Vegan Gnocchi Ragu with Mushrooms and Lentils

This vegan gnocchi ragu with mushrooms and lentils is the best thing you could do with a pack of gnocchi. The flavours of the rich bolognese-style ragu go perfectly with pillowy gnocchi to create the perfect weeknight dinner.

A hearty plant-based ragu is something that always makes me feel better at the end of a busy day. This vegan gnocchi ragu with mushrooms and lentils is incredibly flavourful yet easy to make, so you can whip it up almost effortlessly on a weeknight.

The delicious combination of bolognese ragu and soft gnocchi is a match made in heaven, and it's also perfect for date night, as it goes down a treat with a glass of your favourite red.

The flavours of this plant-based ragu are very similar to those of real ragu. I'm keeping it simple and traditional with fresh veggies, garlic, herbs and red wine - none of that soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce or nutritional yeast nonsense, which, in my opinion, have no place in a bolognese-style sauce.

Ingredients and substitutions

Olive oil - Use some quality extra virgin olive to saute the veggies for the best flavour. If you don't cook with oil, you can use some veggie stock or water instead, but the flavour will be severely diminished.

Onion, carrot and celery - These veggies form the base of the mushroom and lentil ragu, and you should be patient when cooking them. You want them softened quite a bit, almost to the point of being slightly caramelised.

Garlic - Fresh garlic is a must in this recipe; don't substitute it with frozen garlic or, worse, garlic paste, as you'll be missing out on some pretty amazing flavours.

Fresh thyme - The flavour of fresh thyme elevates this mushroom and lentil ragu to a whole new level. If you don't have it, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or instead. Dried oregano or an Italian seasoning mix are also good options.

Mushrooms - I typically make this ragu with chestnut mushrooms, but you can use any type of mushrooms you like. For an even more pronounced mushroom flavour, you can add some rehydrated porcini mushrooms to the mix.

Red wine - Any kind of dry red wine works for this mushroom ragu, but it's always a good idea to use a wine you'd enjoy drinking. Make sure the wine you choose is vegan - when in doubt, check it on the Barnivore website.

Chopped tomatoes - Just like in the case of olive oil, use the best quality chopped tomatoes you can because it really makes a difference in the flavour of the ragu.

Lentils - I use a can of pre-cooked green lentils for convenience in this recipe, but you can cook your lentils from scratch if you want. Both green and brown lentils are good choices here.

Gnocchi - Make sure the gnocchi you use are dairy-free and suitable for vegans because many of them aren't.

How do you make vegan gnocchi ragu?

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan and saute the onion, carrot and celery for 5-7 minutes over medium heat until softened.

Add the garlic and thyme and continue to cook for another minute until fragrant.

Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes until they reduce in size and the liquid is mostly gone.

Stir in the red wine and cook for a further minute until the alcohol evaporates. Next, add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, lentils, water and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the gnocchi according to the instructions on the package.

Remove the bay leaves and transfer the cooked gnocchi to the pan. Toss to combine, stir in the parsley, and season to taste.

Serve immediately, with some extra fresh parsley on top if you like.

Can I freeze this mushroom and lentil ragu?

This vegan ragu with mushrooms freezes well for up to three months in an airtight container. Freeze it without the gnocchi, though, because the texture won't be as nice.

To reheat, defrost the ragu in the fridge overnight and then reheat it in the microwave or on the hob until piping hot and then ladle it over freshly boiled gnocchi.

You may need to add a dash of water when reheating if the sauce looks too thick.

Recipe notes and tips for the best gnocchi ragu

• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. The best way to reheat them is in the microwave.
• If you want your ragu to have a bit of a kick, you can add half a teaspoon red chilli flakes with the garlic and thyme.
• Omit the red wine if you're serving this mushroom ragu to children or a pregnant woman.

If you liked this vegan gnocchi ragu with mushrooms and lentils, you might also like some of my other easy vegan dinner recipes:

• Vegan Instant Pot Creamy Pasta
• Crispy Orange Tofu
• Easy Garlic Tofu Stir Fry
• Vegan Jamaican Gungo Peas Stew
• Asparagus and Courgette Risotto with Lemon

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