I love making my own pasta sauces – they’re always so much better than storebought. They’re also a lot healthier, usually. This recipe was definitely on the healthier side and it tasted delicious.

I didn’t use mushrooms because I really don’t like them, so I used about 4 cups of chopped zucchini instead. I guess the mushrooms would have made the sauce feel “meaty” but I think it tasted great – the lentils made the sauce look like a true bolognese anyways. I also used plain tomato passata (instead of jarred marinara sauce) and flavoured it with salt, pepper, oregano, basil, dried parsley, chili flakes and a pinch of sugar.

I just served this sauce over some cooked whole wheat rotini and it was a delicious meal. It was almost like a chili so it would have been perfect on its own too! I think it’s a great dish for people who don’t eat meat but also for those who do – it’s always nice to have a tasty meatless meal.

Final thoughts: Adding lentils to pasta sauce gives a great protein boost, great sauce.