Hearty Vegan Tofu Bolognese

Hearty Vegan Tofu Bolognese

Indulge in this Italian classic, made vegan! Instead of meat, our bolognese is made with veggies and tofu all simmered in a rich tomato sauce. It’s a dish the whole family will love.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 704

Author Alena Schowalter

Ingredients

Bolognese

4 garlic cloves minced
2 yellow onions finely diced
2 tbsp olive oil
5 cups brown button mushrooms finely chopped (350 g)
1 cup firm tofu 250 g, patted dry, crumbled
2 carrots finely chopped
2 celery stalks finely diced
1 zucchini finely chopped
2 bell peppers finely chopped
2 cups canned tomatoes 480 ml
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Parmesan

1 cup sunflower seeds 140 g
2 tbsp hemp seeds
½ cup nutritional yeast 30 g
Pinch of salt
1 tsp lemon zest
½ tsp garlic powder

To serve

16 oz whole wheat spaghetti dry (450 g)
Fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Make the tofu bolognese

In a large pot add the onion, garlic, oil, and mushrooms with two tablespoons of vegetable broth and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until all the liquid evaporates.
Add the crumbled tofu and soy sauce, stir and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
Place the rest of the vegetables into the pot, add all the spices, mix and cook for a few minutes over medium heat to help them release their flavors.
Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, and balsamic vinegar. Mix and bring to boil over medium heat.
Cover the pot, turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very well cooked. Taste test. Season with salt and pepper, mix to combine, put the lid on and set aside.

Make the parmesan

Place the sunflower seeds into a skillet over medium heat and lightly toast for 2-3 minutes, until slightly golden. Move them with a wooden spoon to toast evenly.
Place in a bowl and let cool completely.
Transfer into a blender or food processor with the rest of the ingredients and process to get a coarse powder. Make sure to blend or pulse in short increments! If you blend too much, you’ll get sunflower butter.

Make the pasta

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, drain and divide into serving bowls.
Top with tofu bolognese sauce, garnish with vegan parmesan and fresh basil leaves, and serve warm.

Notes

Store the pasta and sauce separately in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. For the freezer, store in separate containers for 3-4 months. Check out our storage notes for more details!
If you don’t make the sunflower parmesan, add your fav vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast.

Nutrition