Oh She Glows just celebrated her 9th birthday! Can you believe it? I know, I know, where is the cake? I didn’t plan this very well, did I? I promise you today’s recipe is a keeper even if it’s not covered in frosting. Do you think cheese-covered will do the trick?!
Many moons ago, in October 2008, Eric looked at me and said, “Ange, you need a hobby!” I was hunched in front of my computer poring over research. We’d just returned from our honeymoon, and I was already stressing out over all the catch-up work that was waiting for me at home.
At the time, I was a master’s student wrapping up my thesis while working full-time as a researcher. To say I was feeling burned out is an understatement. I definitely hadn’t been making time for fun. When Eric asked me what hobbies I had, I honestly couldn’t think of anything outside my daily gym sessions. “I’m not sure if working out counts….” he’d say. My only downtime was a weekly night out at a local bar—hardly restorative, though it did feel that way briefly! So I took Eric’s advice (a rare occurrence, he says), and that same week hit publish on my very first Oh She Glows blog post!
This blog became a place for me to have fun, explore, write my heart out, try new things, and just get out of “research mode” for a bit. Still, I expected that I would blog for a couple weeks and grow tired of it, but I tapped into something that had been hiding deep below the surface for many, many years…my creativity! OH, HELLO. I couldn’t recall the last time I had really allowed my creative self to flourish. Once I’d awoken the creative beast inside, there was no stopping me. (Eric, did you have any idea what you’d be getting yourself into?!)
Soon it became clear that my unsuspecting hobby had grown into a full-fledged passion. I found the courage to write about my journey with disordered eating and how I was working on a positive relationship with food. By practicing every day, I taught myself how to cook and photograph my food (so I could inspire you to make it too!), and eventually became confident enough to experiment with my own recipes. Nine years later, one of my favourite things to do is cook and try new things in the kitchen. I always joke that I rarely follow my own recipes because I have too much fun playing around with them, and so they’ll often turn out differently each time. To me, that’s when it gets really fun! That said, there are some recipes I like to follow to a T…like my favourite cookies. I take my treats very seriously. Bahaha.
So, thanks Eric, for seeing all those years ago that I needed to give myself some time for creativity. I can’t imagine my life without this space, and all of you. The connections and friendships I’ve made through Oh She Glows have been the happiest surprise of all.
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Taste Canada’s annual Awards Gala, where I was honoured to receive two gold awards for food writing (one for Health and Special Diets Cookbook of the year for my latest cookbook, Oh She Glows Every Day, and a second recognizing Oh She Glows as best Health and Special Diets Food Blog 2017). Thinking back over the past 9 years, it all feels surreal. I had so many inspiring conversations and left that evening even more grateful for this community and what I do.
Thank you for coming on this journey with me. Here’s to discovering new hobbies, chasing dreams, and, hopefully, another 9 years!!
Cheesy Lentil Bolognese Casserole
Yield
8 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Our family is in love with this cheesy, creamy, and hearty casserole! Traditional bolognese is made with a meat-based sauce, but my version uses lentils and mushrooms for a high fibre, immune-boosting twist. It’s great served with a simple salad of marinated greens (for a quick homemade dressing, try my Shake-and-Go Balsamic Vinaigrette from Oh She Glows Every Day), sautéed kale, or my Crowd-Pleasing Vegan Caesar Salad and some crusty fresh bread. Divine! Here are some time-saving tips: if you’re looking for a head-start on meal prep, the cheese sauce can be made a couple days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. You can also prepare the entire casserole in advance: simply follow the recipe through step #9 (stop before baking!), wrap it up, refrigerate, and then cook as-is one to two days later as directed in step #10. Imagine coming home to this casserole ready to bake at the end of a long day! Nothing is better. This recipe is adapted from my Fusilli Lentil-Mushroom Bolognese in Oh She Glows Every Day.
Ingredients
- 1 batch All-Purpose Cheese Sauce
- 14 ounces (400 g) fusilli or rotini pasta (about 4 1/2 cups dry pasta)
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced (about 2 cups/280 g)
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (8-ounce/255 g) package sliced cremini mushrooms*
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano**
- 1 teaspoon dried basil**
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme**
- 3 cups (750 mL) chunky marinara sauce***
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can lentils, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) runny tahini
- 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 to 2 cups (40 to 80 g) stemmed and finely chopped kale (optional)
- Paprika, for garnish
- Cashew-Garlic Parmesan, for garnish
Directions
- Oil a very large casserole dish (approx. 10" x 14") and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare the cheese sauce. While the potatoes and carrots simmer for the cheese sauce, start on steps 3 and 4.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Be sure not to overcook it. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven or pot (about 5 quarts), add the oil, onion, and garlic. Stir and add a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is softened and translucent.
- Stir in the mushrooms, oregano, basil, and thyme, and cook for another 7 to 9 minutes over medium-high heat until the water cooks off.
- Add the marinara sauce, drained lentils, and tahini. Stir until combined. Now add the cooked pasta and continue stirring until it’s coated in the lentil-veggie mixture.
- Taste and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir in the kale, if desired. Turn off the heat.
- Spoon all of the pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread it out evenly.
- Pour the cheese sauce over top and spread it out with the back of a spoon until it covers the entire surface. Garnish with paprika (it adds a beautiful pop of red), more herbs, and black pepper, if desired.
- Bake the casserole uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through. (If you’re baking the casserole straight from the fridge, bake it for 25 to 30 minutes as it’ll take longer to heat up). Serve immediately with a generous sprinkle of Cashew-Garlic Parmesan on top of each portion. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The leftovers are just as delicious chilled!
Tip:
* If your sliced mushrooms are on the thicker side, dice them up before adding to the pot—they’ll cook faster. The same is true if you’re using whole mushrooms: the smaller you slice them the quicker they’ll cook. If you are a big mushroom fan like I am, you may want to consider doubling the amount listed above.
** If using fresh herbs, measure 2 teaspoons (10 g) of each.
*** If the casserole is going to sit in the fridge for a couple days before you cook it, feel free to stir in an extra 1/2 (125 mL) to 3/4 cup (180 mL) of marinara sauce. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but helps counteract any moisture loss while sitting in the fridge.
Make it gluten-free: use gluten-free pasta and cook as directed.
Make it kid-friendly: process the mushrooms in a food processor until minced. The mushrooms will be virtually undetectable, but your meal will still retain their immune boosting benefits!
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
You can also find this casserole recipe (including the cheese sauce and vegan parmesan) in The Oh She Glows Recipe App (iOS and Android). Happy cooking!
Going to make this but I’m not clear about what “runny tahini” is. Is that just a sauce made from tahini?
Hey Christy, So happy you’re going to try it out! By “runny tahini” I just mean not to use the dry/hard stuff that’s often lurking at the bottom of the jar. If it’s a bit runny it’ll just mix into the sauce more evenly. Does this help at all? I hope you enjoy it!
SO proud of you Angela! I remember reading some of your first posts. Is it weird that I’m still sometimes randomly sad I can’t just order Glo Bars anymore? It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, maybe since the blogger birthday party you had at your house in… 2011? 2012? Congrats on all your successes! I’m going to try this recipe out next week, maybe my husband won’t notice the mushrooms if I run them through the food processor first ?
Oh Sarah, your note just made my day! It’s SO nice to hear from you and yes it’s been years! We need to fix that! haha.
Totally laughed at your husband and mushroom comment…not too long ago, I would’ve been doing that for Eric too. I finally wore him down with mushrooms though! I hope you guys love it if you try out the casserole.
Is this freezable? I’m trying to prep frozen meals for when my baby arrives. Bake first, then freeze? Done bake first? How to cook from frozen?
Thank you!
Hey Michaela, I haven’t tried freezing it yet, but I do have some baked leftovers in my freezer which I plan on thawing in the fridge overnight and then reheating in a skillet with extra marinara sauce.
Angela, I’ve been reading since the beginning, and am so thrilled with the success that you (and Eric, and the kids!) have created for yourselves! My Dad decided two years ago to go vegan in the interest of his personal health, and OSG and your cookbooks were the first place I sent him. He made this casserole for Christmas Eve dinner this year, and even my meat-loving husband was still raving about it just yesterday! Thank you for all that you do; your light and positivity definitely “glow” through your work. Best wishes in the new year!
Aww Caitlin, thank you!! I can’t believe you’ve been reading since the beginning…that’s so cool! I really appreciate your support and kind words. :) And how fantastic to hear about your dad’s vegan journey too. Please send him my high fives! I’m so happy this casserole was such a hit. All the best to you and your family in 2018!
This is even better than mac’n cheese, as much as I love that stuff!! This is now my new go to dish. We loved it!!!! There is just something so filling and complete about this creation. I used zucchini (had no mushrooms) Prego traditional sauce and cooked my own lentils. What a great way to incorporate lentils in such a great dish, and pasta at that!
Hey Margaret, I’m so happy to hear how much you love this dish. I agree with you about it feeling so complete! Casseroles can be so great for that. I popped some leftovers into the freezer last week, so I’m eager to see how it thaws and reheats.
I only have a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Do you think it will overflow?
Thank you!
Hey Magda, It’ll be tight, but if you slightly heap the noodles near the middle you might be able to get away with it!
So so so good!!! Perfect cozy casserole for these super chilly days. My 1 year old is a huge fan but I couldn’t hide those mushrooms from my 5 year old…can’t win em all ?.
haha too funny…they are smart!! So glad you enjoyed it :)
I made this recipe for dinner tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Even the “picky” eaters in my family liked it :-)
I really enjoy your blog and have both of your cookbooks as well, every recipe that I have tried so far has been a winner. Thanks for sharing so many terrific plant based recipes!
Hey Mindy, I’m so glad to hear you’re loving the recipes so far! Thank you for the cookbook and blog support. :)
And great to hear this recipe was a winner!! I find it wins over the picky eaters more often than not.
The BEST vegan dish I have made so far! Awesome!!! Thanks so much for sharing. This will be my go-to dish for potlucks and dinner guests from now on. 5+++ ⭐️
Whohoo, thank you Lili!!! I’m thrilled you love it so much. It’s one of my new go-to’s as well. Love that make-ahead option.
Really excited to make this one. I love to think of excuses to make the all-purpose cheese–its incredible! Happy anniversary–I’ve been following your blog for at least 7 years now. I have both of your cookbooks and make your recipes constantly. Thanks for all you do!
Aww thank you for the love Katie! So honoured you’ve been following for so long, and thank you for supporting my books too!
This was delicious! My nearly 3 year old son went back for seconds. My 8 month old sucked on a few pieces of pasta. My husband went back for thirds! It it such a “comfort” recipe and really hit the spot. We use your All Purpose Cheese sauce all the time. In fact, we’re planning my son’s birthday party where we’ll be serving nacho’s. My husband suggested we just provide the All Purpose Cheese sauce an no “traditional” cheese sauce because it is so good. Thank you!
Hey Anne, Thank you so much for the feedback! I’m so happy to hear that the casserole went over so well. :) And I love your husband’s idea about serving the cheese sauce with nachos. Have you seen my newest recipe for them? Might serve as a little inspiration! http://ohsheglows.com/2018/01/30/cheerful-vegan-nachos/
We made this for dinner last night and really enjoyed it. The “cheese” sauce isn’t cheesy per se but it does add a nice dimension to the dish. We really enjoyed the sauce free version in the book and are glad we made the sauce and baked the pasta. We will definitely make this one again.
Hey Holly, So glad you tried this one out and enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the feedback :)
Is there another vegetable that would work other than mushrooms? My husband doesn’t like them.
Hey Becky, Hmm mushrooms is a tricky one to replace, but you could try leaving them out and increasing the onion and lentil quantities a bit?
This recipe is amazing. It tastes like cheese, I used baby bellas and it tastes so amazing. I’d highly recommend putting in the time to make this!
Hey Briana, I love that you used baby bellas…good swap for sure! I will have to try it. Thanks for your review :)
It sounds so good and not hard to cook for me! Thank you for sharing the recipe! That vegan cheese sauce is so amazing!!
This is another great recipe from you, thank you. Forgive me if this sounds critical; I don’t mean to be snarky! But I think 2 pictures of each recipe would be sufficient.
Thanks Molly…I’m so glad you loved it! And no worries about the photo comment. I know multiple images aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.
This recipe is LEGIT. I subbed half of the pasta with broccoli and cauliflower because having more veggies is never a bad thing.
Such a great idea!! So glad you love it Alyssa :)
Hi Angela — do you think there’s a way to make this recipe using dry lentils instead of canned?
Thanks!
Hey Margot, I think you could but I think you’d have to cook them separately beforehand. If subbing pre-cooked lentils I would use around 1 3/4 cups cooked lentils. Hope this helps!
I have loved every recipe I have ever made off this site. It’s almost perfect in every way but it would be even more wonderful if each recipe included nutritional info:)
Hey Diana, Thank you so much…that makes me so happy to hear. :) We’re actually in the process of trying out a nutritional software to calculation info for my recipes. Stay tuned :)
Love all your recipes lined up with the photos!
With the title “she” and the baby stories mixed in, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. But as the cook in the house and recently finding out I have kidney disease, (I leave out the sodium) I always feel positive cooking one of your recipes. I’m not 100% vegan or vegetarian, but this is how I eat most of the time. Great recipes and photos. I’ll pick up your book next time I’m at Powell’s in Portland. Thanks
haha Richard your comment made me laugh! I’m glad the title and baby stories didn’t scare you away. I promise it’s for everyone! And I’m so glad to hear that you’re enjoying the recipes so much.
I was going to make this recipe but the ingredient list doesn’t say “carrots and potatoes” but in the directions, “while the carrots and potatoes simmer”…but what is the quantity? I’m also puzzled, I don’t see carrots and potatoes in the photos.
Clarify please?
Hi Christine, The carrots and potatoes is referring to the all-purpose cheese sauce recipe. I hope this helps! :)
Where do you buy your vegan ingredients? I’d love to try more of your recipes, but sometimes I’m not sure if I would be able to find the vegan things like nutritional yeast, etc at our local grocery store. Do you find a lot on Amazon? Just wondering the best way to go about this.
Hey Erin, I buy many of my ingredients at local grocery stores like Whole Foods and Organic Garage. Amazon and Bulk Barn are also great, or you might have some luck in the organic section at larger chain grocers too. Hope that helps!
This was amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe! You always have the best ones :)
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Ashton! Thank you so much for letting me know
This recipe is so good! I made a giant batch last night. Do you think it would freeze well?
Hey Jessica, I haven’t tried freezing it yet, but I hope to in the future! I think it could work as I have frozen my cheese sauce before with decent thawing results! If I was going to try it I would prepare it all the way to spreading it out in the casserole, then I would cover it well and freeze. To bake it, I would thaw it in the fridge or countertop fully, and then bake as instructed. I would love to hear how it goes if you try it. So glad you love it so much!
Hi Jessica! Did you try this frozen!? Haha I am curious.
Hello there!
I was wondering how to adapt a lentil loaf for this recipe. I made up the loaf as a meat substitute thinking I could use it where ever I would use a “ground meat” in a recipe. I thought I would prepare this recipe for a potluck.
Thanks a bunch,
Sylvanna
I’ve lost count of how many recipes I’ve tried from this site. This one is AMAZING! I forgot to pick up some raw cashew from the store, so I ended up using the mixed nut butter I had (cashew, almond, pecan, brazil, hazelnut). I get why it calls for just cashew. Sauce was a lot nuttier and earthier, but still REALLY good. I’m wondering if macadamia butter would give it a creamy texture.
I’ve also tried it another time without the lentils and double the mushrooms. Still amazing!
This is delicious. The only thing I would add here is that preparation takes TWICE as long as indicated here. Plan accordingly! :)
I hate mushrooms to the point where even mincing them up to hide in the meal won’t work for me, haha. Any thoughts on veggies I could throw in instead? Thanks!
Made this tonight. I detest mushrooms, so I subbed in crumbled tempeh. It was delicious!
This is one of the best pasta casseroles ever. I am not vegan but am dairy free. Meat lovers go crazy over this casserole also. It is sooooo good. The only changes I usually make are that I add rounds of Veg Nature plain cashew cheese to the top.
Anyone who has not tried VegNature cashew cheese…you MUST. It is bar none, the best non dairy cheese on the market. Most people who try it, like it better than goats cheese.
Hi!!! Can this be frozen?!