Last week, Isabelle and I went for a 7am walk to the lake, which has become a regular tradition. It’s that first cold fall morning, and between catching up on the day-to-day happenings and our obsession with Taylor Swift’s first outfit of the football season (important), I’m updating her on the next recipe I’m developing . Think: spaghetti bolognese, but made vegetarian with minced mushrooms and tofu. Of course, I also intentionally packed it with tons of ingredients to give you the ultimate comfort yet umami flavor for maximum satisfaction. Her reaction? You really are on a mission to make tofu sexy again, aren’t you?
Now look, I know for non-vegetarians and vegans alike, tofu may not be on your daily shopping list. But I’m here to tell you that you’re missing out. Gone are the days of boring and boring tofu recipes. We’re in an age where tofu has endless delicious possibilities, with the added bonus of protein. This recipe does all of that and more. I try not to be partial when it comes to recipes I develop, but this is probably the best recipe I’ve come up with so far. This tofu and mushroom ragu is here to welcome fall with open arms. Let’s go cook.
Ingredients for Vegan Mushroom Bolognese Sauce
- Onions or shallots.
- mushroom. I used shiitake mushrooms and baby bellas, but use what you have on hand.
- Extra firm tofu.
- Ketchup.
- Sun-dried tomatoes. Plus the oil in the jar will make it taste even more fragrant.
- garlic.
- Oregano.
- Dice tomatoes.
- Ketchup.
- Pasta. For extra protein, you can switch to protein pasta.
- Basil.
- Parmesan cheese. Option to keep it vegan or you can use vegan parmesan cheese!
How to Make Mushroom Bolognese
The goal here is to really mimic the texture of a bolognese sauce, adding bits of mushrooms and tofu to create a thick, textured sauce that clings to the noodles.
To do this, you’ll want to blitz the mushrooms in a food processor until crumbly, then do the same with the tofu. Be careful not to over-pulse as the mixture will develop a mushy texture. Just a few blitzes would be perfect. Then you just add the mushrooms and tofu to the pan along with the onions and let them cook and caramelize a little before adding the rest of the ingredients. The mushrooms add a really nice earthy flavor and texture, and the tofu adds a healthy dose of hidden protein, making it a truly satisfying vegan dinner recipe.
Tips to enhance flavor
Vegan recipes are notorious for lacking flavor. The key, however, is to consider which ingredients will add extra flavor.
In this recipe, you’ll develop and layer flavor with caramelized onions and tomato sauce, as well as umami-rich sun-dried tomatoes. They come together to create a recipe with so much depth and richness that anyone would wonder if it was vegan. Finally, salting it properly can make a huge difference in any recipe. Be sure to add salt to the pasta water, taste and adjust the salt content of the sauce.
Tips for Serving and Storing Leftovers
I like to use pasta or spaghetti for sauces like this, but a shorter option like rigatoni, with nooks and crannies for the sauce to nestle into, is also a good choice. You can even use it as a sauce in lasagna for an extra dose of protein and veggies.
This sauce also keeps well. If I’m planning on making pasta later in the week, I’ll even make a batch earlier in the week and store it in the refrigerator. But if you make it ahead of time, you can also freeze and thaw the sauce. Just heat on the stove and adjust flavors as needed.
describe
An easy weeknight sauce packed with protein and flavor.
- 2–3 tbsp oil from can of sun-dried tomatoes (or sub-olive oil)
- 1/2 Yellow onion, diced
- 4-Ounce box of shiitake mushrooms
- 4– oz box of baby bella mushrooms
- 7 ounce Extra firm tofu (1/2 piece)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- A pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 Large clove of garlic, minced
- 14– ounce can diced tomatoes
- 15-Ounce cans of tomato sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- In a large stove pot, add the sun-dried tomato oil and heat to medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes until the onions begin to caramelize.
- In a food processor, add mushrooms and blitz until crisp. Add onions to pan. Then, place the tofu in a food processor and blitz until crumbly. Add to the pan as well and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes.
- Add tomato paste, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
- Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste to the pan and stir well. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Taste the sauce and adjust salt as needed. Sometimes I like to add a little sugar to help round out the flavor.
- To serve, prepare the pasta of your choice and add the drained pasta to the sauce. Spread with sauce and serve warm with Parmesan cheese and basil. enjoy!
- Preparation time: 15
- Cooking time: 20
- category: pasta
Keywords: Bolognese, mushrooms, tofu, vegetarian
