Description
A hearty and healthy Vegetarian Bolognese that comes together in a cinch. This Hearty Vegetarian Bolognese tastes like it has been simmering on the stove all day but comes together easily in under 20 minutes. This nutrient-packed tomato sauce is meaty, saucy, kinda chunky and will be sure to please the whole family!
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 grams/16 oz spaghetti
- 1 tbsp olive oil OR 1/4 cup vegetable stock
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 3 – 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 – 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 eggplant, chopped into 1/2 inch/1 1/2 cm cubes*
- 4 cups plain tomato sauce/pureed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup tomato puree
- 1 heaping cup frozen spinach OR 6 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- Hot sauce to taste (optional)
- Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
- Reserved Pasta water (optional – if you prefer a thinner sauce)
Instructions
- Boil water in a large pot and cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the package. Cook the pasta while making the sauce.
- On medium-high heat, heat up a large pan with either 1 tbsp oil or 1/4 cup vegetable broth.
- Add chopped garlic and onions to the hot oil with the spices (oregano, basil and cayenne) and stir it around until the onions and garlic begin to brown (about 2 minutes).
- Add chopped eggplant with a pinch of sea salt (helps to bring out the liquid in the eggplant) to the hot pan. Stir it around until the eggplant begins to reduce and soften (about 4 minutes).
- Once the eggplant is softened, add the plain tomato sauce and tomato puree to the eggplant mixture. Stir and allow the tomato sauce to heat up and simmer before adding the spinach (about 3 minutes).
- Add the spinach to the tomato sauce. Simmer and stir the tomato sauce until the spinach is completely mixed in. Simmer the tomato sauce and add a bit of the pasta water if it is getting too thick.
- Add optional chili flakes, hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot on top of the hot spaghetti noodles!
Notes
1) This dish makes great leftovers! Lasts for a day or two in the fridge in a sealed container.
2) Make sure your spaghetti noodles are gluten-free if necessary.
3) Use 2 medium zucchinis OR 4 cups of chopped mushrooms instead of the eggplant.
4) Replace herbs used in this sauce for 3 tsp herbes de provence for a different flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 111mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 93g
- Fiber: 11g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 0mg