This Bolognese swaps fatty beef mince for lean minced pork tenderloin and chicken liver, then bulks the sauce with lentils and mushrooms to keep portions generous without the calorie hit. The result is a thick, meaty sauce that reheats well all week. It takes about an hour of simmering, but most of that time is hands-off.
Before you start
The most important step is getting the chicken liver right before anything else goes in the pan. Trim away any green-tinged spots or connective tissue, then chop the liver very finely — almost to a paste. Larger pieces can turn grainy and announce themselves in the finished sauce; finely chopped liver melts in completely and just adds depth. The second thing that matters is patience with the mirepoix. The onion, carrot, and celery need a full 8–10 minutes over medium-low heat before the meat goes in. Rush it and the sauce tastes raw and sharp rather than rounded. Everything else in this recipe is forgiving.
Substitutions that actually work
- Chicken liver: Beef liver works but has a stronger flavour — use about 20% less. If you want to skip liver entirely, add an extra tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a teaspoon of tomato paste to compensate for the lost umami depth.
- Pork tenderloin mince: Pre-ground lean pork (labelled 96% lean or similar) is a direct swap and saves prep time. Avoid regular ground pork — the fat content defeats the purpose here.
- Lentils: Green or brown lentils hold their shape better than red. If using canned lentils, drain and rinse them, then add in the last 20 minutes of simmering rather than at the start.
- Red wine vs. beef stock: Either works. Stock keeps it alcohol-free; wine adds a little more acidity that balances the tomatoes well.
Keeping and reheating
This sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed container — the flavour actually improves by day two as the lentils absorb more of the sauce. For longer storage, freeze in individual or two-portion containers for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water or stock to loosen it, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a full simmer and hits 165°F (74°C) throughout — the chicken liver means you treat this like ground poultry for food safety. From the fridge, 5–6 minutes in a saucepan over medium heat is enough. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish when you’re pulling this from the freezer on a Tuesday night.
Common problems and fixes
- Sauce tastes thin and watery: The mushrooms and lentils release a lot of liquid. Remove the lid for the last 15–20 minutes of cooking and let it reduce uncovered. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon before you call it done.
- Detectable liver flavour: The liver was either added in too-large pieces or not cooked long enough. It needs at least 45 minutes of simmering to fully meld. If it still stands out, a small pinch of sugar and an extra splash of Worcestershire can mask it.
- Lentils turned to mush: They were added too early or cooked at too high a temperature. Next time add them in the last 25–30 minutes. Mushy lentils don’t ruin the sauce — they just disappear into it — but you lose the slight texture they’re meant to provide.
- Sauce tastes flat despite long cooking: Check your salt level, then add a small squeeze of tomato paste and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Flat sauces usually need either more salt or more concentrated tomato, not more time.
- Pork mince clumping in large chunks: Pork tenderloin mince is denser than regular ground beef and can clump if added to a hot pan all at once. Add it in two or three batches and break it up immediately with a wooden spoon as it hits the pan.
Amazing Calorie-Cheating Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
200 grams chicken livers
150 grams lentils
- 1 teaspoon dried herbs
Instructions
- Blitz or finely chop all the vegetables.
- Gently fry off the onion and garlic in the olive oil and don’t rush it – it will take about 15 minutes on a lowish heat, and be careful not to burn anything.
- Finely chop the liver.
- After about 10 to 15 minutes, add the carrot and celery. Fry it off for a while, adding the herbs.
- Then turn the heat up and brown the pork and liver, keeping everything moving.
- Add the lentils, tomatoes, stock, red wine and seasonings – 1tsp of salt at this point; whether you need more later will partly depend on how salty your stock cube turns out to be
- Get everything cooking nicely and then chop the mushrooms finely and add – then simmer for about an hour.
- Add some water where needed to keep things moving. You want to keep this sauce quite loose.
- It’s ready when it looks delicious and tastes meaty. Check the seasoning – if there’s not enough flavour, carefully add more salt.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make this sauce ahead and freeze it in bulk?
Yes — this sauce is one of the better candidates for batch cooking and freezing. Portion it into 1–2 serving containers once fully cooled, freeze for up to 3 months, and reheat to 165°F (74°C) throughout before serving. The lentils hold up well through freezing and reheating without going watery.
Do I really need to use chicken liver, or can I leave it out?
You can leave it out, but the sauce will taste noticeably leaner and less complex. If you skip it, add an extra teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and a tablespoon of tomato paste to recover some of the savoury depth the liver provides.
How do I know the sauce is fully cooked and safe to eat?
Because this recipe contains both minced pork and chicken liver, the sauce needs to reach 165°F (74°C) at its centre — use an instant-read thermometer if you want to be sure. At that temperature the pork and liver will be fully cooked through with no pink remaining.
More mince recipes to try
- Creamy Beef Spinach Pasta
- Hearty Beef Mushroom Stroganoff
- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
- Beef Ricotta Lasagna Rolls
