Vegan Bolognese with Impossible Meat 🌱 A rich, thick & delicious classic Italian sauce made with all vegan ingredients including mushrooms, fresh veggies and the wildly popular plant-based brand - Impossible Meat.
Who wouldn't love to dig into this beautiful bowl of pasta? This vegan version of a traditional Italian Bolognese meat sauce is fantastico! So hearty and satisfying, chock full of fresh veggies, mushrooms and plant-based protein simmered in your favorite marinara. Just like our fan-favorite zucchini ravioli recipe, it's a perfect dish to serve to vegans and non-vegans alike. Everyone loves it!
Table of Contents
This gorgeous sauce is the creation of my dear friend Christine, an avid foodie and full-blooded Italian who grew up enjoying her family's beloved Bolognese dinner every weekend. Their "Sunday Sauce" was a work of art for her parents - Mom and Dad tag team cooking together in the kitchen - preparing all the ingredients that went into their favorite weekly meal. The sauce would simmer for hours on the stove, filling the house with a comforting and irresistible aroma. Christine and her siblings loved to sneak into the kitchen for an early taste, dipping bread into the bubbling sauce.
Christine wanted to find a way to veganize her family recipe. Her goal was to recreate the flavors and textures of the Bolognese sauce she loved, using all plant-based ingredients. After experimenting with a variety of meat substitutes, she was thrilled with the sauce she made with Impossible Meat. It was deliziosa!
Why you should try this recipe
- It's delicious & nutritious!
- Very easy to prepare
- Everyone will enjoy it - vegans and non-vegans!
- Add or substitute ingredients to your liking
What is Impossible Meat?
Impossible Meat is a high protein meat substitute made with soy and potato proteins and other plant-based ingredients. Popular with meat eaters and vegans, it is one of the most widely used meat replacers purchased in the United States. Currently it is available in Canada, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the UAE, and will be expanding to other countries. Their plant-based "ground beef" and other products can be purchased in grocery stores, restaurants and online.
Ingredients
- Vegan Ground Burger - Christine prefers Impossible brand, but you can substitute it with Beyond Beef or your favorite meat replacer.
- Mushrooms - white or cremini
- Celery - fresh
- Onion - brown or yellow
- Carrots - fresh
- Bell pepper - red, orange or yellow (red bell peppers tend to be sweeter)
- Garlic - fresh or powder
- Basil - dried (preferred) or fresh
- Bouillon - vegan beef flavored or vegetable
- Olive oil
- Red wine - or substitute with additional bouillon broth
- Marinara sauce - homemade or your favorite store bought pasta sauce
- Water
- Salt & pepper
Variations/Add-ins
- Diced zucchini
- Fennel
- Red pepper flakes
- Italian seasonings
- Oregano
- Vegan parmesan - store bought or homemade
🥕See printable recipe card below for quantities and complete details
Instructions
- Rinse and finely dice all the veggies. A food processor is super helpful for this job, as you'll need about 2 cups of each vegetable.
- Pour olive oil into a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add carrots and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic and remaining veggies. Stir frequently (don't let garlic burn).
- Dissolve bouillon in ¼ cup hot water, adding a small amount at a time to veggies.
- Sauté until veggies are soft.
- Remove veggies from pan, set aside.
- In the same pan, add Impossible Burger meat, break apart into crumbles, cooking over medium-high heat. Stir to brown evenly.
- Dissolve bouillon in ¼ cup hot water. Add a small amount at a time to "burger" meat.
- Add 3 tablespoons of red wine. Stir "burger" meat, don't let it burn.
- When the vegan meat is fully browned, add vegetables and stir to combine.
- Add marinara sauce. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes more.
- Add additional marinara, bouillon or water if needed to adjust consistency of sauce.
- Remove from heat and serve.
🍅 Serving Tips
Bolognese sauce is often served on broad types of pasta with nooks and crannies that hold the sauce. This sauce has such a thick & meaty consistency, you can toss the pasta and sauce together (known in Italy as Ragú alla Bolognese), covering everything with fabulous flavor .
Top with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan, fresh basil, parsley, red pepper flakes or enjoy it simply on its own!
I like to serve this Vegan Bolognese with Impossible Meat accompanied by a side salad like my favorite vegan Caesar salad and a toasty baguette to soak up extra sauce.
If you are trying to cut carbs, zucchini noodles (zoodles) or spaghetti squash are the perfect pasta-free partners to pair with Bolognese sauce.
Equipment
- Food processor or cutting board
- Vegetable peeler
- Chef's knife
- Measuring cup
- Long wooden spoon
- Large deep skillet or stove top pot
🍅 FAQ's
Yes, you can easily substitute the Impossible Meat (burger) with another meat replacer of your choice. Choose a product that can be seared or browned in a pan, such as vegan "ground beef" or crumbles.
Simply store leftover sauce refrigerated in an air-tight container up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. I like to use these convenient "souper cubes" for freezing soups and sauces.
Traditional Bolognese sauce is made with ground meat. This recipe, however, for Vegan Bolognese with Impossible Meat is 100% plant-based.
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out these delish dishes!
very vegan 🌱 very good
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please rate it in the comments below. Sharing your experience helps others decide if they should give it a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Vegan Bolognese with Impossible Meat
Equipment
- 1 Food processor or cutting board
- 1 Vegetable peeler
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Long wooden spoon
- 1 Large deep skillet or stove top pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups carrot diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced - or garlic powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon basil dried
- 2 cups celery diced
- 2 cups onion brown or yellow (diced)
- 2 cups mushrooms diced
- 2 cups red bell peppers diced
- 2 cubes vegan bouillon Better than Bouillon or vegan beef bouillon
- ½ cup water
- 12 oz Impossible burger
- 3 tablespoons red wine optional
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and finely dice all the veggies. A food processor is super helpful for this job, as you'll need about 2 cups of each vegetable.
- Pour olive oil into a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add carrots and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic and remaining veggies. Stir frequently (don’t let garlic burn).
- Dissolve bouillon in ¼ cup hot water. Add a small amount at a time to veggies.
- Continue sautéing until veggies are soft but not mushy.
- Remove veggies from pan, set aside.
- In the same pan, add Impossible Burger meat, break apart into crumbles, cooking over medium-high heat. Stir to brown evenly.
- Dissolve bouillon in ¼ cup hot water. Add a small amount at a time to vegan meat.
- While vegan meat is cooking, add 3 tablespoon red wine. Stir meat, don’t let it burn.
- When vegan meat is fully browned, add vegetables and stir to combine.
- Add marinara sauce. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes more.
- Add additional marinara, bouillon or water if needed to adjust consistency of sauce.
- Remove from heat.
- Sauce is ready to be used.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Sam says
This is absolutely delicious!! This is the perfect dinner option for weeknights. Thank you!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
This turned out wonderfully! We did use Beyond Meat as I couldn't find Impossible Meat here in Canada. Regardless the sauce was so hearty and the texture of the veggies was superb.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Thank you Cindy! Beyond Meat is our go-to for many of our recipes. So happy you enjoyed it!
Dawn Conklin says
This vegan Bolognese sauce is so delicious and easy to make! The family loved it, will definitely be making it again. Impossible Meat is our favorite brand for meat substitute too.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Hi Dawn! I'm so happy you & your family enjoyed it! Thanks a bunch for sharing!🥕
Bianca says
This vegan bolognese is packed with veggies and oh so delicious! Definitely gonna be making this more often in the future
Addie says
Such a great vegan dinner! Yum!
Shilpa says
So healthy and delicious! It’s perfect for weeknight dinner.
Jeannie says
this looks so good, will be getting impossible meat this weekend and try this recipe
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Thank you Jeannie! Hope you love it! Happy cooking!
Emily Flint says
This sauce was so delicious with all of the veggies and the impossible meat. My family is already asking for it again!
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Thanks so much for the wonderful comment Emily! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Sue says
Impossible Burger is my favorite meat alternative. I can't wait to try it in this bolognese!
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Hi Sue! Love to hear if you decide to give it a try! Thanks a bunch!🥕
connie🥕 says
This colorful, delicious & satisfying sauce is a crowd pleaser! Serve it to your vegan & non-vegan family and friends. They’ll be coming back for more!