Walnut Lentil Bolognese Rigatoni

Method

1. 1 Heat a good glug of oil in a non-stick pan then add onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook until soft and golden, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then.
2. 2 Incorporate the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Add the spices, stir well, then cover with a lid and let everything simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
3. 3 Add the red lentils, the chopped mushrooms, the chopped walnuts and stir for about 1 minute without adding any liquid to allow the flavours to infuse.
4. 4 Stir in the soy sauce and continue cooking until the lentils and mushrooms are tender, giving it an occasional stir. If the mixture starts to look a little dry, simply add a splash of vegetable stock to loosen it. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. 5 Turn off the heat. Add the nutritional yeast, stir to mix through and set aside.
6. 6 Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve one or two ladles of pasta water
7. 7 Mix the sauce and pasta, adding a bit of cooking water to help combine.
8. 8 Serve the rigatoni topped with plant based Parmesan style cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.