Tempeh Bolognese

Serves 3-4 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cooking time: 40 mins

INGREDIENTS

• Pasta of choice
• 280g/10oz button mushrooms
• 150g/2oz tempeh
• 1 white onion
• ½ carrot optional
• 1 small celery stalk optional
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 sprig Rosemary
• 1 sprig sage
• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup white or red wine
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can tomato passata (400g/14oz)
• 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce or regular soy sauce
• Salt & pepper

METHOD

1. Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery stalk (if using).
2. With a food processor, blitz the tempeh into crumbles. You can also use your hands, but a food processor makes them a bit more even.
3. Do the same for the mushrooms, pulse them until roughly chopped. This method gives them shapes you wouldn’t get by simply slicing them. They also cook evenly and blend seamlessly into the sauce.
4. Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
5. Toss in the onion, carrot, celery (or just onion) and a crushed garlic clove with a pinch of salt. Let them cook for about 8 minutes.
6. Add finely chopped 2 sprigs of rosemary and 1 spring sage (or dry) and cook for another 2 minutes.
7. Add the mushrooms and tempeh to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of wine (red preferred but white works too) and let it evaporate
8. Pour in 1 can of tomato passata (400g/14oz can) and add some water (about ⅔ of the can’s volume). Then add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce. Add salt and pepper and give everything a good mix so the tempeh and mushrooms soak up the flavors.
9. Bring to a simmer, and let it cook for about 30-40 minutes on low heat. The longer it simmers, the richer the flavor!
10. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil right at the end. Why? Adding oil at the end enhances the richness, smooths out the sauce, and gives it that silky, luxurious finish. Meat is traditionally used, and it has more fat than mushrooms and tempeh, so it helps achieve a similar result.
11. Serve it over your favorite pasta, top with some nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan, and dig in!