Today I am spilling all of my secrets for the perfect vegan bolognese sauce! This Beyond Meat Bolognese has a velvety texture and literally melts in your mouth.
It's smoky, meaty, and savory, and packs layers of complex flavor!
Bolognese is a tomato-based meat sauce that is believed to have originated in Bologna, northern Italy.
It's a meaty goodness that can be served over pasta, polenta, potatoes, and bread, and I always top it with a generous amount of vegan parmesan cheese.
This delicious vegan version features Beyond meat, tomato passata, aromatics, red wine, and fresh basil. It has a rich flavor and tastes very similar to the classic dish.
I wanted to make a little experiment and serve it to my family without telling them that it's vegan. After they cleaned their plates and I told them what they just ate, I kid you not, they couldn't believe that this dish didn't have meat.
So, yes, this Beyond meat bolognese recipe is THAT GOOD!
After quite a few taste tests, I can proudly say that this is the best vegan bolognese sauce I've ever tried.
P.s. For more recipes featuring Beyond meat, check out my Beyond Meat Chili and Air Fryer Beyond Burger.
Jump to:
Ingredients You'll Need
- Beyond beef: You'll need 1 pound of Beyond mince to make this recipe. If you bought it frozen, make sure to leave it for a couple of hours on your kitchen counter to thaw completely.
- Vegetables: For the aromatics, you will need yellow onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.
- Tomato passata: This is different from canned tomatoes, which are usually sold whole or chopped. Tomato passata is pureed and strained tomatoes, which are thicker and have less water.
- Tomato paste: Caramelizing tomato paste in a dish adds a depth of flavor and umami.
- Red wine: It enhances the flavors of the rest of the ingredients.
- Non-dairy milk: For giving creaminess to the Beyond meat bolognese. You can use any non-dairy milk you like such as oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk.
- Olive oil: For sauteeing the aromatics.
- Spices: You'll need dried thyme, a bay leaf, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Vegetable broth: You can use either store-bought vegetable broth or homemade.
- Fresh basil: For adding a pop of color and freshness.
- For serving: I like to use a wide pasta such as pappardelle or tagliatelle, but you can serve it any way you like.
See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
Common Substitutions
If you don't have some of the ingredients mentioned above, you can still make this recipe! Here are the most common substitutions.
- Beyond meat: If you can't find Beyond meat in your grocery store, this recipe will work with other types of mock meats such as Impossible ground beef or Noble's meatless crumbles. You can even make your own vegan ground beef using textured vegetable protein.
- Tomato passata: You can use whole peeled canned tomatoes. In this case, you'll have to decrease the amount of vegetable broth by ½ cup.
- Tomato paste: You can skip it, or if you have tomato puree or tomato sauce, use 5-6 tablespoons of that.
- Red wine: You can substitute it by using the same amount of vegan beef broth or vegetable broth, and adding 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar to it.
- Non-dairy milk: You can skip it, or use 1-2 tablespoon of cashew cream or store-bought vegan cream (such as soy or oat) instead.
- Vegetable broth: Use vegan bouillon paste (I like Better Than Boullion) or bouillon powder.
- Spices: Use Italian seasoning and to make it spicy, add some red pepper flakes.
How to Make Beyond Meat Bolognese
Heat a soup pot or a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and season with a pinch of salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes, until transparent.
Then, add the carrot, celery, and dried thyme and saute for 5 more minutes.
Add Beyond mince and turn the stove down to medium heat. Using a wooden spoon, break the meat into small pieces. This allows it to brown evenly.
Saute for 7-8 minutes, or until it starts to brown evenly. Add minced garlic and saute for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Then, add tomato paste and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until darkened in color and caramelized.
Pour red wine and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pot, cook for 2-3 minutes further, or until the alcohol evaporates.
Pour the vegetable broth, and tomato passata, and add the bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.
Stir and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, or until thickened.
Make sure to stir the vegan bolognese sauce every 10 minutes to prevent it from burning on the bottom.
When ready, take it off the heat and stir in the basil leaves and milk.
Serve it with pasta and gnocchi, or use it in lasagna or other Italian dishes.
Expert Tips
- Use high-quality tomato passata. Tomato passata adds a bright and fresh flavor to the sauce. It should be made from 100% tomatoes with no additives and no seasonings (except for salt).
- Prepare this Beyond meat bolognese in a deep pot. The sauce thickens quite a lot so there is a lot of splashing. Also, since you're cooking it for longer, you need a pot with a heavy bottom so that the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom and burn.
- Use tomato paste in a tube, not a can. When testing this recipe, I've found that the kind of tomato paste that is sold in a can leave a metallic taste. I recommend getting one in a tube and also looking for double-contracted if that's available to you.
- Simmer on low heat for at least 1 hour. This is a key step in allowing the flavors to develop, and to completely soften the vegetables and the Beyond meat. The end result is a vegan bolognese sauce that melts in your mouth!
- Stir every 10 minutes. As mentioned above, the sauce thickens as it simmers, so stir frequently to prevent it from burning at the bottom!
- Serve with a wider pasta like pappardelle or tagliatelle. Contrary to popular belief, traditional bolognese sauce is not served with spaghetti, because they're too thin to hold the chunky sauce. It's usually served with a wider pasta like pappardelle or a rimmed short pasta such as penne or rigatoni.
FAQ
Meat alternatives such as Beyond mince or Impossible ground beef are great options to put in a vegan bolognese sauce.
Other people substitute regular ground beef with lentils, mushrooms, or tofu. but if you want to get as close to the authentic flavor as possible, I highly recommend using some type of fake meat.
It's meaty, savory, umami, and slightly nutty. Depending on the cooking method- the texture can be either crispy (fried or baked), or chewy (simmered in a sauce).
Beyond meat is a great source of plant-based protein, providing roughly 15-20 grams of protein per serving. It's also lower in fat and cholesterol than regular beef, and it's packed with vitamin B12 and Zinc.
Having said that, Beyond mince is a processed food and it has quite a lot of ingredients. In my opinion, it's all about consuming it in moderation rather than praising it or avoiding it at all costs.
Most people are surprised to hear there is milk in Bolognese sauce, but It actually plays two important roles. One, it cuts through the acidity of the tomatoes and gives sweetness. And two, it adds richness and creaminess to the sauce, but it doesn't make it overly creamy as if you'd use cream.
Regular milk can be substituted with non-dairy milk such as soy milk or oat milk, or with 1-2 tablespoon of cream (either a soy creamer or regular cooking cream).
Serving
This Beyond meat bolognese is one of my favorite comfort foods.
It's best served with Italian classics like fresh vegan pasta and vegan gnocchi or poured over mashed potatoes and vegan polenta.
As for side dishes, my favorites include garlic ciabatta bread, risoni salad, these amazing roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze, and vegan stuffed zucchini boats.
Storage
This Beyond meat bolognese is perfect for meal prep and great for freezing. It makes a big batch that you can use for numerous meals.
- Fridge: Let it cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Let it cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for 3-4 months.
Similar Recipes
If you've tried this Beyond meat bolognese, leave a rating and a comment below sharing with us how it went!⭐ This helps the readers know more about the recipe, and I really appreciate the feedback.
📖 Recipe
Beyond Meat Bolognese Recipe
Ingredients
For the bolognese
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, finely diced
- 1 small carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 lb Beyond meat mince
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cups tomato passata
- 1 large bay leaf
- ½ cup soy milk unsweetened, or another non-dairy milk
- 2-3 fresh basil leaves, chopped
For serving (optional)
- 9 ounces (250g) dry pappardelle pasta or vegan gnocchi
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and season with a pinch of salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes, until transparent.2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium white onion, finely diced
- Then, add the carrot, celery, and dried thyme and saute for 5 more minutes.1 small carrot, finely diced, 1 celery stalk, finely diced, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Add Beyond mince and turn the stove down to medium heat. Using a wooden spoon, break the meat into small pieces. This allows it to brown evenly. Saute for 7-8 minutes, or until it starts to brown evenly. Add minced garlic and saute for 1 minute or until fragrant.1 lb Beyond meat mince, 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- Then, add tomato paste and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until darkened in color and caramelized. Pour red wine and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pot, cook for 2-3 minutes further, or until the alcohol evaporates.2 tablespoon tomato paste, ½ cup dry red wine
- Pour the vegetable broth, and tomato passata, and add the bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Stir and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, or until thickened.1 cup vegetable broth, 2 cups tomato passata, 1 large bay leaf, Salt and black pepper to taste
- Make sure to stir the vegan bolognese sauce every 10 minutes to prevent it from burning on the bottom. When ready, take it off the heat and stir in the basil leaves and milk.½ cup soy milk, 2-3 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Serve it with pasta and gnocchi, or use it in lasagna or other Italian dishes.
Notes
- Use high-quality tomato passata. Tomato passata adds a bright and fresh flavor to the sauce. It should be made from 100% tomatoes with no additives and no seasonings (except for salt).
- Prepare this Beyond meat bolognese in a deep pot. The sauce thickens quite a lot so there is a lot of splashing. Also, since you're cooking it for longer, you need a pot with a heavy bottom so that the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom and burn.
- Use tomato paste in a tube, not a can. When testing this recip, I've found that the kind of tomato paste that is sold in a can leaves a metallic taste. I recommend getting one in a tube and also looking for double-contracted if that's available to you.
- Simmer on low heat for at least 1 hour. This is a key step in allowing the flavors to develop, and to completely soften the vegetables and the Beyond meat. The end result is a vegan bolognese sauce that melts in your mouth!
- Stir every 10 minutes. As mentioned above, the sauce thickens as it simmers, so stir frequently to prevent it from burning at the bottom!
- Serve with a wider pasta like pappardelle or tagliatelle. Contrary to popular belief, traditional bolognese sauce is not served with spaghetti, because they're too thin to hold the chunky sauce. It's usually served with a wider pasta like pappardelle or a rimmed short pasta such as penne or rigatoni.
- Fridge: Let it cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Let it cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for 3-4 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Callie says
This is absolute PERFECTION. You were not lying. Unfortunately where I live, tomato passata is impossible to find. Most people had never even heard of it. Instead, and for those of you who are in a similar situation, I bought cans of diced tomato and strained them like crazy through a fine mesh strainer, then put them in the food processor/blender until smooth. Instead of red wine, I just used unsweetened pure cranberry juice and it worked great. The flavors are tremendous in this! A definitive must try.
Petranka says
Wow, Callie, thank you so much for this review! All the substitutions you've made sound SO impressive and creative, I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe and made it your own!