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Tomato & Lentil Bolognese with Whole-Wheat Spaghetti and Side Salad
Recipe

Tomato & Lentil Bolognese with Whole-Wheat Spaghetti and Side Salad

Main • Switzerland

A satisfying, everyday Bolognese-style sauce made with lentils, vegetables and tomatoes, served over whole-wheat spaghetti with a simple Swiss-style salad.

Why smarter

Lentils and vegetables create a rich, meaty texture with less saturated fat, while whole-wheat spaghetti and a side salad boost fibre and keep the meal filling.

Chef tip

If the sauce tastes a little sharp, add a pinch of sugar or a splash of balsamic vinegar and let it simmer 2–3 minutes more to round it out.

Soft line

Comfort-food vibes, weeknight-friendly.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 1 onion, finely chopped 1.000 piece onion finely chopped
2 2 carrots, finely diced 2.000 pieces carrots finely diced
3 2 celery stalks, finely diced 2.000 stalks celery finely diced
4 2 garlic cloves, minced 2.000 cloves garlic minced
5 1 tbsp canola oil 1.000 tbsp canola oil for sautéing
6 1 tbsp tomato purée (concentrate) 1.000 tbsp tomato purée
7 1 tsp dried oregano 1.000 tsp dried oregano
8 1 tsp dried thyme 1.000 tsp dried thyme
9 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional) 0.500 tsp smoked paprika optional, for deeper flavour
10 400 g canned chopped tomatoes 400.000 g canned chopped tomatoes
11 500 ml vegetable stock (or water + stock cube) 500.000 ml vegetable stock
12 200 g dried brown or green lentils, rinsed 200.000 g dried lentils brown/green; rinsed
13 2 bay leaves 2.000 pieces bay leaves
14 Salt and black pepper salt and black pepper to taste
15 320 g whole-wheat spaghetti (dry) 320.000 g whole-wheat spaghetti
16 40 g grated Parmesan or Sbrinz 40.000 g Parmesan or Sbrinz; optional but recommended
17 150 g mixed salad leaves 150.000 g mixed salad leaves
18 1 cucumber, sliced 1.000 piece cucumber sliced
19 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved 250.000 g cherry tomatoes halved
20 2 tbsp canola oil (for dressing) 2.000 tbsp canola oil for salad dressing
21 1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1.500 tbsp vinegar red wine or apple cider
22 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1.000 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

  1. Prep the veg: chop onion, dice carrot and celery, and mince garlic.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrot and celery for 6–8 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
  3. Add tomato purée, oregano, thyme and (optional) smoked paprika. Cook 1 minute, stirring, to deepen the flavour.
  4. Add chopped tomatoes, stock, lentils and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a lively simmer. Cook 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and the sauce is thick.
  5. Meanwhile, cook whole-wheat spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve a mug of pasta water, then drain.
  6. Season the Bolognese with salt and pepper. If needed, loosen with a splash of reserved pasta water. Remove bay leaves.
  7. Make the salad: toss salad leaves, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Whisk canola oil, vinegar and Dijon; season lightly with salt and pepper, then dress the salad.
  8. Serve spaghetti topped with lentil Bolognese. Finish with a little grated Parmesan/Sbrinz if using, and enjoy with the salad on the side.