The Ultimate Vegetarian 'Bolognese' | Illustrated

20:43:00 Unknown 2 Comments


For months I have been on a mission to create the best vegetarian bolognese. It stems from a previous mission, to create the best bolognese. The only difference is the stakes were raised when I cut out the beef mince. Of course this recipe can be made with regular beef mince or sausage meat. The choice is yours. However, I assure you this bolognese recipe ticks all the boxes for me. My goal was to create a recipe without any fancy ingredients, no soy sauce, no extra herbs or spices; just plain, simple traditional ingredients with heaps and heaps of flavour. Yes, my bolognese does not have celery. I think celery is gross, so sue me. In every other sense, this bolognese is pretty traditional. The inspiration for this recipe is from none other than super chef Heston Blumenthal, and of course feel free to use his recipe. I assure you though that this recipe is still pretty damn good. It has that nostalgic warm, rich depth and balance of flavours that we all look for. I hope you give this recipe a try. If this description does not entice you, maybe the picture will. I am getting hungry again. 


Ingredients Serves 4 

1 large knob of butter
1 medium sized onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 large carrots, grated
300g of plain vegetarian sausage (I used these), crumbled into mince-sized chunks
150ml of milk
150ml of red wine
400g tin of tomatoes
1/4 tsp of nutmeg (optional)
salt and pepper
(1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar)
250g of spaghetti or tagliatelle

Preparation 

  1. Over a medium heat, saute the onion until golden brown (about 20 minutes) in a large knob of butter. If the onions begin to stick, deglaze the pan with some of the red wine. 
  2. Once golden, add the garlic and cook until the garlic smell is gone. 
  3. Add the grated carrots, cook for about 20 minutes or until softened.  
  4. Add the sausage meat into the pan, combine well with the vegetables and cook through. Season well with salt and pepper. Make sure to taste and adjust. 
  5. Reduce the heat on the pan on to medium low. 
  6. Pour in the milk and then add the nutmeg. Stir through gently and continue to cook until all the milk has disappeared. 
  7. Add the red wine and tinned tomatoes. Stir well. 
  8. Bring the entire bolognese sauce to a steady simmer. Cover and cook for at least 1 hour. 
  9. The longer you let the bolognese cook, the better the flavours will develop. The longest I have been able to resist is around the 2 hour mark. An hour and half seems to be sufficient to develop significant flavour. 
  10. At this point, taste and adjust any seasoning. If you feel the sauce needs a little life, add the balsamic to brighten the sauce. Taste again, make any necessary adjustments in seasoning. 
  11. Cook your pasta according to directions. 
  12. Serve the bolognese sauce over the cooked pasta. Garnish with some fresh or dried herbs and some grated cheese. 
  13. Enjoy! 



23-year-old Swedish, medical student that loves to cook in her tiny flat.

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