The red lentils cook down really well, unlike other lentils like green lentils or brown lentils and don't need to be pre-soaked.
If you enjoy making your own seasonings, you can even use our homemade Italian seasoning blend. If you want to add even more flavour, use vegetable broth instead of water or crumble in a vegetable stock cube.
- chopped tomatoes
- dried red lentils / red split lentils
- onion
- garlic cloves
- dried Italian herb seasoning
- bay leaves
- tomato purée / tomato paste
- chilli flakes / red pepper flakes ((optional))
- water
- salt and black pepper to taste
How to make slow cooker vegan lentil ragu
Chop the onions and finely chop the garlic.
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and give it a good stir
Put the slow cooker on high for about 5 hours or low if you are going to be away for longer.
It will be cooked when the lentils are soft.
Remove the bay leaves.
Serve with wholewheat spaghetti.
You can of course make this in a large saucepan, just let it simmer away for about 20 minutes on a medium heat or until the lentils are cooked through, I just find it easier to pop all the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and forget about it until the evening.
This recipe is so versatile. You can add chilli flakes for a little spicy kick (I often do) and you can serve it with spaghetti or a favorite pasta of your choice. If you are on a gluten free diet you could serve it with zucchini noodles or butternut squash noodles. I have even blitzed it smooth and added vegan soya mince for the fussier members of the family. I really like adding plant based meatballs to it if we are serving it with spaghetti and they serve as an extra protein punch. My favourite 'meatballs' are the Tesco Plant Kitchen range and also the spicy tomato balls from the Aldi chiller section.
This recipe really doesn't require a long cooking time so I would put the slow cooker on a low heat if you are leaving it for a long time, but I normally put it on high for 4-5 hours and it is fine. I usually serve it with wholewheat spaghetti pasta and garlic bread.
This recipe is really easy to make and suitable for the whole family. The garlic is great for the immune system, the lentils are a brilliant source of vegan protein and the tomatoes are a great source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It simply is the best vegan ragu!
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Vegan Lentil Ragu
- Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan slow cooker lentil ragu is a perfect mid-week meal for busy families and is packed with flavour and nutrients.
Ingredients
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 150 g dried red lentils
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped or minced)
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herb seasoning
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- ½ tsp chilli flakes ((optional))
- 400 ml water
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Chop the onions and finely chop the garlic
- Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and give it a good stir
- Put the slow cooker on high for about 5 hours or low if you are going to be away for longer.
- It will be cooked when they lentils are soft.
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Serve with wholewheat spaghetti.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: 92
It really is as easy as that; a really filling and nutritious vegetarian meal ready to go. When I get home I know all I have to do is put the spaghetti on to cook and pop some garlic bread in the oven and we will be sitting down to dinner in less than 15 minutes. Winner! Top with vegan parmesan cheese if you like, but I like to sprinkle over nutritional yeast for some extra goodness.
Allergies and Substitutions
This recipe is naturally vegan, dairy free, egg free, nut free and also oil free thanks to the lack of need for olive oil. Serve with any type of pasta according to your preference or dietary requirements, you could use gluten free pasta to make it suitable for celiacs too.
If you are making this for less fussy children than mine you can add vegetables to the mix - try chopped courgette, aubergine, carrots, celery, diced chestnut mushrooms etc. Just add extra water or an extra tin of tomatoes depending upon how much extra you add. You can also blend this ragu to a smooth sauce if your children are really fussy!
If you are making this for an adult dinner party you can add an extra depth of flavour with a bit of red wine or splash of balsamic vinegar.
Storage
This recipe keeps really well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I tend to make a double batch and freeze half for another day. Freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before re-heating in a saucepan on the hob or in the microwave. You will have a perfect hearty meal ready to go next time with even less effort!
Let me know if you make this lentil ragu recipe at home - share your pictures on Instagram and tag me @wemadethisvegan using the hashtag #wemadethisvegan
If you liked this recipe you might also like my other slow cooker recipes...
-
Vegan Minestrone Soup Recipe (Slow Cooker / Crockpot)
-
Vegan Easy Crockpot Potato Soup Recipe (Slow Cooker)
-
Slow Cooker Vegan Lentil Soup (Crockpot Recipe)
-
Vegan Slow Cooker Black Beans and Rice (Crock Pot Recipe)
FAQs
What type of lentils should I use?
Use dried red lentils in this vegan ragu recipe as they don't need to be soaked prior to use and they cook down to a lovely texture. If you use brown lentils or green lentils you might need to pre-soak them and cook the ragu for longer.
How can I use this vegan lentil ragu?
You can use this ragu as a pasta sauce with pasta shapes or spaghetti. Serve as it is or with vegan meatballs or as a filling for vegan sloppy joes. You can also blitz it smooth and use it as a pizza base sauce. I actually quite enjoy eating the leftovers on toast the next day for lunch. If you have leftovers you can mix this classic bolognese sauce with regular fusilli pasta, top with vegan cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes - voila - easy vegan pasta bake, perfect for serving with crusty bread.
Can I make this slow cooker lentil bolognese on the hob?
Yes you can! You will want to fry the onions and garlic in some olive oil in a large frying pan or large saucepan. Then add the rest of the ingredients, put a lid on and stir every so often for 20 minutes or until the lentil mixture is cooked and soft.
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Scarlet says
This lentil ragu sounds so good. I remember the first time I saw a lentil lasagna I thought it was a crazy idea but it tasted delicious!
Maureen says
Ooo this looks great! I am not vegan but do eat vegan every so often and finding easy recipes like this is wonderful because it makes me enjoy cooking. I can't wait to try it out!
Maureen
Alina Davies says
Absolutely, vegan recipes can be enjoyed by everyone! Enjoy!
Janice @FarmersgirlCook says
Great recipe, I love my slow cooker and this is perfect for colder days.
Corina Blum says
I love easy slow cooker recipes and this sounds perfect for busy weekdays.
Nickki says
I absolutely love a lentil based stew - this ragu looks delicious!!
Eb Gargano says
Yum! I love lentil ragu 😀
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
I love adding lentils to recipes to bulk them out and add extra nutrients. This is perfect for the colder weather.