Vegan Bolognese Sauce
If you’ve been disappointed by vegan bolognese recipes before, I get it. I tested all the methods so you don’t have to! In this post, I’m sharing the one that finally hit that rich, nostalgic, restaurant-level sweet spot I’d been chasing for over a decade. It's made in one pot with our TVP beef method simmered for hours to develop that deep flavor you know and love.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the TVP Beef:
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil
- 1 cup finely minced onion 1 small onion or 2 very small
- 1 ½ cups finely minced carrots 3 small or 2 medium carrots
- 1 cup finely minced celery 2 medium stalks
- 6 large cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 1/4 cup dry TVP crumbles textured vegetable protein
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp Gravy Master
- 2 Tbsp red miso paste
For the sauce:
- 2 (28-oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup dry Italian white wine or 2 T white wine vinegar
- ½ cup plain unsweetened plant-based milk optional
- 1 Tbsp vegan chicken bouillon powder
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan optional
Instructions
- SAUTE THE VEG: Add the refined coconut oil to a large non stick pot, turn the heat to medium, and let it melt. When melted, add the minced onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, stir. Then, add the garlic powder, cumin, and ground mustard. Stir again until everything is well-coated and continue sauteing for 2-4 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
- REHYDRATE THE TVP: Next, add your TVP, water, red miso, and Gravy Master. Stir thoroughly to incorporate everything (especially the miso paste). Then, turn the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- BROWN THE MEAT: Turn the heat to medium high and flatten the ground beef out in the pan. Let it cook, without touching it, for 1 full minute. Then, stir it up and repeat 2-4 more times. The goal is to get a nice brown on the outside of the TVP so it doesn’t lose its integrity while it cooks in the sauce!
- BRING TO A BOIL: Add the tomatoes, wine, plant milk, bouillon, red pepper, and herbs. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring often. (every 5 min). You can serve the sauce after 1 hour, but you can also turn the heat to low and cook down another 1-3 hours for more of that traditional slow-cooked flavor and thick texture.
- While still hot, stir in the vegan parmesan cheese until melted and serve over pasta!
- Serve over pasta or use in any of our recipes that use tomato sauce!
Video
Notes
Tips for the Best Vegan Bolognese
- Use refined coconut oil. If it smells like a coconut, abort mission.
- Don’t skip the wine unless you absolutely must. It’s what makes this taste like a restaurant!
- Go slow. An hour works, but 2-3 hours of simmering on very low heat is next level.
- Add the TVP dry. Do not pre-soak it. This method is designed to rehydrate it perfectly in the sauce.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 5–7 days. Some people store sauce and pasta separately for texture reasons. I honestly don’t care; it’s fine either way.
- Freeze the sauce (without pasta) in ½-cup or 2-cup portions. I love using Souper Cubes so we can grab exactly what we need!
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 the sauceCalories: 319kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 16gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 784mgPotassium: 1045mgFiber: 11gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 6330IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 230mgIron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!