Vegan Bolognese
Source
https://lovingitvegan.com/vegan-bolognese/
Ingredients
- 226g extra firm tofu (8 oz) — no need to press
- 100g walnuts, finely chopped (~1 cup)
- 480g cremini mushrooms (~5 cups) — also called baby bellas or portobellini
- 360g cooked brown lentils (~1½ cups) — canned is fine (one 425g can, drained)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 15ml olive oil (1 Tbsp)
- 1 Tbsp crushed garlic
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- 130g tomato paste (~½ cup)
- 400g canned crushed tomatoes (14 oz)
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar — or brown sugar, for balance
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Serving
- Spaghetti
- Vegan parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- Mash tofu with a fork into a bowl.
- Process walnuts in food processor until finely chopped. Add to bowl with tofu.
- Process mushrooms in food processor until finely chopped. Add to bowl.
- Add lentils to the bowl. Mix everything together (tofu, walnuts, mushrooms, lentils).
- Sauté onion: Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté onion until softened.
- Add mix: Add the tofu/walnut/mushroom/lentil mix along with garlic, basil, oregano, cayenne, and dark soy sauce. Stir fry ~2 minutes, letting it cook off some water so it’s not too wet.
- Add tomatoes: Add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Keep frying a few minutes until you reach good consistency.
- Season: Stir in coconut sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Over spaghetti with vegan parmesan and fresh basil.
Tips & Notes
- Serves 4–6. Bolognese only, not including pasta.
- Very hearty and ‘meaty’ — mushrooms + walnuts + tofu create the texture. Lentils are a protein bonus.
- Cook off the water before adding tomatoes — if the mix is too wet, the sauce will be soggy.
- For more ‘saucy’ bolognese: Add extra crushed tomato.
- Cremini mushrooms recommended — but white button mushrooms work too.
- Keeps 4–5 days fridge. Freezer-friendly 3 months.
- Gluten-free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce + GF spaghetti.
- Better the next day — flavors deepen.
Tags
recipe, vegan, pasta, bolognese, main, italian, make-ahead