Vegeterian/vegan Bolognese was on my to-do list for months! 

Even though I've never been a fan of minced meat and this particular dish, the vegeterian option was so appealing to me since the first time I saw it, that I knew I had to make my own version of this beautiful lunch.

While I was doing the research for this recipe, I saw that there are really many variations on the theme, so as always, I opted for the no fuss option with simple ingredients that everyone knows of and the lunch was a success!

You can serve the sauce with pasta, rice, polenta or some other grains, the recipe is vegan-friendly, so avoid the grated cheese on top when serving or use a vegan cheese if you like.

Whatever the case, served with a side of a big bowl of salad, makes a great meal, I have no complaints.

1. Mince the onion and garlic. 

In a large pot, pour 2-3 tbsp of olive oil, heat the pot and add the finely chopped garlics and onion. Stir in a pinch of dried basil, if you like it.

Stir gently, add 1-2 tbsp of water and cover the pot with a lid.

Let it cook and soften for about 10 minutes, but be careful not ot burn them.

2 In the meantime, wash and peel the carrots and grate them finely.

Add them into the garlic-onion mixure, along with the bay leaves.

Cook for about 5-6 minutes, stir and add a splash of water if needed.

3. Clean the mushrooms, divide the "caps" and chop them into small pieces.

Add the mushrooms to the pot with 2-3 tbp of the tomato passata.

4. Cook a little less than 10 minutes, the pour in the whole tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper.

You can add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil, too.

5. After  3-5 minutes, add the canned lentils and cook for some additional 3-4 minutes.

If needed, add a bit more seasonings to it, some more dried basil or even a pinch of cayenne for a hint of spiciness.

Cook the pasta, add it into your sauce and serve topped with fresh parsley, chooped.

You can also grate some parmiggiano/pecorino or vegan cheese on top.

Enjoy!