Is it possible to make vegetarian bolognese sauce taste good too? Yes it is and ever since I discovered nutritional yeast, a delicious umami, savoury taste and a source of complete protein and vitamins, in particular B-complex vitamins making it a great superfood, I find I can go wholly vegetarian but still have the similar flavour and texture as if I put minced beef in my bolognese sauce. It is a quick, easy, healthy weeknight recipe that will leave you feeling good and not bloated.
Ingredients
Shredded vegetables of choice (I used what I had, 1 cup each of shredded carrot, beetroot, diced onions, mushrooms)
250g Barilla tagliatelle pasta
3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
½ cup fresh oregano
½ cup fresh basil (cut up)
3-4 medium cloves of garlic, crushed
2 x 400g cans organic diced tomatoes
1 x 400g cans organic black beans, drained & rinsed
½ cup nutritional yeast (it gives the sauce a nice savoury cheesy flavour)
Salt and pepper to season to your liking
Method
- Slice and dice your choice of vegetables and set aside. If you are not as lucky as I was in getting freshly cut up vegetables from MD Provodores you can use a Kitchen Aid Food processor to help you out.
- Cook pasta in boiling water per packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until golden.
- Add the remaining vegetables to the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring to coat the vegetables. Cook through for 5 minutes.
- Add crushed garlic and herbs. Stir well then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, black beans and nutritional yeast. Simmer for a further 5-10 minutes.
- Divide the pasta between bowls and top with the bolognese. Pair it with the James Estate 2017 Reserve Hunter Valley The Marque. Enjoy!
