Ultimate Vegan Lentil Ragu’

by Lucia Stansbie

Ingredients
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 500g bag dried red lentils, soaked overnight in cold water
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tea spoon of sugar
• Salt
• ½ l vegetable stock

Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the chopped onions, carrots, celery – this is called soffritto in Italian and is the base for most sauces. If you like a sweeter taste, add more carrots. Cook gently for 10 mins until everything is softened. Rinse the lentils, and stir them in the soffritto with the chopped tomatoes, bay leaves and stock. Adjust with salt and add a tea spoon of sugar to balance the tomato acidity. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 20 mins until the lentils are tender and saucy – splash in water if you need.