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My obsession with pasta has spanned my entire lifetime. It was the only non-Indian food my mom could manage to make for a while. Just boil some pasta and add a jarred sauce. Simple and satisfying. But then as I grew up I learned about pesto, brown butter and sage sauce, cream sauce, and more. Many of which were vegetarian much to my excitement. But one of the main sauces I never got to try was bolognese, a rich tomato meat sauce/ragu that is usually made with ground beef that originates from Bologna, Italy. I made a vegan spaghetti bolognese for the first time last year when my husband ran a half marathon and he needed to carbo-load with some pasta before his big run and it’s been a regular dinner item ever since then.
The main ingredient in my vegan version of this recipe is TVP, texturized vegetable protein, which is made up of mostly soy protein. It’s low in fat and very high in protein, making it quite healthy for you! You can find it in the flour section of healthy food aisle at your grocery store or Amazon. I like to buy Bobs Red Mill brands. I add the TVP to a simple trio of vegetables; onions, mushrooms, and carrots. If you don’t have mushrooms, you can use celery instead as well. This gives it that rich thick texture and flavor.
This sauce is amazing with pasta or in a lasagna! I even like to use it to make gizmos, a famous sandwich I loved in Philly made with sauce and mozzarella! Just slather a French roll with the vegan bolognese, top with mozzarella, sliced bell peppers, and onions and close it. Wrap the whole sandwich in foil and bake at 350 F for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melty! SO GOOD!
I hope you enjoy this super simple vegan spaghetti bolognese sauce and don’t forget to tag me on social media @milkandcardamom if you re-create it!
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Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
An easy vegan bolognese sauce made with TVP, that had all the protein and flavors of a traditional bolognese sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup TVP
- 1 cup vegetable stock, hot
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, finely shopped
- 1/2 cup carrot, finely diced
- 1/2 cup Cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups tomato puree
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 lb spaghetti, cooked
Instructions
- Add TVP and 1 cup of hot vegetable stock to a small bowl and set aside.
- Add olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add onions and saute for 1 minute. Then add carrots, mushrooms, garlic and season with a pinch of salt. Saute for 8 minutes.
- Add rehydrated TVP and red chili flakes and saute for 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Add white wine to deglaze. Once the white wine has evaporated off add tomato paste and mix well. Saute for 3 minutes.
- Add tomato puree, 1/2 cup vegetable stock, fennel, oregano, and basil and stir well. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. The sauce will be nice and thick when it’s done.
- While the sauce is cooking, cook 1 lb of spaghetti.
- Top your cooked spaghetti with generous spoonfuls of the bolognese sauce and enjoy.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Italian
