Marrow with Bolognese |Vegan Recipe|

I was recently given a massive marrow by a lovely friend's Mum, and despite knowing that I should probably stuff it with something and cook it, I basically had no idea! A quick google recommended that mince or Bolognese was a good starting point, so I went with that. I've got my personal vegan Bolognese recipe pretty much down how I like it now, so I thought I'd share it with you all here. It's pretty simple, easy to modify, and doesn't use any meat substitutes.

Easy to copy and paste recipe at the end as always!

 

 

First off cook your dried lentils according to the packet instructions. I've used tinned before and they've been fine, but these were actually much nicer and a better consistency. Get them going and while they're boiling away on the stove, chop your veg. Basics are grated carrot (again for consistency, I used to put it in meat Bolognese all the time too!), mushrooms and a nice green pepper.

Once you've done that, drain your chickpeas and kidney beans. When your lentils are about ten minutes from finished, heat up a frying pan or wok with a little oil and start frying your vegetables. After a couple of minutes add the chickpeas and beans. I add my spices here so the flavour comes out more. Let it all fry up for a few more minutes before adding your chopped tomatoes. I'm using cherry tomatoes here as I fancied switching it up a bit and it worked just fine.

Here comes my (or rather my Dad's) secret ingredient! Powdered minestrone soup (although I have added a whole tin before but it gets a bit too liquidy!). Mix that in well and if timings are somewhere near right your lentils should be done and you can add them (along with some of their water) too.

 

While this cooks away a bit more, chop your marrow into slices, take the foamy seedy core out of the middle and arrange in your baking dish. Then pour on the nice thick Bolognese sauce.

 

Bake it in the oven at 200 degrees for twenty minutes, bring it out and top with some vegan cheese if you fancy, put it all back in again for fifteen more minutes and then enjoy! I served mine with mash and green veg.

 

 

I use this basic Bolognese for everything. Spaghetti, Vegan Meatloaf and I'm intending to try a Vegan Lasagne with it soon too!

What's your go to recipe that works with everything?

Jo :)

Ingredients:

Marrow

200g Red Split Lentils

200g Grated Carrot
1 Bell Pepper
400g Tin Chopped Tomatoes
400g Tin Chickpeas
400g Tin Kidney Beans
Packet of Minestrone Soup
2tsp Paprika
2tsp Smoked Paprika
2tsp mixed herbs
½tsp cayenne pepper
½tsp Garam Masala

Method:

Cook lentils as per packet instructions

Chop and grate veg, add to frying pan for a few minutes
Add chickpeas and kidney beans to frying pan
Add herbs and spices
Add chopped tomatoes and once that's hot through, add the minestrone soup
When the lentils are cooked, pour any water in the top of the saucepan away and add the lentils and remainder of water to the frying pan
Cut the marrow into slices, de-seed and arrange in a baking dish
Pour Bolognese over
Bake in 200 degree oven for 20mins, add vegan cheese and bake for another 15mins!