Whether you’re looking for something vegan friendly to solve a hangover, or want to put together a delicious dish that’s quick and easy, as well as tasty and filling, you need to make this tasty vegan mushroom bolognese.
Bolognese sauce is the most famous of the meat-based ragu that festoon Italian cookery. Traditionally made with beef, pork, chicken livers or sometimes even milk, you will quickly discover that it is not vegan. Mushrooms are very much the meatiest of the widely available vegetables and so the obvious choice when trying to veganise the recipe. You can use pretty much any mushrooms you have (from the shop, don’t just be plucking them from your garden) but for the very best results I recommend that you use denser varieties such as chestnut mushrooms or portabella.
I am acutely aware that some people are violently opposed to the use of fennel seed in any context. Whilst I can’t force anyone to use it, I would recommend that you give it a try. It is not a dominant flavour here and, side by side with a version of this sauce made without fennel seeds, you will find that the spiced version has a deeper and more rounded flavour. If you like, you can also use finely chopped carrot as well as the onions and celery. If you’re still living in the carrot age.
This recipe is pretty flexible with regard to multiplication of quantities for cooking in bulk, but the more mushrooms you use the longer you will need to cook them for in stage 2 to achieve the same effect. It also freezes very well.
A food processor will make your life a great deal easier, but is not absolutely essential.
Interested in learning more about Veganism? Why not read some of my vegan blog posts?
I’m linking up with the UK Vegan Bloggers for the Veganuary linky.
Oh wow! That looks soooo good! It’s only 9:30am and I’m now craving pasta haha.
Thanks for sharing with the UK Vegan Bloggers Veganuary linky.
This looks delicious! I absolutely love bolognese!