Tofu Bolognese

Author: Katie

As a classic Italian sauce, Bolognese is a well-loved dish full of great flavor and nostalgia. This vegan Tofu Bolognese recipe will be just as popular with your whole family as its meaty texture and savory taste really delivers.

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4.80 from 5 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Servings: 2

Ingredients

Tofu Ground Beef

12 oz firm or extra-firm tofu
3 tablespoon soy sauce *or tamari (gluten-free)
2 tablespoon oil *olive, sunflower...
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon paprika powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast *optional
1 teaspoon corn starch

Bolognese Sauce

1-2 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) olive oil
1 onion *finely diced
2 garlic cloves *finely diced
1 celery stalk *finely diced
1 large or 2 small carrots *finely diced, see ingredients shot
1 15oz can (1 can (425g)) unsweetened tomato sauce equals 1 heaped cup
1 14oz can (1 can (400g)) diced tomatoes in tomato sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¾ cup veggie broth
2 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Italian seasoning *mix of dried marjaram, oregano, parsley
pinch salt + black pepper
pasta of choice

You can find detailed step-by step-photos above the recipe card.

Instructions

Tofu Ground Beef

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Press the tofu. Place the tofu on a plate or cutting board and cover it with a clean kitchen cloth or paper towels. Use your hands to squeeze out any excess water.
Crumble the tofu to desired consistency in a small bowl using your hands.
Add the all the other ground tofu ingredients and stir until well combined.
Transfer the crumbles to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes for a still soft tofu or 25-30 minutes for a more firm texture. Stir every couple of minutes to ensure even baking.

Bolognese Sauce

Make the sauce while the crumbled tofu is in the oven.
Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic and saute until onion is translucent.
Add all the other sauce ingredients and let simmer uncovered on low for 20-25 minutes (or until veggies are soft), stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Add the tofu ground beef to your pasta sauce, let simmer for another 3 minutes and serve over pasta of choice.

Video

Notes

Tofu: Use high quality chunks of tofu, organic if possible.
Adjust texture by breaking the tofu into larger or smaller crumbles.
Simmer the sauce: Letting the sauce simmer for a while will help the flavors meld together and soften the veggies.
Finely dice veggies: Finley dice celery and carrots to ensure that they are soft after 25 minutes. If they are still raw, add a splash of veggie broth and continue cooking until tender.
Top with fresh herbs: Adding fresh basil, oregano or fresh parsley can brighten up the flavor of the sauce.

Nutritional values calculated without pasta.

Nutrition

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates.

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