Vegan Bolognese Just Like Old Times

This week on Instagram, I asked which recipes you'd like to see on the blog.

One of the answers I received was: "Meals that can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge for the whole week."

That answer really made me happy because, at that exact moment, I had a giant pot of vegan Spaghetti Bolognese sitting in my fridge that I’d prepped for the entire week.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking...

"Oh, vegan bolognese made from tasteless, odorless soy crumbles."

Well, leave your skepticism behind, because this recipe is rich in wonderful flavors with a thick, indulgent sauce that kids especially love.

What exactly are soy crumbles?!

For those who aren't familiar, soy crumbles are a byproduct of the soy food industry (like tofu and soy milk).

In the process of making tofu, for example, the plant fibers are separated from the liquid. Those remaining fibers are dried out.

Then, they are compressed and packaged into various products: "steaks" resembling chicken breast, chunks for goulash, and crumbles that look like ground meat.

These soy products are extremely high in protein (over 50%), rich in fiber, and low in fat.

You can create a wide variety of dishes that easily replace meat, and you can find them in the organic section or at health food stores.

A bit about the recipe

I prepared this vegan bolognese sauce at the beginning of the week and kept it in a container in the fridge to last me all week long.

I love eating it with whole-wheat pasta, but it's also delicious with couscous, ptitim (Israeli couscous), or even over a baked potato.

To give the sauce deep, aromatic flavors, I used a base of onion, celery, carrot, and a bit of garlic.

I don't recommend skipping these base ingredients, otherwise the sauce will turn out bland and boring.

If you have kids who don't like onions or vegetable chunks, simply grate the vegetables. That way, they’ll melt into the sauce and won't be felt.

 

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A post shared by Haggai Leffler - Vegan Athlete (@haggai_leffler) on Nov 13, 2018 at 2:51am PST

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How to serve it?

Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese combined with a serving of carbohydrates can be a wonderful, nutritious, and healthy lunch solution when you're planning high-intensity sports activity in the evening.

Alternatively, it works perfectly as dinner when you're planning to head out for a long run in the morning.

You can make a large pot for the whole week, and it even can be frozen.

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Nutritional values by clinical dietitian and fitness coach Noam Bechar:

One serving of sauce (out of 3) weighing 250g contains:

Print

Vegan Bolognese

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 3 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 2 celery stalks
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 200 g crushed tomatoes 2 cups
• 100 g soy crumbles approx. 1 cup
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes optional
• bay leaves
• pinch citric acid (or drop of lemon juice)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Cut the onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces (approx. 2 cm) and sauté with a tablespoon of olive oil over low heat for 4-5 minutes until the onion is slightly browned. Add the sugar, chili flakes, citric acid, and a bit of salt to taste.
   
2. Add the cup of soy crumbles and mix well until the oil coats them thoroughly.
   
3. Fry for another 3-5 minutes while stirring so the crumbles don't burn.
4. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaves, then pour a cup of water over it.
5. Mix well and cover.
6. Cook for about half an hour with the lid on over low heat. If the sauce becomes too thick during cooking, you can add a tablespoon or two of water.
   
7. 

Recipe Video