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The Urben Life
The Urben Life

October 6, 2025

This tofu bolognese recipe features savory crumbled tofu in a rich tomato sauce. It's full of flavor, has a variety of texture, and is easy to make. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner! Bolognese is a classic Italian sauce that uses ground meat (often ground beef, pork, or veal), soffritto (a vegetable mixture of diced onion, carrot, and celery), tomato, and milk. Our vegan version is just as tasty and filling as the traditional recipe, but uses chunks of tofu as a plant based alternative. If you like this meal idea, try more of my vegan recipes next!

14 Ingredients
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Tofu Bolognese
Tofu Bolognese
Tofu Bolognese
Tofu Bolognese
Tofu Bolognese cover
From the Cook
From the Cook
From the Cook
From the Cook
1/5

Tofu Bolognese

Ingredients

servings
0 allergens identified

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Instructions

1
|
Press the tofu for at least 30 minutes to remove the excess liquid. Warm olive oil in a dutch oven or large stockpot and add tofu. Crumble the tofu with your fingers as you place it in the pot. Cook the tofu over medium heat, continuing to break it apart. Stir in soy sauce once cooked to your preferred doneness.
2
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Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Let cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3
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Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, stir to combine, then lower to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4
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Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Before straining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
5
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Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and give everything a big stir. Add ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to the sauce to thicken it up. Continue adding reserved pasta water until the sauce thickens and sticks to the noodles.
6
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Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Before serving, top with a generous amount of fresh chopped basil.

Smart Nutrition

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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