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Vegan bolognese with spaghetti and vegan parmesan on a white plate.
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5 from 23 votes

Vegan Bolognese

This vegan bolognese is made with tofu, walnuts, mushrooms and lentils for a hearty, satisfying, high protein and deliciously textured sauce. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dinner, Entree, Savory
Cuisine: Vegan
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 6
Calories: 298kcal
Author: Alison Andrews

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Extra Firm Tofu (226g)
  • 1 cup Walnuts (100g) Finely Chopped
  • 5 cups Cremini Mushrooms (480g)
  • 1 ½ cups Cooked Brown Lentils
  • 1 Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, Chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Crushed Garlic
  • 1 tsp Dried Basil
  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
  • ½ cup Tomato Paste (130g)
  • 14 ounces Canned Crushed Tomato (400ml)
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
  • Salt and Pepper To Taste

Serving (Optional):

  • Spaghetti
  • Vegan Parmesan Cheese
  • Fresh Basil

Instructions

  • Mash the tofu with a fork and add to a mixing bowl.
  • Place the walnuts into the food processor and process until finely chopped and then add to the mixing bowl with the tofu.
  • Add the mushrooms to the food processor and process until finely chopped and add to the mixing bowl.
  • Add lentils to the mixing bowl.
  • Mix up the tofu, walnuts, mushrooms and lentils together.
  • Add the chopped onion and olive oil to a frying pan and sauté until the onions are softened.
  • Then add in your tofu/walnut/mushroom/lentil mix along with crushed garlic, dried basil, oregano, cayenne pepper and dark soy sauce and stir fry for a couple of minutes letting the bolognese cook off some of the water, so it's not too wet.
  • Then add in the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes and keep frying for a few minutes until you reach a good consistency.
  • Stir in the coconut sugar and add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve over spaghetti and top with fresh basil and vegan parmesan cheese.
  • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and reheated the next day.

Video

Notes

  1. Cremini mushrooms - also known as baby bellas or portobellini mushrooms create awesome flavor and texture in this dish. You can also use white button mushrooms.
  2. Lentils - we used canned brown lentils but any cooked brown lentils will work great. If you're using canned lentils then just use one 15 ounce can (drained). 
  3. Coconut sugar - is just to balance out the tartness of the tomato, but you can replace it with brown sugar or leave it out if you prefer.
  4. Gluten-free - This vegan bolognese is gluten-free if you use a gluten-free soy sauce (or sub for tamari) and serve it with gluten-free spaghetti.
  5. Storing: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and enjoyed over the next 4-5 days.
  6. Freezing: This vegan bolognese sauce is freezer friendly. Let it cool completely before freezing and then thaw overnight in the fridge.
  7. Nutritional information is for bolognese only and does not include spaghetti.
  8. This recipe was first published in November 2018. It has been updated with extra tips but the recipe itself is the same. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 1061mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 560IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 5mg