Bolognese Sauce

A spin on a classic bolognese sauce that has a “meaty” consistency and taste without artificial meat substitutes. The secret to a good tomato sauce is tons of seasonings and patience, so please taste and add as you go.

Ingredients for sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup of red wine
2 cans (14oz) of fire roasted tomatoes
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes in juices
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
3 teaspoons dried oregano
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large pot on medium/high heat. Add the olive oil, onion and garlic and sauté until onions are soft and fragrant. Add in all the liquids and bring to a boil. Stir the sauce and add the seasonings, reducing to a simmer. Let simmer for 30-40 minutes. Take sauce off heat and using an immersion blender, blend until desired consistency. You can also use a regular blender if you don’t have an immersion. Just transport about half of the sauce, blend, and then put back into the pot.
The longer the sauce sits the better flavor you will get.

Ingredients for “meat”:

1 package (8oz) of cremini mushrooms
1 cup of raw walnuts
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons of water
salt and pepper to taste

Roughly chop mushrooms and add to a food processor. Pulse until the mushrooms are finely chopped, but not too mushy. Remove and place in a bowl. Then add the walnuts and garlic to the food processor and pulse until the walnuts are crumbly. Place in the same bowl as the mushrooms. Heat oil on a pan and add the mushroom-walnut mixture. Sauté and add water if mixture sticks to pan. Add in the chopped parsley and continue to sauté for 5-8 minutes.

Once “meat” is done, add in to the tomato sauce and stir, possibly reheating the stove top.

Put over spaghetti, spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles! and enjoy :)

“Meat” being added into the tomato sauce to create the best vegan bolognese!