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    Home » All Recipes

    Author: Donna | Published: Nov 21, 2021 | Modified: Nov 21, 2021

    Simple Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce (Instant Pot)

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    vegetarian instant pot bolognese sauce served in a white bowl and served with fresh parsley

    This simple vegetarian bolognese sauce is the perfect addition to your weekly meal plan. Forget hours stirring sauces over the stove, simply add all of the ingredients to the instant pot, set, forget, and be on your way. Great for meatless Monday, or an easy but filling vegetarian meal. Pair with some freshly cooked spaghetti for a classic bolognese-type set-up, or add a big dollop onto a baked potato for something a little bit different.

    Two white bowls filled with spaghetti and vegetarian bolognese in front of an instant pot
    Serve your vegetarian bolognese with some freshly cooked spaghetti and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

    We love using the Instant Pot to make simple but delicious vegetarian meals during the week. Why not try this Instant Pot Taco Soup (Vegetarian) next?

    Simple Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce

    This simple yet delicious vegetarian bolognese comes together in a jiffy using the instant pot.

    Using only a handful of pantry staples we end up with a great sauce that is actually pretty versatile (scroll down for lots of delicious ways to use this veggie bolognese sauce that doesn't involve pasta).

    You are going to need:

    • avocado oil or other cooking oil of choice: if you have access to it, I can also highly reccommend substituing the oil for some ghee due to the high smoke point;
    • yellow onion;
    • green bell pepper (capsicum): you can always sub in another colored bell pepper if that is what you have on hand;
    • celery; 
    • green or brown lentils: do not use red lentils as they will become too mushy;
    • diced tomatoes;
    • vegetable broth: why not try making your own using a recipe like this Homemade Vegetable Broth;
    • dried basil: sub one tablespoon chopped fresh basil if you prefer;
    • dried oregano: sub one tablespoon of fresh oregano if you prefer;
    • bay leaf;
    • salt and pepper.

    That's it!

    Overhead shot of all the ingredients required to make a vegetarian bolognese sauce

    How To Make Veggie Bolognese Sauce In The Instant Pot

    I love making bolognese sauce in the instant pot as it comes together so easily.

    Note: this method of cooking isn't necessarily going to be quicker than cooking a bolognese sauce on the stovetop. It simply removes the need to babysit the sauce and stir it whilst it cooks. It also allows the flavors to develop and intensify a lot quicker than if you were to cook on the stovetop.

    collage of the process for making vegetarian bolognese sauce in the instant pot

    You are going to:

    1. Select sauté on the instant pot, add the oil, onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until the veggies have softened. Press cancel.
    2. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir to make sure everything is well combined and close the lid; make sure the knob is on sealing mode.
    3. Press manual high pressure and set the timer for 15 minutes (it will take about 20 minutes for the pressure to rise and start cooking.)
    4. Allow the cooker to release pressure naturally for 15 minutes and quickly release the rest of the pressure. Open the lid carefully.
    5. Serve with pasta of your choice.

    Cooking your veggie bolognese sauce in the instant pot allows the flavors to develop a lot more quickly.

    If you like your sauce to be less chunky, you can always use an immersion blender and blend it to the texture that you prefer.

    Two bowls of veggie bolognese and spaghetti in front of an instant pot containing extra sauce with lots of fresh parsley in the background
    Once you have allowed the sauce to release naturally serve it up however you prefer.

    How To Serve Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce

    This sauce is the perfect base for so many meals.

    You can go classic and serve it with some freshly cooked spaghetti for a vegetarian spaghetti bolognese (why not try making your own homemade spinach and sweet potato fettuccine), or you can try something a little bit different.

    Why not try serving you bolognese sauce:

    • on top of a cooked potato or sweet potato with a big sprinkle of freshly grated cheese on top;
    • in a toastie/jaffle in place (or with) some cheese - trust me on this one!
    • inside some fresh or roasted bell peppers (capsicums);
    • in some mini homemade pies made using a pie maker or a muffin tin and some puff pastry;
    • in a sloppy joe: basically spoon the bolognese into a burger bun or hotdog bun and top with some cheese;
    • in a pasta bake in place of plain pasta sauce;
    • or use it as 'meat sauce' base of a lasagne.

    If you have another favorite way of using up homemade vegetarian bolognese sauce then please leave a comment below and I will add it to the list.

    Fork swirling some spaghetti and bolognese from a white bowl
    Serve this vegetarian bolognese sauce up 'traditionally' with some spaghetti, or try doing something a little bit different like making bolognese jaffles.

    Shop This Post:

    Tips, Tricks, and Substitutions

    My biggest tip for having an easy cooking experience is to make sure you have all of your veggies chopped and ready to go before you start cooking.

    Overhead shot of a chopping board with chopped onions and bell peppers, and small containers surrounding the chopping board containing all of the other ingredients

    Storing and Freezing Bolognese Sauce

    Vegetarian bolognese sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    It can also be frozen.

    However, be sure to freeze the sauce before adding it to pasta, as the pasta will not freeze well.

    Tip: freeze the bolognese sauce in a Ziploc bag. Add the sauce to the Ziploc bag, press out any excess air, seal and lay flat in the freezer for optimal storage space.

    This sauce can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.

    Be sure to allow frozen bolognese sauce to completely thaw before attempting to reheat.

    Instant pot full of vegetarian bolognese sauce and a small white bowl with pasta and bolognese sauce mixed together. There is salt and pepper and fresh parsley in the background
    If you plan on freezing some of the bolognese sauce, be sure to keep it separate from pasta so that it can be frozen by itself.

    Need More Delicious Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes?

    Using the instant pot for soups during a busy week can be an absolute lifesaver!

    Why not try on of these recipes next:

    • Moroccan Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
    • Pressure Cooker Carrot Ginger Turmeric Soup
    • Instant Pot Potato Soup with Cheddar and Leek
    • Pressure Cooker Risotto: Asparagus and Pea Risotto in the Instant Pot

    Hope you enjoy this vegetarian bolognese sauce as much as we did!

    Fork swirling some spaghetti and bolognese from a white bowl

    Happy Eating.

    xx

    Recipe

    overhead shot of vegetarian lentil bolognese served in a white bowl with fresh parsley

    Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce (Instant Pot)

    This simple vegetarian bolognese sauce is the perfect addition to your weekly meal plan. Forget hours stirring sauces over the stove, simply add all of the ingredients to the instant pot, set, forget, and be on your way. Great for meatless Monday, or an easy but filling vegetarian meal. Pair with some freshly cooked spaghetti for a classic bolognese-type set-up, or add a big dollop onto a baked potato for something a little bit different.
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    natural release 10 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Anytime
    Servings 8 serves
    Calories 130 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or other cooking oil of choice
    • 1 yellow onion diced
    • 1 green bell pepper diced
    • ½ cup celery chopped
    • 1 cup green or brown lentils rinsed
    • 2 cans diced tomatoes
    • 1 cup vegetable broth
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil (sub 1 tablespoon fresh basil if needed)
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (sub 1 tablespoon fresh oregano if needed)
    • 1 bay leaf
    • salt and pepper to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Select sauté on the instant pot, add the avocado oil, onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until the veggies have softened. Press cancel.
    • Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well to combine, and pop on the lid. Turn the knob to seal.
    • Using the manual setting at high pressure, set the timer for 15 minutes (it will take about 20 minutes for the pressure to rise and start cooking.)
    • Once finished cooking, allow the pressure cooker to release the pressure naturally for about 15 minutes and then quickly release the rest of the pressure. Open the lid carefully.
    • Serve with pasta of your choice.

    Notes

    Storing Leftovers
    Leftover lentil bolognese can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    Leftover sauce can also be frozen, however, freeze it before adding to pasta, etc.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 135mgPotassium: 491mgFiber: 9gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 282IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword instant pot bolognese, vegetarian bolgnese sauce
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment HERE and let us know how it was!

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sherry Ronning says

      November 23, 2021 at 2:08 am

      I have been searching for the perfect Bolognese Sauce recipe and I have finally found it! Thank you for this awesome recipe

      Reply
    2. Jennifer says

      November 23, 2021 at 1:38 am

      This is an easy and delish recipe that's going to become staple in our house!

      Reply
    3. Mandy Applegate says

      November 22, 2021 at 5:39 pm

      I love bolognese sauce and this recipe turned out great!

      Reply
    4. Cindy says

      November 22, 2021 at 8:01 am

      What a great recipe! Tasty and super easy too!

      Reply

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    Hello and welcome, I'm Donna!

    I am so glad you are here!

    Since I have a part-time job, 3 little kids, and a love of good food (as do you I assume), I have learned how to get the most out of the kitchen in the smallest amount of time.

    Forget about hunting down weird ingredients and making trips to specialty shops.

    We are going to make the most of what is available at the store and farmer's markets all whilst enjoying some delicious meals the whole family (hopefully...if you have fussy eaters I guarantee nothing) will enjoy.

    Pop on that apron and let's get creative in the kitchen!

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