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Square photo of a dish with vegan bolognese sauce with spaghetti and with some vegan Parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top
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5 from 2 votes

Vegan Bolognese

Vegan bolognese is a rich, easy-to-make tomato-based meaty sauce perfect on any pasta. A hearty weeknight meal the whole family will love!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 573kcal
Author: Iosune

Ingredients

  • 1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves sliced
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
  • 1 rib celery chopped
  • 1 cup red wine or vegetable broth
  • 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning or oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 pound vegan ground beef or 2 14-ounce cans lentils (400 g each)
  • 1 cup unsweetened soy milk or any other unsweetened non-dairy milk
  • 8 ounces dried spaghetti
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet, then add the veggies (garlic, onion, carrot, and celery) and cook over medium-high heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the vegan ground beef and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the wine and cook until the liquid is absorbed.
  • Stir in all the remaining ingredients (except the pasta and milk), stir, and bring to a boil. Then simmer for at least 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  • Remove the bay leaf, add the milk, and stir until combined.
  • Toss pasta with sauce adding pasta water to thin out if needed.
  • Serve immediately with vegan Parmesan cheese. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • Use any type of oil, onion, or non-dairy milk you want.
  • Any type of pasta will do, use gluten-free if needed. Make sure the pasta you're using is vegan.
  • White wine instead is also a good choice or even vegetable broth for an alcohol-free version of this recipe. Keep in mind not all wines are vegan.
  • Marinara sauce can be used instead of canned whole tomatoes, but tomato paste or whole tomatoes are used to make the classic recipe.
  • You could omit tomato paste, but it will enhance the flavor of the sauce.
  • Use lentils or any plant-based protein source like other legumes, tofu, tempeh, seitan, or textured vegetable protein.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 573kcal | Carbohydrates: 66.7g | Protein: 34.8g | Fat: 15.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.9g | Sodium: 959mg | Fiber: 6.4g | Sugar: 12.7g