This delicious tofu bolognese recipe takes about 25 minutes to cook using tofu, marinara sauce, pasta of choice, vegetables like celery and carrots as well as simple seasoning and spices! It’s a quick and tasty vegan bolognese dish!
This tofu bolognese is a hearty, delicious vegan version of the classic bolognese pasta sauce. Feel free to customize your pasta dish however you want! For a complete meal that feels nourishing and satisfying, pair this tofu bolognese with a side salad or roasted veggies.
Recipe for Tofu Bolognese
If you ever have a package of tofu in the fridge or a can of crushed tomatoes sitting in your cupboard for a long time, this tofu bolognese recipe is perfect to make!
This tofu Bolognese is packed with umami, deeply savoury notes, and the kind of texture that makes you forget there’s no meat involved. It’s smoky, saucy, and just the right amount of indulgent.
It’s meal-prep friendly and so delicious, you won’t get bored of eating this!
Ingredients
- Tofu
- Oil
- Soy Sauce
- Paprika
- Nutritional Yeast
- Liquid Smoke
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Celery
- Carrots
- Onion
- Garlic
- Mariana Sauce (or crushed tomatoes)
- Red Wine (or vegetable broth / water)
- Tomato paste
- Basil or Italian Seasoning
- Pasta
This Tofu Bolognese is vegan, nut-free, dairy-free and could be made gluten-free.
To make gluten-free tofu bolognese, use gluten-free soy sauce (such as tamari or liquid aminos) and use gluten-free pasta.
How To Make Tofu Bolognese
In a large non-stick pan or wok, heat a little oil on medium-high heat. Crumble up extra firm tofu and add to the pan.
Cook tofu until most of the liquid has evaporated and the tofu starts to turn slightly golden. While the tofu is cooking, dice celery, carrots and onion. Mince garlic.
To the cooked tofu, add soy sauce, dark soy sauce (if you don’t have, just use more soy sauce), smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, liquid smoke, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well to coat your tofu.
Set the tofu aside and add another tsp of oil into the pan.
Cook diced celery, carrots, onion and minced garlic in the pan for around 2 minutes. Add the cooked tofu back in, along with marinara sauce, red wine (or vegetable broth or water), tomato paste, and basil (or Italian seasoning). Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, cook your favourite pasta (al dente) in a boiling pot of water. Make sure you save around 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water when you drain your pasta.
Next, add your tofu bolognese sauce into the pot with the drained pasta, and mix well. Add small splashes of pasta water, if needed, and simmer together for 1-2 minutes.
Top with fresh basil or parsley and vegan parmesan (try my cashew parmesan or hemp parmesan!).
Watch me make this recipe on YouTube here.
Tofu Bolognese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 servings pasta of choice
- 1 block tofu extra firm, crumbled
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce or tamari or liquid aminos
- 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce or use more soy sauce, tamari or liquid aminos
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika or regular paprika
- 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp Liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp Garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 celery diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups marinara sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine or vegetable broth or water
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp basil optional, or Italian seasoning
Instructions
- In a large non-stick pan or wok, heat a little oil on medium-high heat. Crumble up extra firm tofu and add to the pan.
- Cook tofu until most of the liquid has evaporated and the tofu starts to turn slightly golden. While the tofu is cooking, dice celery, carrots and onion. Mince garlic.
- To the cooked tofu, add soy sauce, dark soy sauce (if you don’t have, just use more soy sauce), smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, liquid smoke, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well to coat your tofu.
- Set the tofu aside and add another tsp of oil into the pan.
- Cook diced celery, carrots, onion and minced garlic in the pan for around 2 minutes. Add the cooked tofu back in, along with marinara sauce, red wine (or vegetable broth or water), tomato paste, and basil (or Italian seasoning). Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile, cook your favourite pasta (al dente) in a boiling pot of water. Make sure you save around 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water when you drain your pasta.
- Next, add your tofu bolognese sauce into the pot with the drained pasta, and mix well. Add small splashes of pasta water, if needed, and simmer together for 1-2 minutes.
- Top with fresh basil or parsley and vegan parmesan (try my cashew parmesan or hemp parmesan!).
Nutrition
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