Walnut Lentil Bolognese

This walnut lentil bolognese is a fun take on a classic Italian dish. It’s rich, filling, comforting, and vegan!

I’m a big fan of bolognese, and this vegan walnut lentil bolognese recipe is my new favorite way to make this dish. The hearty lentils and the buttery walnuts do a great job of replicating the meaty flavor of a traditional bolognese. And they pair so well with the rich, deep flavors of tomatoes, tomato paste, veggie broth, and wine.

Replacing the meat with lentils and nuts keeps this a super filling pasta recipe, and it only takes an hour to make, despite tasting like it’s been cooking all day. Plus, it’s entirely vegan!

What is Bolognese?

Bolognese is one of the most popular and traditional Italian pasta sauces. It’s a meat-based sauce that is made with beef, and sometimes some pork as well. The meats (or in this case, the lentils and walnuts) are cooked down in a mixture of onions, carrots, and celery, creating a thick and rich pasta sauce.

Notes on Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients that you need to make this walnut lentil bolognese sauce. Make sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the article to find the exact quantities for each ingredient.

• Olive oil
• Carrots
• Celery stalks
• Yellow onion – You can use any other type of onion if you don’t have a yellow one.
• Walnuts – Make sure you’re using raw walnuts, and not roasted ones.
• Tomato paste
• Garlic cloves
• Italian seasoning
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Black pepper – For best results, use freshly-cracked black pepper.
• Kosher salt
• Red wine – You want to use a dry red wine for this recipe.
• Lentils – Green or brown lentils work well with this bolognese. Make sure the lentils are rinsed and sorted.
• Vegetable broth – Try to use a low-sodium broth so that it’s easier to control the seasoning in the recipe.
• Crushed tomatoes
• Sugar
• Basil
• Cooked pasta – Spaghetti is the most common type of pasta to pair with bolognese in America, while tagliatelle is the traditional Italian choice.
• Vegan parmesan cheese

What Is Italian Seasoning?

Italian seasoning is a common spice blend that you can find in almost any grocery store. The exact recipe varies from company to company, but Italian seasoning usually consists of basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and marjoram. If you don’t have any Italian seasoning, you can make your own spice blend using some or all of those dried herbs.

How to Make Walnut Lentil Bolognese

Here’s how to make this easy vegetarian pasta dish.

• Cook the veggies. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, and celery, and cook until the vegetables are soft. This should take about 6 minutes.
• Add the nuts. Place the walnuts in the pan, and cook, stirring constantly, until you can smell them toasting, which should take about 2 minutes.

• Add wine. Pour the wine into the pan, and scrape up any bits of food that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine has reduced a little bit, about 2 minutes.
• Add the lentils, broth, tomatoes, and sugar. Stir well, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the lentils are soft, about 40 minutes. If the sauce is thickening too quickly, cover the pot.
• Season. Add the tomato paste, garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Stir and cook until the mixture is fragrant, which should take about a minute.

• Finish the sauce. Add the veggie broth, canned tomatoes, and sugar to the pan. Stir to combine, then turn the stove to high, and heat the sauce until it is boiling. Drop the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer until it is thickened and the lentils are soft. This should take about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally as the sauce simmers.

• Serve. Stir the basil into the sauce, and serve it over cooked pasta. Top with optional vegan parmesan, and then devour!

Tips for Success

Here are some tricks and tips for making this vegan bolognese.

• Take your time. Bolognese is a sauce that is traditionally cooked over many hours, with the flavors slowly melding together over time. I love this recipe because it gives you a lot of the same results in just one hour. But if you have the time, you’ll get an even deeper, richer flavor if you cook this walnut lentil bolognese slowly. If you do cook the sauce longer, just make sure to turn the heat down to low.
• Blend it to your favorite texture. Bolognese is traditionally served as a chunky sauce. But if you prefer smooth sauces, then no one is stopping you. Once the sauce is done cooking, use an immersion blender to make the vegan bolognese the perfect texture for your taste.
• Keep an eye on the sauce. Since the bolognese simmers for a while, you want to keep an eye on it while it cooks. If it seems like the sauce is evaporating and thickening too quickly, put the lid on. If it’s still too thick, add a little bit of water or veggie broth.

How to Store Leftovers

This vegan pasta will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, cook on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. You can also reheat the vegan bolognese in the microwave by cooking it for 30-second increments on medium heat until it’s hot. If the sauce looks too thick, add a spoonful of water to it before reheating.

Can You Freeze Walnut Lentil Bolognese?

You definitely can! This vegan pasta will last in the freezer for up to 3 months if it’s stored in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

More Pasta Recipes to Make

I hope you loved this vegan walnut lentil bolognese. If so, here are some of my other favorite pasta dishes to make.

• Vegan garlic alfredo pasta
• Creamy garlic mushroom pasta
• 20-minute vegan pesto pasta
• Roasted red pepper lentil pasta
• Creamy tomato pasta with cashew cream

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large carrots , diced
• 2 celery stalks , diced
• 1 medium yellow onion , diced
• 1 cup raw walnuts , finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 cloves of garlic , minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup brown or green lentils , rinsed and sorted
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• fresh basil , torn
• cooked pasta , for serving
• grated vegan Parmesan cheese , for serving

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the walnuts and cook until toasty smelling, about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
• Add the lentils, broth, tomatoes, and sugar. Stir well, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the lentils are soft, about 40 minutes. If the sauce is thickening too quickly, cover the pot.
• Optional: For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to partially blend the sauce, leaving some chunks intact, or transfer 2 cups of the sauce to a blender, puree, and return to the pot.
• Stir in the fresh basil and serve over cooked pasta with vegan parmesan.

Walnut Lentil Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large carrots diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 cup raw walnuts finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup brown or green lentils rinsed and sorted
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• fresh basil torn
• cooked pasta for serving
• grated vegan Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the walnuts and cook until toasty smelling, about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
• Add the lentils, broth, tomatoes, and sugar. Stir well, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the lentils are soft, about 40 minutes. If the sauce is thickening too quickly, cover the pot.
• Optional: For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to partially blend the sauce, leaving some chunks intact, or transfer 2 cups of the sauce to a blender, puree, and return to the pot.
• Stir in the fresh basil and serve over cooked pasta with vegan parmesan.

Video

Nutrition

Walnut Lentil Bolognese https://jessicainthekitchen.com/walnut-lentil-bolognese-recipe-vegan-pasta-italian/ December 2, 2022

These vegan pumpkin cupcakes are moist, tender, and full of fall flavors. They’re also easy to make, take less than 40 minutes, and are a perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert.

I’m a big fan of baking during the colder months. There’s something special about a warm oven and a sweet smell wafting through your home in the fall and winter. This recipe for vegan pumpkin cupcakes is one of my favorites when the weather starts to drop.

Not only are these cupcakes soft, moist, and rich, but they’re full of autumnal flavors like pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. And, a creamy vegan cream cheese frosting makes this dessert taste pretty indulgent.

These pumpkin cupcakes are fully vegan, and you can easily adapt them to make them gluten-free. The recipe is straightforward and easy to make, and it only takes 38 minutes. Pumpkin cupcakes are perfect as an afternoon treat with a cup of whipped dalgona coffee , or as a party-pleasing dessert during the holidays.

If you’re looking for more easy pumpkin desserts, be sure to check out this vegan pumpkin pie and these vegan pumpkin cookies , too!

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe

Pumpkin cupcakes are a must-make dessert for when the leaves start turning! Here’s why I think you’ll love this recipe as much as I do:

• Perfectly moist. Made with rich pumpkin puree, vegan milk, and oil, these pumpkin cupcakes are so soft and tender! Every bite is divine.
• Fall flavors. You’ll also get a taste of cozy cinnamon and warm pumpkin pie spice in each sweet bite. What could be more comforting?
• Quick and simple. It takes about 20 minutes to whip together these cupcakes, and then they’ll be ready for the oven!

Notes on Ingredients

Here are all of the ingredients that you’ll need to make these vegan pumpkin cupcakes. The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the exact amounts of all the ingredients and the full set of directions.

For the Cupcakes

• All-Purpose Flour – To make this recipe gluten-free, replace this with your preferred gluten-free flour mix.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Using both baking powder and baking soda will make these cupcakes extra fluffy.
• Sea Salt – You can also use regular table salt or kosher salt if you prefer.
• Spices – I like to use a blend of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
• Pumpkin Puree – Make sure to use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Sugar – You can use any kind of sugar for this recipe. I like to use simple cane sugar, but you can use coconut sugar or brown sugar for a cupcake with more of a caramel flavor.
• Oil – Any type of neutral oil will work.
• Vegan Milk – Use whatever type of dairy-free milk you prefer, just make sure it’s unflavored and unsweetened.
• Vanilla Extract – Be sure to use a 100% pure vanilla extract.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• Vegan Cream Cheese – If you want to make your own vegan cream cheese , go for it!
• Vegan Butter – Make sure to use unsalted butter.
• Vanilla Extract – You can also use vanilla paste if you prefer.
• Sea Salt – To balance out and enhance the sweetness.
• Powdered Sugar – Sift out any lumps in the sugar ahead of time to ensure that the frosting comes out super smooth!
• Cornstarch – To thicken up the frosting so that it’s not runny.

What Is Pumpkin Pie Spice?

Pumpkin pie spice is a spice blend that you can find at just about any grocery store. It was made to add to pumpkin puree as the seasoning when making a pumpkin pie. Every company has a slightly different formula, but pumpkin pie spice usually is made out of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and ginger. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can season these cupcakes with a mix of those individual spices.

How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes

Here’s how to make these moist and creamy pumpkin cupcakes (that would look fabulous on a Christmas dessert platter!).

• Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350F and line muffin cups with cupcake liners.
• Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and baking soda to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
• Mix the wet ingredients. Stir the milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, oil, and sugar into another bowl. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer , beat the ingredients together on medium speed for at least 3 minutes. The ingredients should be fully incorporated.

• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Pour half of the dry mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture, and beat for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the dry mixture and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
• Put the batter in the liners. Divide the vegan pumpkin cupcake batter evenly between the 24 cupcake liners.

• Remove the air bubbles. Lift up the cupcake pan and tap it on the counter three times. This will help remove the air bubbles from the batter.
• Bake the cupcakes. Place the cupcakes in the oven on the center rack. Bake until the center is cooked all the way through, about 20-22 minutes, then place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool.
• Beat the cream cheese. Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl, and beat with a mixer until they’re fully incorporated. This should take about 2 minutes. Next, add the vanilla and salt, and mix everything together.
• Add the sugar. Pour in a cup of the sugar and all of the cornstarch. Beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Continue adding sugar until the frosting is the consistency that you prefer.
• Frost the cupcakes. Using a spatula or a piping bag, frost the cooled cupcakes with the vegan cream cheese frosting.

Tips for Success

Here are some tips to help you make the best vegan pumpkin cupcakes every time.

• Make the frosting ahead of time. You can frost these cupcakes as soon as the frosting is done. However, it will be even better if you make the frosting ahead of time, and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours, and ideally overnight. This will thicken up the frosting and make it even more indulgent, while also intensifying the flavors.
• Make sure the cupcakes are fully cooled. It’s important to only frost the cupcakes when they’ve finished cooling. If the pumpkin cupcakes are still warm when you frost them, the frosting might melt.
• Use room temperature ingredients. When making the frosting, use room temperature vegan butter and cream cheese. When these ingredients are cold, they don’t break down and mix with other ingredients as well. Using them when they’re at room temperature ensures that the frosting comes together nicely, and is smooth and creamy.
• Check the middle with a toothpick. To know when your cupcakes are done, insert a toothpick into the middle of one of them. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done baking, and you can take them out of the oven.
• Add some toppings. You can add an extra element of flavor and texture with some toppings on top of the frosting. I like to add pecans, but you can also try other nuts, cinnamon, orange zest, or mini chocolate chips.

How to Store Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes

It’s best to store these cupcakes in an airtight container or bag. They’ll last at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Can I Freeze This Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe?

You can freeze these vegan pumpkin cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature or overnight in the fridge before eating.

More Pumpkin Recipes

Hopefully you enjoy these fall cupcakes as much as I do. And, if you do, then check out some of these other autumnal pumpkin recipes.

• Pumpkin Muffins
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
• Vegan Pumpkin French Toast
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour , (240g) (or gluten-free flour mix)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree , (425g)
• 1 ½ cups sugar , (300g) (brown sugar, cane sugar or organic white sugar works)
• ½ cup oil , (100g)
• ½ cup vegan milk , (120 mL)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces vegan cream cheese , at room temperature
• ½ cup vegan butter , (4 ounces) (at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , or vanilla paste
• pinch sea salt
• 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar , (360-480g) (sifted)
• ¼ cup cornstarch , (32g) (sifted)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line muffin cups with cupcake liners or foil bake cups.
• In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer in a larger bowl, add the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix together for at least 3 minutes on medium speed until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and mixed together.
• Add half the dry ingredients in, mix for about 30 seconds on medium, then add the other half, mixing for another 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix for no more than 2 more minutes on medium speed until everything is fully incorporated.
• Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners. You can use an ice cream scoop to help! Tap the cupcake pan on the counter three times (lift and tap down slightly) to remove any excess air bubbles before baking.
• Place the pan in the middle rack of your oven and in the center of that rack. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the center is fully cooked through.
• Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes until fully incorporated.
• Add in the vanilla extract or paste and a pinch of salt.
• Add in a cup of sifted powdered sugar and all of the sifted cornstarch. Mix for about 1 minute or until incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until the frosting has reached the desired thickness.
• Place the frosting wrapped or covered into the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight, until being used. You can enjoy it right away, but it will thicken up beautifully in the fridge.
• Frost cupcakes and decorate. The frosting will set at room temperature. Enjoy!

Notes

• To store. It’s best to store these cupcakes in an airtight container or bag. They’ll last at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• To freeze. You can freeze these vegan pumpkin cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature or overnight in the fridge before eating.