Ingredients to make Vegan Bolognese Recipe

Pasta, I've used tagliatelle, however any long pasta can be used such as spaghetti, fettuccine or pappardelle. If using short pasta, I prefer to use penne or rigatoni so that the sauce captures nicely

Mushrooms are the main ingredient for the vegan bolognese. I’m using a mix of portobello and brown mushrooms which are more thicker in texture and act as a meat substitute

Carrots, celery and onion are all diced up into tiny cubes and create the soffritto which is the base to any bolognese sauce. Will be much easier to cut if using a food processor

Garlic because it’s always a must in any sauce of of course!

Turmeric powder is added for extra flavour. Always ensure to fry it down well to remove any bitterness

Tomato paste is concentrated so it brings a richness to the sauce. It does need to be cooked long enough or the flavours to cook down

Passata is crushed tomatoes. I like adding it to my vegan bolognese for another level of depth to the sauce

Lentils are added for protein. They also have a meaty resemblance. You can use canned or cooked lentils

Oregano and nutmeg are added for some earthy herb and spice

How to make Vegan Bolognese

Time needed: 1 hour

Prepare vegetables
Chop mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion and garlic all into small cubes
Sauté mushrooms
Heat olive oil in a large pan or pot and add mushrooms. Saute over a high heat and once browned, season with salt and pepper and remove mushrooms from the pan

In the same pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil, onions, celery and carrots.
Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent
Make the sauce
Add the garlic along with turmeric powder and sauté for a few minutes. Then add the tomato paste and make sure to fry this down for a few minutes with the vegetables. Add the passata and water, season with salt and pepper
Let it simmer
Add mushrooms then season with nutmeg and oregano and allow the sauce to simmer for 45 minutes on a low- medium heat so the flavours develop
Add lentils
Then add and stir in the lentils. If the sauce is too thick, you can add more water if necessary. Allow to cook for 15 minutes
Cook pasta and serve
At the same time add pasta to a pot of salted boiling water and cook pasta until al dente

Add pasta with the bolognese sauce with some pasta water. Mix together for a couple of minutes on low heat

Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and some chilli flakes and enjoy!

Tips to make Vegan Bolognese Sauce

Make sure to cut all the vegetables into the same size pieces so that they cook evenly

Don’t add salt to the mushrooms until they have browned as this will produce water and make them watery rather than being nicely sautéed

Ensure to fry the turmeric for a few minutes with the vegetables. This brings out the flavour of the spice and reduces any bitterness

Always sauté the tomato paste down for a few minutes. This will cook down the flavour and will remove any raw tomato taste

Allow the pasta to finish cooking with the sauce for a couple of minutes to bring out the best flavour. Add a splash of pasta water as it helps the sauce stick to the pasta

Recipe

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