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  • Vegan bolognese with tofu and mushrooms on wide ribbon pasta, garnished with fresh basil
  • Vegan bolognese with wide ribbon pasta and basil, close-up of the pan
  • Vegan bolognese with tomatoes and vegan parmesan plated on a grey plate
  • Two plates of vegan bolognese served with forks and vine tomatoes
  • Vegan bolognese with ribbon pasta and basil, collage with text overlay

8 MAY 2018

The best vegan Bolognese

By Verena Frei

This post is also available in: deutsch

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Last updated 5 July 2026

Prep
20 min
Cook
3 hr
Total
3 hr 20 min
Servings
4 servings

Hello Lovelies, you may have noticed that I was a bit missing in action here the past two weeks. But I enjoyed some well deserved vacation with my family. Even though I was ambitious to keep posting and adding new recipes on the blog, somehow I also needed a little break and therefore enjoyed some time offline to get some rest and also to recharge my creativity.

But now I'm back with lots of new recipes I will post over the next weeks. And the first one is an absolute family favorite: a vegan Bolognese sauce. If you ask hubby about his favorite dish, his answer is always: Spaghetti Bolognese. I think as a kid he practically lived of it, so before he proposed I kind of had to proof I was able to cook a good bolognese sauce (not kidding here :-). A lot happened since then, I turned vegan and still want to get to his heart with a good bolognese, that's why I spent a lot of time to create the perfect recipe that everyone would love and no one would miss the meat in it. And I'm very proud to share this recipe with you today.

I would even go as far as to say that a lot of meat eaters would not even recognize that the bolognese is vegan, since the taste and consistency is so similar and full of flavor.

Vegan bolognese with wide ribbon pasta and basil, close-up of the pan

We ate the Bolognese with Parpadelle Pasta which was delicious, but you can serve it with every variety you and your family likes best. I also had them with zoodles (zucchini noodles) and that was a perfect match too!

Hubby really loves this recipe and it makes me so happy that he even is telling everyone, how this totally changed his view about vegan food. What convinced him  most is for sure the consistency, with the tofu, the mushrooms and the eggplant, you get this chunks that are so delicious and hearty.

Vegan bolognese with tomatoes and vegan parmesan plated on a grey plate

Two plates of vegan bolognese served with forks and vine tomatoes

So I tried this sauce on many Bolognese lovers big and small and never received one complaint, everyone loved it so far.  I can't wait for you to try it and let me know how your family and especially the meat lovers liked it!

You can easily freeze the sauce as well or just double the recipe, so you always have a pasta sauce ready, when there is no time to cook it.

If you love pasta nights as much as we do, be sure to try my vegan pumpkin lasagne for cosy autumn days, the quick creamy vegan veggie pasta for busy weeknights, or the filling protein pasta with chickpeas and lentils. I can't wait to hear whether this vegan bolognese wins over the meat lovers in your family too.

If you have Pinterest, you can find me here and pin this picture if you like:

Vegan bolognese with ribbon pasta and basil, collage with text overlay

Yours, Verena

TIPS

Verena's notes

Tip from my kitchen: the bolognese often tastes even better the next day once the flavours have settled – it keeps covered for 3–4 days in the fridge. It freezes beautifully (up to 3 months), so it is worth making a double batch. Instead of smoked tofu you can use plain tofu, soy granules or cooked lentils. If you'd rather cook without alcohol, swap the red wine for a little extra passata and a dash of balsamic. For extra depth, stir in a spoon of tomato paste at the end.

Vegan bolognese with tofu and mushrooms on wide ribbon pasta, garnished with fresh basil

Vegan Bolognese with tofu, mushrooms and eggplant

Vegan bolognese with tofu, mushrooms and eggplant – a hearty, meat-free pasta sauce even meat lovers love. Rich, freezer-friendly and easy to make.

  • Course:Main dish
  • Prep:20 min
  • Cook:3 h
  • Servings:4 servings
Vegan

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Crumble the tofu with your hands (make sure to use extra firm one)
  2. Cut the eggplant, mushrooms, celery and carrots into small cubes
  3. Chop the onions and garlic cloves
  4. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a pan
  5. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent
  6. Add the crumbled tofu and roast for 4-5 minutes
  7. Season with salt and pepper
  8. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 2-3 minutes
  9. Add the eggplants, celery and carrots one by one and sauté everything
  10. Pour in the tomatoes paste and sugar and mix it well
  11. Deglaze with the red wine
  12. Add the tomato passata or canned tomatoes, the fresh herbs and the bouillon, bring to a boil
  13. Cover the pan and let the bolognese simmer for 2-3 hours on low temperature
  14. Take out the bay leaf and the bigger rosemary sprigs
  15. Season to taste with salt, pepper and some Italian herbs
  16. Serve with pasta and vegan parmesan
Calories
280 kcal
proteinContent
10 g
GOOD TO KNOW

Frequently asked questions

  • The secret is the combination of smoked tofu, mushrooms and eggplant. The tofu is crumbled by hand and replaces the minced meat, the mushrooms add umami and the eggplant creates juicy, meaty bites. Simmering it slowly in passata and red wine gives the sauce a deep, savoury flavour.

  • Yes, the sauce freezes beautifully. Cool it, portion it out and freeze for up to 3 months. It is worth making a double batch so you always have a ready pasta sauce for busy days.

  • If you don't like tofu, finely chopped walnuts, soy granules or cooked brown lentils work just as well as a mince alternative. For a soy-free version use lentils or walnuts and season a little more generously. The key is a fine, crumbly texture.

  • Classically it is served with spaghetti or wide ribbon pasta like tagliatelle. But it pairs with any pasta shape and is also delicious over zucchini noodles (zoodles) or polenta. Finish it with vegan parmesan and fresh basil.

  • The long simmer makes all the difference: the flavours meld, the sauce turns silky and the red wine loses its sharpness. If you are short on time, 45–60 minutes will do – just season a bit more at the end. For the best result, though, the patience pays off.

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