1-1/4cup/ 310 ml tomato pasteor two small 5.5 oz / 156 ml cans
1/2teaspoon/ 2.5 ml salt
4large cans28 oz / 796 ml diced tomatoes
3tablespoons/ 45 ml dried oregano
1-1/2tablespoons/ 22.5 ml dried basil
2teaspoons/ 10 ml dried rosemary
1-1/2teaspoons/ 7.5 ml dried thyme
1/4cup/ 60 ml balsamic vinegar
3tablespoons/ 45 ml brown sugar
1teaspoon/ 5 ml ground pepper
1/2teaspoon/ 2.5 ml salt
4cups/ 1 liter vegetable stock
1/2cup/ 250 ml whole grain bulgur
Instructions
Heat a stockpot or large saucepan over medium-low heat. When the pan is heated, add oil and swirl to coat pan. Add onions and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Don't let the onions brown. If they start to brown turn down the heat.
Add garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
Add lentils to pot and stir to coat with onion mixture. Toast for a minute or so, then add tomato paste and mix thoroughly. Cook the tomato paste for 3 - 5 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the paste from sticking.
While the onion mixture is cooking, whizz the tomatoes in a food processor or blender until they are well broken up. (If you do not have a food processor or blender, omit this step. Breaking up the tomatoes gives a more consistent texture to the sauce, but it will taste fine either way.)
Add the remaining ingredients except for bulgur (tomatoes, oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, ground pepper, salt and vegetable stock).
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly as lentils will tend to settle to the bottom of the pot and may stick. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Lentils should be softened but still hold their shape.
Stir bulgur into sauce. Simmer for an additional 10 -15 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and add more salt and pepper if needed. The lentils and bulgur will continue to soften as the sauce cools.
Let the sauce cool at room temperature for up to 1 hour, then divide into freezer containers and refrigerate until cool. Label and freeze.
Sauce will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. Defrost in fridge or in microwave, then heat and serve.