Name: Tempeh Bolognese
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 4 oz spaghetti noodles ((egg-free)); 1 onion; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 teaspoon canola oil (or any plant-based oil); 4 oz tempeh; 1/4 teaspoon paprika powder; 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke; 14.5 oz diced, canned tomatoes; 1/2 teaspoon salt (divided); 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 teaspoons Homemade Cashew Parmesan; fresh basil

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This vegan Tempeh Bolognese can be made in 15 minutes! It’s quick, easy, and delicious! Sprinkle it with cashew parmesan.

I’ve made tempeh bolognese at least 4 times during the last 2 weeks, to get it just right. And with this version, I couldn’t be happier!

Bolognese sauce is traditionally a meaty sauce, so we want to use a meaty substitute. In this case, tempeh is an excellent choice because it soaks up the flavors and the consistency is just on point. Tempeh gives the sauce not only a meaty look but also texture.

What I love about this Tempeh Bolognese:

It’s super quick. While the pasta is boiling, we can prepare the sauce. An amazing pasta dish in 15 minutes? Check.
It looks fancy. I don’t know but spaghetti always puts me in this deeply romantic and sophisticated mood. It’s grown-up food, after all. And then with the red sauce, the sprinkle of cashew parmesan, and fresh basil on top… it just looks very nice, which makes it also perfect for date-night!
It’s here to impress. If you’re making this dish for your friend(s), parents, etc. then some of them might not know what tempeh is because it’s not as well-known as tofu (which everyone hates anyway because they just eat a plain block of tofu and complain that it tastes like nothing). So you can explain what tempeh is, how it is made, how it’s used in cooking and it will be an amazing experience for them especially if they are eating tempeh for the very first time.
The sauce is versatile. You can serve it over pasta, you can also use it in lasagne or as a ‘meaty’ dipping sauce for nachos.

What is tempeh?

Tempeh is – like tofu – a soy product. Through culturing and fermentation, whole soybeans are molded into a block. Tempeh is even higher in protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins than tofu thanks to the fermentation and use of whole soybeans. You can get tempeh in Asian stores (look in the refrigerated or freezer section, $) or health-food stores ($$$).

If you’re in the mood for more tempeh recipes, check out these ones:

How to make Tempeh Bolognese

The ingredients

You will need:

egg-free spaghetti noodles
tempeh
liquid smoke – not necessary but adds a nice smoky flavor to the tempeh.
diced, canned tomatoes
oil
onion
garlic cloves
spices and herbs: paprika powder, salt, dried oregano, fresh basil. This is my recommendation. You can leave out, substitute, experiment with spices, of course!

The basic steps

pasta boiling in pot — Step 1: Boil the pasta.

onions and garlic in food processor — Step 2: Chop the onion and garlic cloves in a food processor.

tempeh in food processor — Step 3: Chop the tempeh in a food processor.

onions, garlic and tempeh in pan — Step 4: In a large pan, cook the onion and garlic until soft. Then add in the tempeh. Let’s add some flavor by adding paprika powder and liquid smoke.

adding diced tomato to tempeh bolognese sauce — Step 6: Reduce the heat, add in the diced tomatoes, dried oregano and salt.

vegan tempeh bolognese sauce in pan — Step 7: Once everything is hot and combined, the sauce is ready to be served.

More delicious vegan pasta recipes

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I hope you enjoy this tempeh bolognese recipe as much as I do! Let me know if you give it a try!

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Cheers, Bianca