This easy lentil bolognese with spaghetti squash is a great healthy comfort food dish. Made with a handful of simple ingredients and gluten-free + vegetarian/vegan! 

This easy lentil bolognese with spaghetti squash is a great healthy comfort food dish. Made with a handful of simple ingredients and gluten-free + vegetarian/vegan! 

The days are getting shorter and colder. It’s definitely that time of year where we start to turn towards more warming, comforting foods. I’m talking soups, chilli, curries, and stews. There’s just something about a chilly grey day that makes me crave foods like this (also blankets, sweatpants and pumpkin spice candles). I can imagine I’m not the only one!

One of my favourite weeknight comfort dishes to make is this totally plant-based, easy Lentil Bolognese with spaghetti squash. The lentils replace any meat so it’s completely vegetarian (I love to add a little parmesan, so if you’re vegan you can omit this) and high in both fibre and protein. Did I mention it’s ultra delicious? Even my sister adores this dish, and let me tell you, my sister isn’t always a fan of my healthy kitchen creations.

A Note About This Easy Lentil Bolognese:

Before we get to this recipe, I want to chat a little about the star of this dish, the lentils. Lentils are a part of the pulse family. Pulses are dried, edible seeds of certain plants in the legume family.

Pulses include lentils, chickpeas, beans and dry peas and they are nutritional powerhouses as they’re high in protein, fibre and various vitamins and minerals including potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. They’re also a great source of B vitamins like niacin, thiamin and folate.

With regards to fibre, men need about 38 grams of fibre per day and women require 25. Most Canadians only get about half of the recommended amounts. 1/2 cup of cooked pulses can provide anywhere from 7-17 grams of fibre. Amazing!

Partly due to their fibre content, pulses have a low Glycemic Index (GI). This means that they don’t raise blood sugars quite as easily as higher GI foods do. There is also evidence linking regular consumption of pulses like lentils to lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure. All the more reason to try this recipe…right?

This easy lentil bolognese is a great healthy comfort food dish. Made with a handful of simple ingredients and gluten-free + vegetarian/vegan! 

Tips for Making This Recipe:

I hope you all enjoy one of my favourite comfort-food recipes as much as I do! Here are some quick tips for you before you make this dish:

Because we’re using a packaged pasta sauce, look for one with little to no added sugar and low(er) in sodium. Read my tips for finding determining which products are “low” in sodium here! 

Depending on your oven and the size of your spaghetti squash, the squash may need more or less time to cook than in this recipe. I recommend checking it after 30 minutes and again every 5-10 minutes as needed until it’s done!

This easy lentil bolognese with spaghetti squash is a great healthy comfort food dish. Made with a handful of simple ingredients and gluten-free + vegetarian/vegan! 

Similar Recipes You’ll Love:

Healthy Pumpkin Pasta with Spinach

Easy Refried Black Beans

Creamy Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

If you make any of my recipes, don’t forget to take a photo and share it with me on Instagram!

Spaghetti Squash Lentil “Bolognese”

Servings: 2 people
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
An easy, 8-ingredient weeknight comfort food dish that's vegan and gluten-free!
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Ingredients

  • 1 small spaghetti squash
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup dried red lentils
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup jarred pasta sauce, of choice
  • parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400F. Slice spaghetti squash in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the inside of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place squash halves inside-down (skin-up) on a baking sheet and bake in oven for approx. 45 minutes. Baking time may vary depending on your oven and the size of the squash. 
  • While the squash is in the oven, bring the lentils to a boil in the water in a saucepan on the stove. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer the lentils uncovered until tender. Once lentils are tender, drain off any excess water and place lentils in a small bowl for the time being. In your saucepan, heat ½ tbsp olive oil and add onion and garlic. Sauté until translucent and fragrant. Add lentils and pasta sauce. Stir to combine and simmer until sauce is hot. 
  • When squash is done, scrape out of the skin into a bowl. When cooked & scraped out, spaghetti squash will look long and stringy – like spaghetti! Top the squash with your lentil and sauce mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese (optional) and enjoy! 
Cuisine: Italian, Vegan, Vegetarian
Course: Main Course
Author: Hannah Magee
Did you make this recipe?Be sure to take a photo and tag me at @hannahmagee_rd so I can see!