This is a beautiful, low-fat Bolognese where we use jackfruit and oyster mushrooms to form the basis of this meaty sauce. It has smooth, deep flavours that make for a delicious spaghetti Bolognese.
Takes 7 minutesminutes
Serves 2
Ingredients
200gspaghetti (whole wheat is great for fibre)
2clovesgarlic
2onions(medium)
1carrot
400gjackfruit
2tbsptamari
150goyster mushroom
400gcooked lentils
800gchopped tomatoes
200gjar of tomato puree
1tsp salt
¼tspblack pepper
small bunch of basil
Instructions
Cook the pasta:Fill a pot with 3L of water and bring it to the boil (using a kettle will speed things up). Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and add 1 tbsp of salt. Add the dried pasta and cook according to the pack instructions.
Prepare the vegetables:Drain and rinse the lentils and jackfruit. Peel and finely dice the onions and garlic. Finely dice the carrot. Chop the mushrooms into small, bite-sized pieces. Slice the jackfruit into thin, bite-sized strips.
Cook the aromatics:Heat a wide-bottomed non-stick pan on high heat. When hot, add the chopped onion and fry for 3-4 minutes until it starts to brown. Add the garlic, diced carrots, and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly. If the mixture starts to stick, add a couple of tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan using a wooden spoon.
Cook the mushrooms and jackfruit:Add the mushrooms and jackfruit to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to char. Add tamari and mix well so that the mushrooms and jackfruit absorb the umami flavour.
Drain the pasta:Once the pasta is cooked, drain it but reserve 50ml of pasta water to dilute the sauce later if needed.
Finish the Bolognese:Add the drained lentils, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, and the remaining salt and pepper to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow the flavours to meld.
Combine pasta and sauce:Add about 50ml of the reserved pasta water to the sauce, then stir in the cooked pasta. Mix well to combine.
Add basil:Remove the basil leaves from the stalks. Finely chop the stalks and add them to the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Serve:Garnish with fresh basil leaves and enjoy your meaty spaghetti Bolognese!