Hearty Tempeh Bolognese

Is there anything more comforting than a big bowl of spag bol for dinner? My mum always made THE BEST spaghetti Bolognese (I’m sure everyone says that!) It was rich and tomatoey and full of hidden veg and loads of flavour. Well, the other night I made it my mission to try and replicate the tastiness of her dish using only plant-based ingredients.

Now, there are many ways to make a vegan Bolognese (including using lentils). The easiest way would be to buy some soy mince and simply cook it up like beef mince. I’ve done this and it’s delicious. I would challenge any meat-eater to know the difference (In fact, my husband Nick was fooled for six whole months!) But lately, I’m trying to eat less processed foods and so I decided to try this particular recipe using tempeh. Now if you haven’t heard of tempeh, you are really missing a treat. It’s made from soybeans and is very similar to tofu but less refined so it has a harder texture and a nuttier flavour. It’s also high in protein and fibre and incredibly versatile! You can use it as a mince substitute for tacos or you can steam it and then bake or pan-fry as part of a tasty stir fry. It absorbs flavours well and I thought it could make the perfect addition to my bolognese sauce. It can be a little tricky to find in the UK though. I order mine from Abel and Cole but you can also get it from Wholefoods or on Amazon and a host of other stores. It’s a little pricier than tofu so feel free to substitute the tempeh with soy mince or lentils.

Other ‘must-haves’ in this dish are mushrooms and aubergine (eggplant). They add a real depth of flavour and richness to the sauce so don’t leave them out! All the other vegetables are optional and it’s a perfect opportunity to use up any leftovers you have in your fridge. 

Well, let me tell you I wasn’t disappointed! The result was a rich and hearty meal that had the heaviness of a traditional meaty Bolognese but without the cholesterol! I call that a win-win. 🙌 Don’t get too overwhelmed with the number of ingredients, as I said before, so many can be substituted. I normally don’t add sundried tomatoes or olives to bolognese but I found that they really make this sauce extra special because of their strong salty flavour! But you could easily substitute them for capers or leave them out altogether if you don’t have them. Just add more soy sauce and balsamic vinegar at the end. Spag bol is all about lots of tasting and tweaking along the way. Don’t be afraid to go off-piste and make this sauce your own! And don’t feel restricted to just use it with spaghetti. Why not make lasagne instead? Or you could use it on a jacket potato or toasted sandwich for lunch! 

Ingredients:  (Serves 6)

• 200g tempeh (chopped or crumbled finely)
• 1 large onion (chopped finely)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 large carrot or courgette (grated) 
• Small broccoli (finely chopped)
• 1 aubergine (finely diced)
• 1 punnet of mushrooms (finely chopped or blended in a mixer)
• 1 large jar of passata (600-700g)
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes 
• 1 veggie stock cube
• 4 TBL tomato paste
• 2 TBL cocoa powder
• 5-6 sundried tomatoes (finely chopped)
• 10 x green olives (finely chopped)
• Dried herbs (to taste) 
• Splash of balsamic
• Splash of hot sauce
• Splash of soy sauce (if needed)

Method: 

1. Heat a little oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes on medium heat until softened.
2. Add the tempeh and the rest of the vegetables. Cook for a few minutes. 
3. Add the crumbled stock cube, passata, canned tomatoes and tomato paste. At this stage, I also like to add a little extra water (from the jar of passata to make sure all the tomato flavour is in the sauce. 
4. Simmer the ingredients while you chop the sundried tomatoes and olives. Add these to the pan along with the cocoa powder and herbs. 
5. Cover and simmer on low for at least 20 minutes. 
6. Taste the sauce and add the balsamic, hot sauce and soy sauce if needed. The balsamic adds a tangy flavour while the soy sauce is a good addition if it needs to be saltier. Add more water if the sauce is too thick. 
7. Meanwhile, cook your pasta! My favourite is wholemeal spelt.
8. Serve with this easy vegan almond cheese scattered on top.