30-minute vegan bolognese sauce made with textured soy protein. It's high in protein and low in fat, tastes like the classic recipe, but is much healthier.
I tried textured soy protein for the first time when I was living in Germany and I didn't like it. I tried it several times after and I didn't like it either. Last fall, I read a post about how to cook it properly and I'm in love with this amazing food since then.
Textured soy protein is like tofu, if you don't know how to cook it to make it taste good, you're not going to like it. Cooking teaspoon is so easy, just sautée it in a frying pan with some extra virgin olive oil (optional), add tamari or soy sauce (sea salt is also okay), your favorite spices and herbs, some vegetable stock or water and cook until it's completely rehydrated. I love it because of its taste, but also because is so easy to make and convenient.
Our lentil bolognese is so delicious and also an amazing recipe, but I prefer this bolognese sauce because it tastes like the classic one. Besides, carnivores will love it, I promise!
I usually serve this sauce with spaghetti, but it's also great to make stuffed eggplant (recipe coming soon!) or any other recipe that calls for bolognese sauce. In addition, it's so tasty you can eat it just by itself!
LOOKING FOR MORE SOY RECIPES?
- Buffalo tofu wings
- Vegan tempeh meatballs
- Vegan Spanish beef stew
- General Tso's tofu
- Simple vegan stroganoff
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment below, share it, rate it or tag a picture @simpleveganblog on Instagram and hashtag it #simpleveganblog. We’d love to see what you cook!
Vegan Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ onion, chopped
- ½ celery stalk, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 2 cups textured soy protein
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- ½ cup red wine
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 3 cups vegetable stock or water
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, optional
- â…› teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat some extra virgin olive oil, vegetable stock or water in a frying pan and add the veggies (onion, celery and carrot). Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the textured soy protein (dry, don't rehydrate it) and the tamari or soy sauce, stir and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the wine and cook another couple of minutes.
- Mix the tomato paste and vegetable stock in a mixing bowl until well combined. Then add this mixture to the frying pan with the rest of the ingredients (oregano, salt and pepper), stir and cook over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
- We served our vegan bolognese sauce with some spaghetti (10 ounces or 300 g, uncooked) and vegan parmesan cheese.
- Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Feel free to add any veggies, herbs or spices you have on hand.
- Tamari or soy sauce can be replaced by salt and red wine by more vegetable stock or water.
Jason says
Recipe is good, but proportions are way off. The main problem is that three cups of broth/water are way too much for the sauce. Use half that and go from there, adding more as needed. Also, who uses half a celery stalk? Go for it and add the entire stalk! I doubled the recipe to get a meaningful amount that could be used later if needed. Also, 10 oz of pasta? Leaves you with 6 or 2 ounces in the box. Again, go for the full box of pasta. Finally, 15 minutes of cooking is far too short. Try 45 to get the full flavor.
Lucretia says
Made it for lasagna bolognese, loved it. Thank you!
Iosune Robles says
So glad you loved it Lucretia 🙂 Have a nice day!
Alyce says
I made this tonight but didn't tell my teens it didn't have meat - a winner!
I would use a little less salt next time though.
Thanks for sharing
Iosune says
Hi Alyce! You're so welcome 🙂 I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed it!
dondo says
Just discovered your blog with this recipe. Great taste, texture, extremely easy to make. I'm checking your other recipes for sure 🙂
Iosune says
Hi Dondo! Welcome 🙂 Hope you enjoy all the remaining recipes!
Bet Mansfield says
This is one of my hands down all time favorite recipes. It's delicious (I'm a carnivore), quick and easy to make and can be used for so many things! With "spaghetti squash", zoodles, stuffed in an eggplant boat (thank you Iosune for that recipe!). You simply cannot screw it up (I rarely pre mix my broth and tomato paste). I tend to add additional veggies - always mushroom, sometimes a bell pepper and a liberal pour of wine. To cut down on calories, saute veggies in water or broth! Trust me, you cannot go wrong with this recipe and anyone - anyone!!! - will eat it and want more!
Iosune says
Hi Bet! Sounds so good 🙂 Thanks a lot for your comment!
Emilie Rochon-Gruselle says
can i use tomato sauce instead of broth to make it more like a tomato sauce?
Iosune says
Hi Emilie! You could, but it's not necessary 🙂
Emilie says
can i use tomato sauce instead of broth ?
Iosune says
Hi Emilie! Yes, you should, but this recipe is amazing. You should give it a try!
joey says
what can you use please, instead of 2 cups textured soy protein
Iosune says
Hi Joey! You could add canned or cooked lentils 😉
Chris says
Is there an alternative to the red wine ... as most red wine isn't vegan ... I want to make this without the wine
Thanks
Iosune says
Hi Chris! Just add more broth 🙂
nibr says
You might want to add the fact that the TVP has to be put in in dry form. I had already rehydrated it and in the end had so much liquid I had to add another packet!
Iosune says
Hi Nibr! Okay, I will, but if we don't say you have to rehydrate it, please don't 🙂 Have a nice day!
Linda Chapter says
Hmmm, I'm experimenting with tempeh this week so I have some on hand. Think I'll try it in this recipe as it also is capable of absorbing some liquid. I will probably crumble it first and keep an eye on the absorption rate of the liquid, adding more if it seems dry. Hoping that my 8 oz package is enough. I'll let you know!
Iosune says
Hi Linda! Hope it worked! 🙂
Cal says
I use TVP all the time except with different spices and add-ons for TACO "meat." This will become a new option in the recipe rotation.
Iosune says
Hi Cal! I've never made tacos, thanks for the idea! Hope you like our recipe 🙂
Sarah Lawrence says
Do you not pre-soak your TVP? Or is your recipe for hydrated TVP?... I always soak mine in a hot vegetable stock so that the flavour goes into the dried TVP.
Iosune says
Hi Sarah! No, I don't, it can be rehydrated in the sauce, this way it tastes much better 🙂