Bolognese sauce with pappardelle pasta is one of my many comfort foods. This vegan Bolognese sauce is thick, flavorful, and meaty due to the addition of Impossible Burger.
Bolognese sauce originates from Italian cuisine. Bologna, a city in northern Italy, created this pasta dish known as ragù alla Bolognese, as a way to add meat, and minced vegetables to a tomato based sauce. You will notice that Bolognese sauce is a lot thicker than traditional marinara, or your average tomato sauce. This thickness can be attributed to the addition on minced celery, carrots, onions, ground meat, and milk. The pairing of these ingredients allow for a savory flavor with a hint of sweetness from the carrots and tomatoes.
Ingredients for Vegan Bolognese Sauce
- Plant-based meat alternative (I used Impossible Burger)
- San Marzano canned tomatoes
- Onions
- Carrot, celery, garlic
- Vegetable Broth
- Spices
What are the classic ingredients in an Italian Bolognese sauce?
You will see in a traditional, Italian Bolognese sauce, they use whole milk, as well as white wine, with vegetable broth. They also traditionally use ground pork in this dish. However, I don’t eat pork for religious reasons, and I don’t typically purchase whole milk or wine, so I just didn’t find it worth it to purchase it, just to cook for one dish. If you are worried about using alcohol in this dish, know that the alcohol does cook out of the dish, so you are welcome to use it if you want an authentic feel to this dish. Nevertheless, the dish tasted great without some of these items.
How to store this Vegan Bolognese Sauce?
When I’ve made this, it kept well in the refrigerator for 5 days. This sauce can also be frozen for up to 2-3 months, just remember to label the date you cooked it. To re-heat it, you can let it thaw in the refrigerator, and then cook it on the stove top or microwave. If you need to thin it out, you can always add vegetable broth to your desired thinness.
Did you make this recipe?
Vegan Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 28 oz Cento, San Marzano Pureed Tomatoes, canned
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups Low sodium Vegetable Broth
- 4 Impossible burger patties, or 16 oz of preferred meat alternative
- 1 large carrot, shredded, or pulsed in the food processor
- 1 small yellow onion, shredded, or pulsed in the food processor
- 1 large celery stalk, shredded, or pulsed in the food processor
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp oregano, dried
- 1 tsp basil, dried
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 bay leaf
- *optional, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse onion, carrot, and celery into shredded pieces, not puree. If you don't have a food processor you can shred each vegetable.
- In a large pot, warm the olive oil on medium heat. Then cook impossible burgers until browned. Break up the pieces into ground bits.
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery mixture, and cook until fragrant. Then add tomato puree, broth, salt, and spices. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve with cooked pasta. I used thick, Pappardelle noodles.
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