Lentil Pesto Bolognese & Mash
with Parmesan & Caramelised Cherry Tomatoes
- Milk
- May contain traces of allergens
Introducing our new veggie-licious version of this Italian cult classic: lentil bolognese! With all the flavour of the original, but lentils taking the place of minced meat and mashed potato to soak up the sauce, you'll be saying 'La dolce vita!' after every bite.
Ingredients
1 punnet
snacking tomatoes
2
potato
2 clove
garlic
1 packet
lentils
1 bag
soffritto mix
1 sachet
Italian herbs
pinch
chilli flakes
1 box
passata
1 packet
basil pesto
(Contains: Milk)
1 sachet
vegetable stock powder
1 packet
Parmesan cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 bag
parsley
Not included in your delivery
olive oil
2 tsp
balsamic vinegar
40 g
butter (for the mash)
(Contains: Milk)
2 tbs
milk
(Contains: Milk)
½ cup
water
20 g
butter (for the sauce)
(Contains: Milk)
1 tsp
brown sugar
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. • Place snacking tomatoes on a lined oven tray. Add the balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. • Roast until blistered and lightly charred, 20-25 minutes.
• While the tomatoes are roasting, peel potato and cut into large chunks. • Finely chop garlic. • Drain and rinse lentils.
TIP: Save time and get more fibre by leaving the potato unpeeled.
• Cook potato in the boiling water until easily pierced with a fork, 12-15 minutes. Drain and return to the pan. • Add the butter (for the mash) and the milk and season generously with salt. Mash until smooth. Cover to keep warm.
• While the potato is cooking, heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. • Cook soffritto mix, stirring, until softened, 2-3 minutes. • Add garlic, Italian herbs and a pinch of chilli flakes (if using) and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.
• Stir in lentils, passata, basil pesto, the water and vegetable stock powder until well combined. • Reduce heat to medium and add the butter (for the sauce) and the brown sugar. Simmer until thickened slightly, 4-5 minutes. Season to taste.
• Divide the mash between bowls. Top with lentil pesto bolognese and shaved Parmesan cheese. • Spoon over the caramelised cherry tomatoes. Tear over parsley to serve. Enjoy!
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on July 2026- Flavour: The lentil bolognese is widely praised as hearty and full of flavour, with the basil pesto and caramelised cherry tomatoes standing out as highlights. Some found the overall dish a touch mild or unbalanced, and a few noted the combined textures felt mushy.
- Ease of prep: Most found this a straightforward, quick cook that was easy to follow, even for less experienced cooks.
- Suggestions: Using the full amount of chilli flakes rather than just a pinch boosted the flavour for several cooks. Some swapped the mash for pasta or rice, and a few added mushrooms or tomato paste to add depth to the sauce.
- Leftovers: The lentil bolognese reheated beautifully the next day, with several noting the flavours improved overnight. Some served leftover sauce over pasta, which worked very well.
- Portions: Many felt the potato quantity was too small relative to the amount of bolognese, and adding one or two extra potatoes was a popular fix.
