It’s Veganuary and so many of us are joining in and eating meat free and animal free products. I am even giving it a go myself although I may not last the whole month. In this post I’ve got a yummy and simple to make recipe and also included wines that would work well with it. Now many of us watch what we eat but don’t think about what we drink. Somewhere many of us will slip up on is with wines. This is something I’ve been looking into myself.
I know we all expect wine to be vegan, it’s made from grapes right! Ha, they fooled us all, apparently not all wines are vegan and I had done a little research into this so you don’t have to.
Why Some Wines Are NOT Vegan
Although grapes are the main ingredient animal-derived products are often used to filter or clarify wines before bottling. Were all used to clear looking wines but many are cloudy due to microscopic particles that are too light to settle. The majority of winemakers choose to filter out any particles to ensure a nice clear wine. The only exception to this are so-called ‘natural wines’. These undergo as little interference as possible during the wine making process.
Which Animal Based Products Are Used to Filter and Clarify Wine?
Products include egg white, milk protein, blood, fish bladder, fish oil, shellfish fibres and gelatin. This means that the wine produced using these is of course not vegan. There are of course vegan wines available.
Non-Animal Products Used to Filter and Clarify Wine
Using non-animal derived products results in a wine that is vegan. Such products include bentonite clay, charcoal, silica gel or plant casein. Vegetarian wines are filtered using egg white or milk protein.
Some vegan wines have the Vegan Society’s stamp of approval but other wines are not obviously vegan, especially those made by small artisan producers. Luckily, you can find vegan wines online to choose from.
Foods For Veganuary
With the days getting shorter and winter well and truly on the way, warming dishes like stews and casseroles are a great choice to keep that internal central heating well lit.
I love this recipe for hearty vegan Puy Lentil Bolognese. The lentils help to thicken the rich tomato and Thyme based sauce and served with pasta this Bolognese will fill you up ready for a cosy evening in hibernation mode.
Try Pairing the Vegan Bolognaise With These:
Great for both vegans and carnivores alike, Les Traverses Rouge 2016 is a ripe blend of Syrah and Grenache grapes that’s 100% vegan. Well priced at £9.99 it’s the sort of wine I’d probably buy a few (what can I say – us Greeks like to buy in bulk). This soft red is medium-bodied with a great finish, made in the Rhone valley it’s a good quality option.
If I’m craving white wine then Ventoux Les Traverses Blanc 2015 is another great vegan choice and is currently on offer at £8.49, bargain! It’s a vibrant, punchy Grenache with delicious notes of ripe pears and peaches. It makes a wonderful accompaniment and contrast to both my Chickpeas, Spinach and Tomato dish and Aubergine with Tomatoes and Spices. It also works well with soups and salads.
Vegan Puy Lentil Bolognese
Serves 6-8 depending on portion size
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
2 large white onions, finely chopped
3 carrots, diced
2 stems celery, finely chopped
2 tsp dried Thyme leaves, or 1 tsp dried Thyme
1.5 pints vegetable stock
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
500g Puy lentils, rinsed and drained
1 X 400g tin of tomatoes
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat a large pan until medium hot. Add the olive oil, onions, carrots and celery and soften.
Then add the thyme, garlic and tomato purée and turn the heat up. Stir well then add the puy lentils.
Add the tinned tomatoes and the vegetable stock, stir well and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cook for 20-25 mins, until the lentils are tender and the sauce reduced slightly.
Add the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer for a further 15 mins.
Serve with pasta, rice or a yummy salad
Alternative serving suggestion: add chilli sauce and tinned kidney beans to make a Chilli and serve with rice.
Did you know that not all wines are vegan?
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I love lentil bolognese and it’s a non meat dish I can easily get past my meat loving younger son.
That’s great. It can be a challenge to convert children sometimes.
That looks delicious and I bet it was. Did it taste as good as it looks and is being Vegan easy?
Ha, I’m not not vegan yet. I have been giving it a go though and am enjoying some lovely meals 🙂
Wasn’t aware there’s such a thing as Vegan wines! Just shows how little I know about Vegan 🙂 Would love to try the lentil bolognese. Even though I’m not vegan, I do like to try out new recipes/food.
I’m the same I eat a range of food and I love to try different recipes. I didn’t know there was vegan wine until recently.
I had never really considered whether a wine was vegan or not until I listened to a podcast called Table Manners where they had John Bishop on who is a vegan. It opened my eyes to a whole new world!
It’s good to know isn’t it 🙂
It looks delicious, I’ve never tried being a vegan or any food. But it always looks nice
That is a really fascinating post. I had no idea about the wine – and that bolognaise looks really tasty. I think I’m going to try it!
Neither did I until recently. I thought it was interesting that many were unaware and wanted to share the info x
I love this! I am veggie but trying to go Vegan. That Bolognese looks scrummy xx
I’m trying to eat more plant based foods. I’m doing well this month. I bet you’ll love this recipe! 🙂
Love the recipe here. Looks very tasty.
Who doesn’t love Bolognaise!!!!! 🙂
I always wonder what to do with lentils and now I know! I will definitely be giving this a whirl.
It’s a great healthy dish and yummy too!
My daughter is allergic to lentils so we wouldn’t be able to make this but it looks nice. I’d enjoy the wines though.
Ooh bolognaise is my favourite and we are looking for ways to eat more lentils and pulses this year!
Sounds like this dish is perfect for you then.
Wow I didn’t know that about wine. This dish sounds delicious. I’m afraid I love my meat too much to do Veganuary but with more dishes like this I could be persuaded
You would be surprised how easy it is to get into the routine of not eating meat when you start.
This looks and sounds delicious, never thought you could make vegan bolognese
Ha, I know, there are so many alternative options to make dishes vegan.
I love vegetarian alternatives vegetables have so much flavour
They really do make dishes taste better.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful piece of information online and I really hope you write more like this one. I absolutely love Bolognaise
Me too it’s yummy!
I have never tried lentil bolognese before and wouldn’t even know where to start with vegan-friendly wines to pair with. Thanks for this suggestion.
No problem Anosa. It helps to know which wines go well with which foods.
Definitely need to give this a try – it sounds delicious and a great way to incorporate Vegan options into weekly meal planning
It does help add a tasty vegan recipe to our week.
I didn’t realise some wines are not vegan, interesting read!
I was unaware too before. I though it would be an interesting discussion area 🙂
I am not a vegan. However, this looks like a dish I would not mind trying.
I personally can’t give up my meat for a whole month, but these recipes look good. I would certainly try it for one day. I tend to enjoy all things with garlic!
Now I know what to make with my dried lentils. This recipe sounds so delicious.
This sounds really good. I love vegan food. I think this sounds amazing.
Oh this is making me hungry. Everything looks so tasty, and these recipes are inspiring me to add more vegan meals to my routine.
I am loving all of these vegan suggestions and will ahem to check out some of the vegan wines that are out there and available. I had no idea about them!
Love the recipe! But I did not know that not all wines are vegan at all. Great to learn new things!
I didn’t realize how many animal byproducts were involved in the making of wines, wow!
Your Lentil Bolognese recipe paired with vegan wines is a culinary win! The deliciousness of the dish shines, and your wine suggestions are a thoughtful touch. You’re making Veganuary delightful and easy. Can’t wait to try this wholesome combo! 🍝🍷🌱
I just found out that not all wines are vegan. It’s something new for me! I will be more careful from now on!
I have never tried to make this dish, and it looks delicious and easy to make.
I can’t wait to make this at home!
There’s something new about this recipe for me! I’m glad I found out about it! Thanks!
Sometimes I do enjoy eating vegan and the culinary experience is sometimes extremely satisfying! good point about the wines- thanks for sharing!
I’m not vegan but I always enjoy a good vegan dish. And I’ve heard about vegan wines before. Just didn’t know the deets. I will have to try your recipe sometime. Sounds delish!
I personally don’t drink but this guide should be helpful for vegans who want to enjoy a glass or wine. I’ll share this with my aunt.