LENTIL & MUSHROOM RAGU
YIELD: 6 servings
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked through
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 box (16 ounces) spaghetti
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
- In large saucepot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, carrot, bell pepper and onion. Cook until vegetables are very brown and soft, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add wine; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Use wooden spoon to scrape browned bits from bottom of pan.
- Stir in bay leaf, crushed tomatoes, water, lentils, oregano, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water, as needed, if ragu gets too thick. Remove bay leaf and stir in basil.
- Meanwhile, prepare spaghetti according to package directions.
- Serve ragu over spaghetti. Garnish with parsley and serve with Parmesan cheese.
