Vegetarian Bolognese (Protein-Rich) | Dietitian Debbie Dishes

Created On: July 1, 2024 | By Debbie | 1 Comment

This vegetarian bolognese is a plant-based twist on the classic Italian meat sauce. A heart and filling dish packed with plant-based protein that’s perfect for chilly, rainy days.

vegetarian bolognese pasta in a bowl topped with fresh chopped parsley.

Post originally published June 2015; updated July 2024.

This vegetarian bolognese recipe is the brain child of several consecutive rainy days here in Chicago. I was looking for something hearty and filling and this dish is just that. In fact, we’ve already made it a few times!

The leftovers are great for taking along to work the next day as well. The other great thing about this easy vegan bolognese recipe is that you only need two pans – one for the bolognese sauce and one for the pasta. Less mess makes this dish a great one to add to your weeknight rotation.

You can easily adapt this dish to make it vegan by omitting the parmesan cheese or substituting with a vegan parmesan instead. (A sprinkle of nutritional yeast works well too!) Either way, this bolognese sauce recipe is packed with filling protein.

Ingredients for Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce

ingredients for vegetarian bolognese in white bowls on a white background.

Veggies (yellow onion, carrot, celery): this trio of veggies is chopped small to create the soffritto or base of the bolognese sauce.
Garlic, Bay Leaf, & Italian Seasoning: each of these adds an additional layer of flavor to the bolognese sauce. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes is a nice way to add some spice. You can use garlic powder in place of the fresh garlic if you prefer – I’d recommend 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
Vegan Ground Beef: adds meatiness to this plant-based version of the Italian classic. We usually use frozen b’ef crumbles from Gardein, but you can substitute with Impossible or Beyond beef. If you don’t like the faux meat options – you can substitute with cooked brown lentils, rehydrated TVP, or crumbled extra firm tofu.
Marinara Sauce & Tomato Paste: for extra flavor, we like to use a marinara sauce rather than a plain tomato sauce for our bolognese. The tomato paste adds extra umami flavor or richness to this delicious sauce.
Vegetable Broth: helps thin the sauce slightly.
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: adds some smokiness and depth to the rich sauce since we aren’t cooking with beef. We normally use Wizard’s brand. If you don’t have Worcestershire, you can substitute with soy sauce or balsamic vinegar.
Pasta: you’ll want to serve the bolognese over a long pasta noodle to help you soak up all the sauce. We usually serve it over tagliatelle but you could also have it with spaghetti noodles or fettuccini. For a lower carb option, serve the sauce over top of spaghetti squash.

How to Make Vegetarian Bolognese

chopped onion, carrot, and celery in a large dutch oven on the stove.

Step One: Place a large saucepan or large dutch oven over medium high heat and add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion, carrot, and celery (veggie mince) then saute, stirring with a wooden spoon, for a further 3-5 minutes.

meat and veggies stir fried together in a large dutch oven.

Step Two: Add the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes then add the vegan ground “beef” and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, vegan Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning.

cooked vegetarian bolognese sauce in a large dutch oven.

Step Three: Add the marinara sauce and broth to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer then stir in the bay leaf, pinch of salt, and black pepper. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

vegetarian bolognese in a bowl topped with vegan parmesan and chopped parsley.

Step Four: While the sauce is simmering, boil water and cook pasta to al dente according to package directions, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Check on the sauce and add pasta water to thin if needed. Add pasta and toss to combine and coat with the sauce. Serve with a bit of fresh parsley and vegan parmesan.

What to Serve with Vegan Bolognese

We love serving this vegetarian spaghetti bolognese with some homemade vegan parmesan on top. On the side, a big salad is our go-to. This lemon kale caesar is a great option but it also pairs well with this vegan Italian chopped salad.

close up of the vegetarian bolognese in a bowl.

Storage

Make Ahead: To get ahead, sometimes I like to pre-chop the carrot, onion, and celery and store that in the fridge until I’m ready to make this sauce later in the week. The bolognese sauce can be prepped ahead of time and either stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 6 months. If storing in the freezer, allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before use.

Fridge: store any leftover vegetarian bolognese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop.

Freezer: leftover vegetarian bolognese can be frozen in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I put in bolognese instead of meat?

We like to make our vegetarian bolognese with a vegan ground beef instead of meat. You can also make it with lentils, crumbled tofu, rehydrated TVP, or white beans.

What to serve with bolognese instead of pasta?

Although traditionally served over pasta, you can use bolognese sauce in a variety of dishes. Try it with: toast, baked potato, polenta,

What makes bolognese different than spaghetti sauce?

All the ingredients are essentially the same, but traditional bolognese sauce includes some kind of meat (beef, veal, pork). However, in this version we replaced the meat with a plant-based “beef”.

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