This tofu bolognese recipe features savory crumbled tofu in a rich tomato sauce. It's full of flavor, has a variety of texture, and is easy to make. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
Bolognese is a classic Italian sauce that uses ground meat (often ground beef, pork, or veal), soffritto (a vegetable mixture of diced onion, carrot, and celery), tomato, and milk. Our vegan version is just as tasty and filling as the traditional recipe, but uses chunks of tofu as a plant based alternative. If you like this meal idea, try more of my vegan recipes next!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Cooks in one pot: The homemade marinara sauce cooks in under 30 minutes. Perfect for meal prep!
- Allergy friendly: This vegan tofu pasta is dairy free, egg free, and can easily be made gluten free. As always, just be sure to check the ingredient label on the pasta.
- Crowd pleaser: The whole family will love this ragu dish! Not only is it great for dinner, it makes incredible leftovers the next day.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make the best homemade vegan bolognese sauce without milk!
- Tofu: Use extra firm tofu or firm tofu!
- Veggies: A blend of diced yellow onion, carrot, and celery.
- Soy sauce: This gives the sauce an incredible umami flavor.
- Tomatoes: We're using both crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Spices: Keep it simple with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Pasta: The best pasta for bolognese is rigatoni or spaghetti, but feel free to use your favorite pasta. Tagliatelle and pappardelle are long egg noodles, so unfortunately they're a no-go for vegans or those of us who have food allergies.
- Fresh herbs: Finish the dish with chopped fresh basil or fresh parsley.
Tools
I suggest using a dutch oven or large stockpot for making this sauce. You'll want to start by pressing the block of tofu so that the excess liquid is removed. You can do this by stacking a heavy object on top, like a cast iron skillet, or by using a handy tofu press.
If you like this recipe, try my peanut tofu bowls or tofu with broccoli next!
This unique tofu press is the easiest way to evenly and cleanly remove water from tofu to improve the flavor and texture.
How to make vegan bolognese
The full directions for this vegan tofu bolognese are in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Pan fry the tofu
Press the tofu to remove excess liquid, this takes about 30 minutes. Warm olive oil in a dutch oven and add tofu, crumbling it with your fingers as you drop it in. Cook the tofu over medium heat, continuing to break it apart into small pieces. Stir in soy sauce once cooked to your preferred doneness.
Step 2: Cook the vegetables
To the tofu crumbles, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Let cook until veggies have softened, about 10 minutes. Season with Italian seasonings, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes
Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, stir, then lower to a simmer.
Step 4: Simmer the sauce
Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot according to the package directions. Before straining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
Step 5: Serve and enjoy
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and give everything a big stir. Add ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to the sauce to thicken it up. Reserved pasta water also helps the sauce cling to the noodles! Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Before serving, top each bowl with a generous amount of fresh basil. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Variations
- Nutritional yeast: Adds a slightly cheesy, nutty flavor. A great alternative parmesan cheese. (Or try my vegan parm!)
- Red pepper flakes: Use more or less depending on heat preference, to add some spic.
- Mushrooms: Sauté with the onion, celery, and carrot for extra texture.
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite store-bought vegan pasta sauce instead of making it from scratch.
- Gluten free: Simply replace the soy sauce with tamari or liquid aminos and use gluten free pasta.
What I love most about this recipe is how it showcases just how versatile tofu can be. Marinate it and toss it in this vegetarian pad Thai for a satisfying dish or make air fryer tofu nuggets for a crispy, vegan snack.
Related recipes
Want more pasta recipes?
- My vegan roasted red pepper pasta is easy to make, ultra creamy, and great for a quick dinner.
- Tahini pasta is creamy and comforting. It comes together with 4 simple ingredients in 15 minutes.
- This vegan fettuccini alfredo is perfect for pasta night, with only a handful of ingredients.
- Vegan vodka sauce is the ultimate comfort food. This is a great recipe is an easy weeknight meal.
- Big fan of lemon and garlic? Then you'll love my lemon capellini recipe!
- Vegan puttanesca is a flavorful Italian pasta dish with a homemade, savory sauce.
- Make this vegan mac and cheese without cashews! It's ready in just 30 minutes.
I hope you love this tofu bolognese recipe as much as we do! I recommend serving it with a kale salad, vegan dinner rolls, scarpaccia, or dairy free pesto.
Tofu Bolognese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce use tamari, if gluten-free
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1 large celery stalk diced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water or vegetable stock
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Press the tofu for at least 30 minutes to remove the excess liquid. Warm olive oil in a dutch oven or large stockpot and add tofu. Crumble the tofu with your fingers as you place it in the pot. Cook the tofu over medium heat, continuing to break it apart. Stir in soy sauce once cooked to your preferred doneness.
- Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Let cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, stir to combine, then lower to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Before straining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and give everything a big stir. Add ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to the sauce to thicken it up. Continue adding reserved pasta water until the sauce thickens and sticks to the noodles.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Before serving, top with a generous amount of fresh chopped basil.
Nutrition
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