One Vegetable Is The Easiest Meat-Free Swap For Bolognese

Bolognese is a classic favorite — a hearty, meaty tomato sauce bursting with umami that suits any type of pasta. If you're looking for a plant-based substitute for the ground beef that distinguishes bolognese from marinara or pomodoro, look no further than the simple mushroom. Mushrooms are as rich or richer in umami flavor than ground beef and they provide a similar meaty chew. Numerous types of mushrooms will work in bolognese, from the economical white mushroom to the more exclusive chicken-flavored king oyster mushroom. 

Mushrooms cook even more quickly than ground beef, especially when you dice them. We often turn to finely diced white mushrooms when we make mushroom bolognese in an instant pot. You'll want to sautee the mushrooms along with diced aromatics and carrots as the foundation for the liquid ingredients like balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, and vegetable broth. Even if you don't have an instant pot, you can still use a deep saute pan or saucepan and let it bubble away for a few hours to develop depth of flavor. White mushrooms are widely available and cost-effective, but cremini, shiitake, and baby bellas have a meatier chew and deeper umami flavors.

Not only are mushrooms the meat-free swap your bolognese needs to make it vegan, but other plant-based swaps are also important to fully develop the meaty, umami-rich, and cheesy flavors the pasta dish is known for. An example would be swapping Worcestershire sauce (a complementary seasoning for beef in lasagna bolognese) for vegan-friendly soy sauce or gluten-free tamari. Fermented soy offers the same funky umami found in the anchovy-laden Worcestershire sauce, amplifying the earthy notes from the mushrooms.

This mushroom-based sauce can also replicate the meaty chew of traditional bolognese with the addition of savory, crunchy diced walnuts. Walnuts and mushrooms are a popular duo that bring savoriness and heartiness to plant-based versions of recipes like cabbage rolls, meatballs, and veggie burgers. While parmesan may not be an ingredient in the bolognese sauce, it's an important garnish for most pasta dishes. That said, parmesan isn't plant-based, and in many cases, may not even be vegetarian. Luckily, nutritional yeast is a healthy, nutritious completely plant-based alternative that tastes similar to parmesan cheese. It'll dissolve into your mushroom bolognese sauce, imparting a sharp, salty, nutty boost to round out your pasta dish.