Chef's Bolognese With Invisible Vegetables

A classic bolognese sauce where carrot, zucchini, celery, and red lentils are finely grated or blended to completely melt into the sauce. Perfect for children: mild flavor, smooth texture, and no visible vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 300 g ground beef (15% fat)
  • 1 piece onion
  • 2 cloves garlic clove
  • 2 pieces carrot
  • 1 piece zucchini
  • 2 pieces celery stalk
  • 100 g red lentils
  • 400 g canned crushed peeled tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 10 g unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • to taste salt
  • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 400 g pasta (spaghetti or tagliatelle)
  • 40 g grated Parmesan

Method

  1. Peel the onion and garlic. Chop them very finely (or pulse them in a food processor).
  2. Peel the carrots. Finely grate the carrots, the unpeeled zucchini, and the celery stalk using a fine grater or a food processor fitted with a fine grating disc. The goal is to get an almost liquid purée. Set aside.
  3. Rinse the red lentils under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer. Drain.
  4. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes without browning.
  5. Add the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until nicely browned (5-6 minutes).
  6. Pour the grated vegetable purée and red lentils into the pot. Stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring.
  7. Add the crushed tomatoes, cumin, oregano, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
  8. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have completely melted and the sauce has thickened (it should have the texture of a classic bolognese). If it reduces too much, add a little water.
  9. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions. Drain al dente.
  10. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary. The texture should be smooth, with no visible vegetable pieces. If a few pieces remain, use an immersion blender to break them down (very briefly, just a few pulses).
  11. Serve the pasta topped with the sauce and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
  12. For smaller children, cut the pasta into small pieces with kitchen shears before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy
703.1 kcal
Protein
33.95 g
Carbohydrate
81.21 g
Fat
25.78 g
Fibre
8.35 g
Calcium
191.51 mg
Iron
4.21 mg
Magnesium
70.12 mg
Indicative, non-medical nutrition estimate; values depend on brands, actual weights, and whether ingredients are raw or cooked.