Vegan Ragu alla Marchigiana
A deeply savoury, rich ragu inspired by the classic cuisine of Italy’s Marche region — traditionally made with mixed meats, here lovingly reimagined as fully plant-based. Earthy lentils and walnuts create a beautifully textured mince that simmers slowly with soffritto, tomatoes, red wine, and fragrant herbs until the sauce thickens and deepens into incredible depth. Slow-cooked to perfection — thick, hearty, and wonderfully satisfying. Tossed with spaghetti or tagliatelle and topped with nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan. Completely dairy-free, egg-free, and unmistakably Italian!
Shared by jessy
Time
75 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
medium
🛒 Ingredients
- #Plant-Based Mince Base;
- ¾ cup brown lentils — rinsed and cooked until tender
- ½ cup walnuts — finely chopped or pulsed into coarse crumbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- #Soffritto & Aromatics;
- 1 medium yellow onion — very finely diced
- 1 medium carrot — very finely diced
- 1 celery stalk — very finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic — minced
- 1 fresh bay leaf.. 1 sprig fresh thyme
- #Sauce & Liquids;
- ½ cup dry red wine — such as Sangiovese or Merlot; replace with extra broth if preferred
- 2 tbsp tomato paste.. 1 can (400 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (400 g) crushed tomatoes.. 1 cup vegetable broth
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp nutmeg — signature touch of the Marchigiana style
- Salt and black pepper — generous amounts, to taste
- Pinch of sugar — to balance acidity
- #To Serve;
- Spaghetti or tagliatelle pasta — vegan
- Nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan — for sprinkling
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the base: Cook the lentils until tender but not mushy, then drain well. Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until they resemble coarse mince — do not overprocess into paste. Mix together and set aside.
- 2
Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook gently for 8–10 minutes until soft and sweet — do not brown. Add garlic, bay leaf, and thyme; cook 1 more minute until fragrant.
- 3
Build the flavour: Stir in the walnut-lentil mixture and cook for 3–4 minutes to toast slightly. Pour in the red wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3–4 minutes — scraping any delicious bits from the bottom of the pot.
- 4
Simmer slowly: Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, oregano, nutmeg, salt, plenty of black pepper, and the tiny pinch of sugar. Bring to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat to very low. Cover and simmer at least 45 minutes — ideally 60 minutes — stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken, darken, and become rich and concentrated. If too thick, add a splash of broth.
- 5
Finish and taste: Remove bay leaf and thyme stem. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or acidity — it should be deep, savoury, and beautifully balanced. Toss hot cooked pasta directly into the ragu so the sauce clings perfectly. Serve topped generously with nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan. Buon appetito!