4.98 from 214 votes
| 296 Comments
Yes, Tofu Bolognese is a thing. It's a very delicious thing that you should make immediately.
I grew up in a household where whenever we didn't know what else to make for dinner, or we were feeling lazy, or tired, or hungry, or it was Monday, or Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or even Friday, we would make pasta. Sure,we had other meals some nights, but who needs themwhen you could just have pasta? Probably the worlds most perfect food in my opinion. I'm pretty sure I could eat pasta every day and I would still love it.
Thinking back, I always loved pastasauceswith meat in them. My dad always preferred pasta without any meat in them... my how the times have changed... So whenever we went to restaurants, I would hunt the menu for something along the lines of a meaty, tomato-y, spicy pasta and order, then devour said pasta dish.
Just because I went vegan, doesn't mean that I don't love that satisfying hearty bowl of goodness. Except now it's even better because no one had to die, it's cholesterol free, lower in fat, higher in fiber, and the best part, it's so freaking lick the bowl scrumptious.Ohmygoodness, I just had Tofu Bolognesefor dinner last night and these pictures make me want it all over again. (Am I allowed to drool over my own pictures)?
I learned this trick of crumbling the tofu and drying it in the oven from The Sexy Vegan Cookbookby Brian L. Patton.If you don't have this cookbook, you should pick up a copy. Unfortunately, it lacksin pictures which makes mesad (I ♥ pictures), but the recipes are pure comfort food goodness. If you are cooking for a carnivore type person, this is the book that might help them change their minds. I find the recipes can be a little complicated and require a lot of spices, but when I'm in the mood I bring the sexy veganto the kitchen with me, and henever disappoints.Yeah, I went there.
To make Tofu Bolognese: Start by grabbinga large bowl, whisk together the seasonings to make this kinda paste like stuff.
Drain the block of tofu, no need to press it first, it will dry out in the oven anyway. Break off chunks of tofu and use your fingers to crumble the tofu into small pieces. It's easiest to do this with two hands, but I had to take a photo of the processand I didn't have three hands at that particular moment. #FoodPhotographerProblems
Once you have crumbled all the tofu it will look something like this. Tah dah! (I know, so impressive).
Combine the tofu with the seasoning making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper (I ♥ parchment paper), or lightly grease the baking sheet. Spread the tofu evenly across the sheet in a thin layer.
Bake the tofu for 35 to 45 minutes, stoppingevery now and thento give it a stir.Keepa close eye onthe tofu as nears the end of baking timeso that it doesn't burn. The tofu will have shrunken quite a bit in size, and browned up nicely.The smaller pieces will be darker and some may even be a bit crispy. The larger pieces will be lighter and softer. I like this because it adds nice variation in texture. Store or use right away.
When you are ready to enjoy your dish, heat your tomato sauce in a pan. I like a spicy tomato sauce, but you can go with whatever kind you're into.
Stir in the tofu crumbles and heat through. The tofu will suck up some of the sauce, so if it gets a bit thick, just add water to thin as needed. If you find that there are some crispy bits in the sauce and you aren't into that kind of thing, simmer for longer to soften. Serve over pasta with a bit of Parmeganand devour.
4.98 from 214 votes
(click stars to vote)
Tofu Bolognese
This Tofu Bolognese recipe is to die for. Quick, easy, healthy, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, hearty, and lick the bowl scrumptious. Just like traditional bolognese but better!Inspired by The Sexy Vegan Cookbook
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 40 minutes mins
Total: 45 minutes mins
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 40 minutes mins
Total: 45 minutes mins
Servings: 4 Servings
PRINT PIN COMMENT
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 block (350g) extra-firm tofu, drained (no need to press it)
- 3 cups tomato sauce (700ml jar or homemade)
- 1 pound spaghetti or pasta of choice, (gluten-free if preferred)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Line with parchment paper or lightly grease a large baking sheet.
In a large mixing bowl mix the nutritional yeast, soy sauce, olive oil chili powder, garlic powder, and liquid smoke. It will make a brown paste-like texture. Break the tofu into a few large chunks and add them to the bowl, then us a potato masher to mash the tofu into crumbles. Stir the tofu crumbles well making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated in nutritional yeast mix.
Spread the tofu crumbles evenly over the prepared pan. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every now and then. Keep a close eye on it towards the end so that it doesn't burn. You want the tofu to be nicely browned. The smaller crumbles will be darker than the larger crumbles, and that's good because it will provide a variety of texture to the chili. Remove from the oven and set aside.
In the meantime heat the tomato sauce, and cook pasta according to package directions.Stir the tofu into the sauce, and heat through. If you find the sauce is too thick, stir in a bit of water until desired consistency is reached. Serve over hot pasta with a sprinkle of Parmegan.
Notes
Leftover sauce keeps the perfect texture so this dish can be made ahead of time and reheated as needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 96g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1230mg | Potassium: 955mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 945IU | Vitamin C: 12.9mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3.8mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Insta and let the world see just how amazing plant-based creations can be!
Author: Sam Turnbull
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course
Author: Sam Turnbull
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
« Vegan Meringue Cookies
BBQ Chickpea Salad »
GET A FREE COOKBOOK!
Claim a complimentary eCookbook featuring 30 rave-reviewed vegan recipes! Simply enter your name and email and we'll send it to you ASAP! 🎉📩
Reader Interactions
Comments
Alston says
Sounds delicious and easy. Can leftover sauce be frozen?
Reply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Yes! It freezes well!
Reply
Valerie e. says
See AlsoChristmas Cheese Log
This is my go-to recipe when I'm short on time. And it's so delicious. I followed the recipe as is and it turned out great. Thank youReply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Wonderful!
Reply
Lisa says
Our family has been focusing on eating a plant based diet, and I am always looking for great options- especially for our 3 kiddos who can sometimes be a bit picky with new things. This recipe was a HUGE hit. We paired it with GF pasta from Trader Joes and Rao sauce (Costco). We will definitely add this to our rotation! THANK YOU!Reply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We are absolutely thrilled to hear it!
Reply
Tina M. says
Wish I would have made this a long time ago! I saw it was your favorite recipe and had to make it. It’s magical how these ingredients make the tofu so delicious and meaty! I love your recipes and can’t wait to continue making more of them!Reply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We agree! Absolutely magic!
Reply
Shelley says
Had some tofu I needed to use. This wasn’t a planned dish so I had to substitute some items. I didn’t have any yeast so I used liquid aminos and had to sub cumin for chili powder. It turned out pretty good. Glad I can reheat. Will make again. Thanks for sharing.Reply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Terrific!
Reply
Melissa says
We make this dish along with many others from your cookbook on a regular basis. There are never any left overs.Reply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Wonderful! Thanks, Melissa!
@NessieJayModel says
How can I cook the tofu over the stove or in the air fryer instead of the oven?
Reply
Jennifer W. says
This is crazy good! I’ve been making it about every few days. Dare I say it’s craveable! I make a super simple sauce to go with. Basically canned tomatoes, garlic, basil, thyme. It’s delicious!Reply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Delicous!
Reply
Christy White says
This is such a good recipe! We absolutely loved it. I made the sauce from scratch with tomatoes from our garden, which was a bit of work, but with bottled marinara sauce it would be so easy—especially with the tofu baked ahead of time. We had it on fettuccine. Delish!!!Reply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That sounds extra special with the homemade sauce, yum!
Reply
Samantha says
I am stuck at home with a mildly symptomatic case of Covid, and wanted to make something to soothe my soul and fill my belly. This recipe is fantastic! I usually do a faux Bolognese with impossible or beyond meat, but this is even tastier and much healthier. Very quick, I had all of the ingredients in my pantry, and I will go back to this one again and again. Thanks, Sam!Reply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We're happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Feel better soon!
Reply
Lee says
Wow! Thank You! This was delicious! The texture is that of bolognese! And the flavor is right on! Next time I may add some crushed fennel and a bit of oregano to the tofu sauce before baking.
Ten Michelin Stars!Reply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Wonderful! Thanks for your review, Lee!
Reply
Deborah says
This recipe is just what I've been looking for. It's fantastic! Thank you for sharing a recipe that mimics the consistency of meat and tastes awesome! I will be using this technic with the tofu for many other recipes.Reply
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Thanks for sharing your review!
Reply
Lindsay says
The best vegan bolognese sauce! I’ve made this recipe on repeat for a few years now. Thank you for the great recipe!Reply
« Older Comments
