Lentil Crock-pot Bolognese Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, minced
5 carrots, minced
5 celery stalks, minced
1 bulb garlic, minced
1 cup red lentils
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 cup dry red wine
vegetable stock or water, as needed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and pepper, to taste
1. Heat oil on medium in a large, deep pan. Add onions, and cook until translucent. Add carrots, celery and garlic and cook until the carrot is brighter, but not thoroughly soft and done.
2. Toss cooked onions and vegetables into a large crock-pot with lentils, diced tomatoes, herbs and wine. Cook in the crock-pot on high for 6 hours, adding vegetable stock or water as needed.
3. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 6 hours, adding water or vegetable stock as needed. Just prior to serving, stir in tomato paste, salt and pepper.
Serve with your favorite pasta.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
An excellent ragu takes time. The vino will add depth, so if simply wanting sauce that is "done" a few hours on high will be enough. If you want depth of flavor, veggies that have almost turned to liquid and blended into the surrounding sauce, and something worthy of serving your Italian neighbors you'll wait 12 hours. My elders take 6-8 hours cooking tomato sauce on the stove. I'd rather use my crockpot to be sure of a low and even temperature.
I'm going to make this tomorrow, and add it to a lasagna the next day! :)>>>
Hi. I was just looking at this and thinking of making it but the cooking times gave me pause. Six hours on high and then six hours on low? Are you sure that is right? I don't think I've ever made anything in my crock pot for more than six or seven hours. And these are red lentils that don't even need that much time to cook. It looks like a promising recipe but can you verify the cooking times?