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Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese recipe is the new take on a traditional favorite that you need in your life! A hearty pasta sauce without the meat!
Using the plant-based non-GMO ground meat substitute by Beyond Meat®, you can enjoy a meatless spaghetti Bolognese. Full of all the right aromatic spices and herbs, you’ll be cooking this dish up on a regular basis.
Indulge Yourself
Why Make this Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce?
Spaghetti is one of the oldest classical favorite dishes worldwide. No matter where you are or how you prepare it, we can agree that it’s a versatile dish that is a great go-to when you crave pasta with plentiful sauce!
Vegan Bolognese Sauce is a classic Italian sauce. You’ll fall in love with the vegan Bolognese sauce for many reasons:
- Kid-friendly
- Healthy meal
- Easy to whip up
- Brief prep time
- Can be meal-prepped
- Refrigerates and reheats well
- Full of wonderful flavors
Variations on Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese
Well, this dish is such a classic that it has had many spin-offs over time lol. I’m not going to bore you with all the possible ways you can change up this dish. There are some things you already know and some things that should be left to the imagination!
Instead of the meat alternative, you can choose a vegetable instead. For example, a popular vegan take on spaghetti Bolognese is to add mushrooms.
The texture of mushrooms suits the softness of the pasta shapes and mushrooms marry so well in flavor with tomato sauce. They also take on any flavors from your spices which is always a good thing.
Don’t like mushrooms? No worries, there are a ton of other options. You can choose other veggies like shredded carrots for some sweetness, or steamed broccoli bits for a crunch.
Bell pepper and celery are also considered as best options to enhance the flavor. Bay leaf can be added for more authentic aroma and flavor.
You can even use olives, green or black, in place of the meat substitute or vegetables. That’s another great thing about this vegan Bolognese recipe, you can get as creative as you’d like!
Serving Suggestions
It is better to enjoy this hearty Bolognese sauce warm on top of a whole wheat pasta bowl. The incredible flavor and great texture will make you ask for more.
Either scoop the thick sauce onto the precooked al dente pasta or pour your spiralized zucchini pasta into your Bolognese sauce and toss well. Drain the pasta once it is cooked, don’t leave it in warm water until serving time.
Another best way is to serve it with garlic toast or bread or a side salad of your choice. Your whole family will love the flavor!
Garnish with fresh herbs because the mix of dried and fresh herbs gives it that extra kick of flavor!
A generous sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese on top of your spaghetti dish with vegan Bolognese sauce is such a heavenly combination.
One of the most delectable variations is to use the spaghetti Bolognese sauce to make lasagna. Can you imagine how delicious the dish will be?
Tips for a Great Spaghetti Bolognese
To start with, you need to know that a good traditional Bolognese sauce has a life of its own. By that I mean that the sauce has to be unique.
My recipe calls for a ready-made jar of pasta sauce, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it yourself. You should also know that this classic Bolognese sauce can be made in quite a few different ways with varying ingredients.
You can use red wine, red vinegar, or balsamic vinegar in the base of the spaghetti sauce along with Worcestershire sauce. Sugar is also an option to help balance out flavors.
The star, of course, is the tomato sauce and after that the garlic. From there, the herbs and spices are your choice, go crazy with your favorite flavors but keep them balanced.
Instead of using a can of tomato paste, you can make your own sauce of crushed tomatoes. All you have to do is to dice the fresh tomatoes into a food processor. Then, add diced tomatoes
You can also use canned tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes to make pasta tomato-based sauce.
In case you want to reduce the thickness of the Bolognese sauce, you can add it into a large pot with vegetable broth or cool water and bring it to a boil.
A Favorite Pasta Dish
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a plant-based protein that works as a vegan substitute in any recipe that requires ground beef. This based-vegetable protein gets its meaty texture from its ingredients
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It also freezes well for about 6 months.
In a large dutch oven, add a cup of water or a cup of vegetable stock to the sauce and keep it on low heat for a couple of minutes.
Spice it Up
Want to spice up your Bolognese? That’s easy, follow my recipe but tweak it with some or all of the following additions to the main ingredients:
- crushed ginger
- a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon
- half teaspoon of all spice or seven spices
- a teaspoon of paprika
- a dash of nutmeg
- a sprinkle of dried mint
- a scatter of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
- a dash of black pepper
- a teaspoon of tabasco sauce
- crushed jalapenos
Ingredients
To make this easy vegan spaghetti Bolognese, you will need the following simple ingredients:
- Beyond Beef Plant Based Ground (1 pack)
- olive oil of choice
- cubed red onion
- jar of pasta sauce
- Italian seasoning
- garlic powder
- salt to taste
- chopped fresh basil
- cooked spaghetti
Check the recipe card for quantities.
Meal Prep
In a large pot on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and chopped onions, and add the Beyond Beef Plant Based Ground @BeyondMeat. Sauté for about 5-6 minutes, breaking the Beyond Beef into smaller chunks.
Add in the pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, chopped basil, and salt. Allow gentle simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Enjoy overcooked zucchini noodles spaghetti, garnished with more basil!
Other Tasty Vegan Recipes to Check Out
- Easy Kid-Friendly Pasta Sauce
- Tomato vs Marinara Sauce
- Dairy-Free & Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- Cooked and Seasoned Boiled Asparagus
- Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions
- Avocado Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Vegetarian Grape Leaves (Instant Pot)
- Lebanese Tabouli Salad Recipe (Tabbouleh)
- Roasted Mixed Vegetables with Garlic
- Refreshing Cucumber Salad
Easiest Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Beyond Beef Plant Based Ground, (1 pack)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil of choice
- 1 medium onion, cubed
- 23½ ounces jar of pasta sauce
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil, extra for garnish
- 1 package spaghetti, cooked
Instructions
- In a large pot on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and chopped onions, and add the Beyond Beef Plant Based Ground @BeyondMeat. Sauté for about 5-6 minutes, breaking the Beyond Beef into smaller chunks.
- Add in the pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, chopped basil, and salt. Allow gentle simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Enjoy overcooked spaghetti, garnished with more basil!
Notes
- You can use red vinegar, or balsamic vinegar in the base of the spaghetti sauce along with Worcestershire sauce. Sugar is also an option to help balance out flavors.
- In case you want to reduce the thickness of the Bolognese sauce, you can it into a large pot with vegetable broth or cool water and bring it to a boil.
Made this today for the first time and was a hit! Everyone loved it. I’m surely gonna add this recipe to our dinner rotation! Thanks for sharing❤
I’ve tried many of your vegan recipes and they were all delicious. Even my non-vegan family loved them. Made this last night after craving spaghetti and it was so yummy. Thanks heaps
Another wonderful vegan recipe. Thanks for sharing 😍