This meal is the perfect crowd-pleaser when you want a vegetarian main dish. The mushrooms and lentils provide the perfect texture to win over even the most enthusiastic omnivores in your life.
Lentils
1/3 cup Flourist French Lentils
Soffritto
1.5 cups carrots, chopped finely
1.5 cups celery, chopped finely
2 cups red onion, chopped finely (about 2 medium-large onions)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (feel free to use 1/2 cup if preferred)
3 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
1 tsp salt
Mushrooms
25g dried porcini mushrooms
Boiling water
Herby Breadcrumbs
Two sprigs fresh thyme
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup red wine
2 796 ml cans tomatoes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 KG of dried spaghetti or other long noodles (2 boxes)
Freshly grated parmesan (optional, for serving)
1 cup chopped Castelvetrano Olives (optional, for serving)
First, heat a large pot and once the pot is warm, add the 3/4 cup olive oil (feel free to use as little as 1/2 cup of oil if you prefer) for the Soffritto. Let it warm up and add the chopped onions, carrots, celery bay leaves, rosemary, and salt. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes until the veggies are looking as they are starting to brown and fry. Turn the heat down and cook the mixture for 45 minutes to an hour. This allows the veggies to soften and caramelize.
While the Soffritto simmers, cook the French Lentils by combining with 4 cups of cold water and bringing to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer the lentils, covered, for 20-25 minutes until soft.
Boil some water and add the dried mushrooms to a bowl. Generously pour hot water over the mushrooms to cover and cover with a plate to trap the heat. Soak the mushrooms to 30 minutes. Once ready, drain the mushrooms and chop finely.
Once the Soffrito is ready, add the tomatoes, chopped mushrooms, cooked lentils, red wine, salt, and sugar. Stir everything together and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes until hot and the flavours are developed. While the sauce simmers, cook your favourite long noodle pasta.
Pick the thyme leaves into a bowl, add the breadcrumbs and 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then toss to coat. Toast in a dry frying pan over medium heat until lightly golden, stirring regularly.
Divide cooked pasta between your bowls, sprinkle with the herby breadcrumbs, and serve with optional grated parmesan and chopped olives and serve. This meal feeds 6-8 hungry people easily and makes delicious leftovers.
Note: this recipe was tested using 1.5 cups of olive oil for cooking the Soffritto as per an Italian recipe. It has been edited to include a more modest amount of oil, but please feel free to use more as per your preference.
Want to read more about soffritto? Head here.
Comments
Hi Maxine! Ideally dried porcini mushrooms are best as they will offer a more pronounced mushroom flavour. Otherwise, you could use crimini mushrooms and I’d recommend cooking them for a long time to draw out the water.
Hi, I want to try making this as it looks so good, but I am wondering if the dried Porcini mushrooms can somehow be substituted with fresh white or Crimini mushrooms. Any suggestions on that?
Thank you.
This is now one of my regular recipes for dinner. I make it without the mushrooms or olives. It is a favorite in my household. Cooking the onions, carrots and herbs as per the recipe – with the olive oil – gives the sauce such a lovely carmelized flavor and really adds to the sauce.
Making this recipe while I type! Tastes delicious, but mine seems very watery so cooking it down for longer…anyone else haf this issue?
Made this again today—2nd week in a row. This is so good.
Hi Veg Head – You can use canned diced or whole tomatoes (if whole, cut them roughly with a pair of food scissors). Thanks for your question!
Hi Emily! The olives are optional and I would add them just before serving or on the side so guests can choose whether they’d like to add them.
What kind of canned tomatoes and do you drain them?
This recipe was delicious. I stopped by the shop to pick up french lentils and I’m so glad I did! With a little bit of prep work done earlier in the day, this recipe came together quickly at dinner time. My husband asked if there was more, which is always a good sign. Thank you for this delicious dinner idea!
Making this tonight! Wondering when to add the olives? At the end with the tomatoes, mush etc?
Thank you!