$9 vs. $39 Vegan Bolognese

You can find both vegan bolognese recipes below!

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FANCY PANTS BOLOGNESE
- 1 ½ TBSP olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper
- 4 TBSP tomato paste
- 1 package Beyond Beef
- ¾ cup dry red wine (check that it's vegan-friendly!)
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 to 3 tsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
- 1 pound egg-free tagliatelle, pappardelle, or fettuccine; or rigatoni or penne; or gnocchi

Cashew Cream
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight, or in boiling water for 1 hour
- ¾ cup water
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ to ¾ cup fresh basil, slivered
- ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese

1. Heat a 12-inch saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, and once shimmering, add onions and season with a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally and cook for 5 minutes. Add a few spoons of water to deglaze the pan. Continue cooking the onions, adding more water every few minutes and stirring frequently to prevent burning, until the onions are softened and nicely browned, 9-10 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, thyme, and oregano. Stir frequently and cook for 60-90 seconds.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes to caramelize, stirring frequently, until darker red in color.
4. Add the Beyond Beef, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Break up into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until lightly browned and liquid has evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Pour in the wine and simmer until completely reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the juice from the canned tomatoes; add the tomatoes with your hands, crushing them as you add them to the pot (or crush in a separate bowl). Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened and the flavors have married, about 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain.
7. Meanwhile, make the Cashew Cream. Drain soaked cashews and add to a high-powered blender or food processor, along with water, lemon juice, salt, and nutritional yeast. Blend until uniformly creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides as you go.
8. Add ¼ to ½ cup of the cashew cream to the bolognese and gently simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, and adding a bit of water as needed.
9. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Finish with the balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Add cooked pasta to the bolognese and toss until well coated in the sauce. Finish with slivered basil and vegan parmesan.
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MY COOKBOOK: The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook: Wholesome, Indulgent Plant-Based Recipes!

*90+ delicious vegan recipes made in the Instant Pot*
*With tons of gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and refined-sugar-free options
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*IN THIS VIDEO*
Favorite balsamic vinegars

*MY KITCHEN ESSENTIALS*

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WANT MORE DELICIOUS VEGAN RECIPES & INSPIRATION?

[RainbowPlantLife]

If you enjoy the family panel of taste testers, be sure to check out my recent brownies and hummus videos :)

[ferrydrums]

Please, feature your family more, they are so funny! I've only been vegan for 4 months but I have to agree with your parents already, I'll choose a lentil bolognese over beyond beef every time. Plus, they are much more healthy!

[jocelynmireault]

Okay no joke, I made this tonight with components from both recipes. One of them being the addition of cashew cream. At the end of the recipe I go to grab the cashew cream from the fridge that I had made that morning. As I am measuring it out I'm wondering why it is so much thicker than it was when I made it in the morning. I figure it must be what it does when refrigerated, so I proceed to add it to the sauce. I mix it in and go to put the the container back in the fridge only to get some "cream" on my finger. I lick it and realize to my heart dropping horror that it was the hummus I had also made that morning. :( so anyways I just continue on, I taste it to see what the hummus did to my poor sauce. To my surprise it was still pretty tasty! Nisha, you have a bullet proof recipe the even when I'm on edibles I can still make a mean bolognese. Thank you!

[someguy]

Came for the brownies, stayed for the other amazing recipes. Happy xmas to my favorite chef! I've had this lentil bolognese and it was exquisite!

[lillikins]

“If you’re brown you know that everyone’s your auntie” I felt that lol

[jueatsplants]

Any video featuring your parents is a gift to us... their commentary cannot be topped 😂
Also can't wait to try out these recipes! I haven't had bolognese since going vegan 2.5 years ago so I'm eager to make it!

[jpe]

I’ve made the lentil bolognese many times since you first shared the recipe with us, and made it for guests twice, and it’s proven to be a true “go to” recipe that is quick, easy, and always delicious. My husband makes the fettuccine from scratch, using good quality semolina wheat, and I had already, on my own, experimented with using Beyond Beef instead of lentils (I cook with Beyond Beef all the time, I usually have a pound or two in the freezer, it’s a direct substitute for most any recipe that calls for ground beef) but, like your parents said, for this recipe the lentils are the right answer. I’m going to try red wine instead of vegetable broth the next time I make it, see how that changes it.
Thank you for all the great recipes, and thank you for the wonderfully upbeat and encouraging videos on how to make them.
Tomorrow night I’m going to make your tomato and white bean casserole, trying it for the first time.

[NatalieWisler]

I love these types of videos because it proves that you don’t have to be rich to be vegan!! It’s such a false narrative that people pass around-and these videos help break that and show the truth ❤️ love it!

[nehas]

your dad is seriously hilarious! "burn up the van" LOL

[Sarah-unvk]

I love everything about this video! Your facial expressions and humor, your cooking tips, your family and family friends! So much wholesome and funny goodness.

[KaueKaueKaueComEeEeE]

I started being vegetarian/vegan recently and this lentils Bolognese is making my transition waaaay smoother.
Thank you soooo mich

[cleonawallace]

Omg your parents are so adorable!! I live in Italy, and while my bolognese is probably not authentic at all (being from UK and vegetarian), I've been taught to start with soffritto, which is finally chopped onion, carrot and celery. I do feel quite lucky to have fancy pants pasta waaay cheaper here, but honestly I'd swap it for Indian food any day (shhhh!)

[zlypy]

I LOVE the way you explain each ingredient and cooking process. You're my favorite channel to watch for that reason. Makes cooking so approachable!

[victoriaprevitt]

Having made your lentil bolognese, I'm biased in favor of that because my whole family loves it!

[pia]

I love how you really are adding every small ingredient to the budget! I often see recipes where oil and spices are not taken into account :)

[litcara]

I made the pantry one with red wine and omg. It just was so good, gave me so much comfort as a new vegan😍 thank you so much for your recipies ! It’s just amazing

[melissabridge]

First off... I love the family panel. Your parents are so cute!!! I use the beyond burger meat for Boglanais sauce.(My husband is a meat eater fyi and doesn't even know.) Learned from an Italian women when we lived in Italy for 2 years. She tought me to take canned tomatoes, drain the liquid into a pan and simmer with seasoning, and roast the tomatoes in the oven to carmilize them. OMG !! The umamai overload is huge pay off. She used red wine in the sauce, we were drinking with the meal.

[sshyam]

Haha! Love it that your parents are so supportive. Cracking up at that comment your dad made about your mom not wanting vegan food behind your back!

[dlsgl]

This is a fantastic concept - more videos in this theme please! (your parents are hilarious)

[musicismylove]

"I love it because my daughter made it" I'M NOT CRYINGGGG.