Lentil Bolognese

Sauté the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and sauté for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Deglaze. Add the red wine and stir to combine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Simmer. Add the vegetable broth, lentils, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, crushed red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the sauce nearly reaches a very low simmer. Reduce heat to low (or whatever temperature is needed to maintain a very low simmer) and cover. Simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender, stirring the sauce once every 10 minutes.

Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in a large pot of generously-salted boiling water until it is just al dente. (Avoid overcooking the pasta.) Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Season. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the milk and balsamic vinegar until combined. Taste and season the sauce with however much salt and pepper is needed. If the sauce is too acidic, you’re welcome to also add in a few teaspoons of sugar. If the sauce seems too thin, add in some of the reserved starchy pasta water or extra milk as needed.

Serve. Serve warm with the al dente pasta, garnished with lots of basil and Parmesan, and enjoy!