Bean Bolognese Recipes

VEGAN BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the chopped onions and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften.
• Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Don't add too much as you will be adding soy sauce later for color.
• Then add dry italian seasonings and crushed red pepper, if using. Mix well and add a bit more olive oil if pan looks dry.
• Add minced garlic and stir until fragrant.
• Next add the dry TVP, and stir to coat evenly with onion, carrot and spice mixture.
• Then add the soy sauce, which will give the TVP great flavor, and a bit darker color.
• Pan will be dry, so quickly add the cup of vegetable broth to rehydrate the tvp.
• Stir to coat all the tvp well, scraping the sides of the pan if needed.
• Let simmer for a minute or two.
• Next add your can of tomato paste, mix well and cook for a minute or two before adding the large can of crushed tomatoes.
• As sauce begins to bubble, be sure to stir in the tomato paste into the crushed tomatoes.
• Reduce heat to low, and simmer while you cook pasta.
• Cook whole wheat pasta in a large pot f boiling salted water for 7-9 minutes, or until al dente.
• Drain pasta and place in large serving bowl.
• Top with bolognese sauce, chopped fresh basil or parsley and serve.

VEGAN BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Pour 400ml boiling water over the dried porcini and leave for 10 mins until hydrated. Meanwhile pour 1 tbsp oil into a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring for 10 mins until soft. Remove the porcini from the liquid, keeping the mushroomy stock and roughly chop. Set both aside.
• Add the garlic and thyme to the pan. Cook for 1 min then stir in the tomato purée and cook for a min more. Pour in the red wine, if using, cook until nearly reduced, then add the lentils, reserved mushroom stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and leave to simmer with a lid on.
• Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan. Add the remaining oil, then tip in the chestnut, portobello and rehydrated mushrooms. Fry until all the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are deep golden brown. Pour in the soy sauce. Give everything a good mix, then scrape the mushrooms into the lentil mixture.
• Stir in the Marmite and continue to cook the ragu, stirring occasionally, over a low-medium heat for 30-45 mins until the lentils are cooked and the sauce is thick and reduced, adding extra water if necessary. Remove the thyme sprigs and season to taste.
• Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salted water for 1 min less than packet instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving a ladleful of pasta water, then toss the spaghetti in the sauce, using a little of the starchy liquid to loosen up the ragu slightly so that the pasta clings to the sauce. Serve topped with fresh basil and some black pepper.

THE BEST BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Combine the beef and pork in a large bowl. "Pull" the ground meat apart with two forks as if you were shredding pulled pork, breaking up the clumps and incorporating the meat without compacting it. Continue to pull the meat apart until thoroughly mixed and no clumps remain.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Cook the pancetta, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and is golden brown on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the pancetta with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Spread half of the ground meat in an even layer in the pot and cook undisturbed until lightly golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, breaking up any clumps with the back of a spoon and scraping up any browned bits from the pot, until the meat is lightly browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the browned meat with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the pancetta, leaving the fat in the pot. Repeat with the remaining ground meat.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, celery, carrots, onions, bay leaf, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant and brick red, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil and cook until it reduces and thickens and no smell of alcohol remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the stock, milk and browned meat.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add the Parmesan rind and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated away and the mixture resembles sloppy joes, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. There shouldn't be any rapid bubbles while cooking. Instead, the sauce should release occasional small bubbles. If you have a small burner you should use it; the larger burners even at their lowest setting might cook the sauce too quickly. If the sauce reduces too quickly, add 1/2 cup of stock or water and continue cooking; repeat if necessary. The sauce needs the full 2 to 2 1/2 hour cook time to develop the flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Use the back of a spoon to break up any remaining clumps of meat for an even-textured sauce. Season with salt and keep warm.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta. If using fresh pasta, cook about 3 minutes. If using dry, cook until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions.
• Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and transfer to the sauce. Increase the heat to medium, bring the sauce to a simmer and cook, tossing the pasta constantly, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce is slightly thickened, adding pasta cooking liquid if necessary, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the pasta to a platter and top with grated Parmesan.

VEGAN SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Soak the beans in plenty of water overnight. Drain and rinse the beans the next day before cooking.
• Gently fry the onion and garlic in a large saucepan until softened.
• Add the celery and carrots, then cook for another 10 minutes.
• Turn up the heat, add the mushrooms and fry over a high heat for 5 minutes.
• Add the wine and let the mixture sizzle for about 5 minutes.
• Add the beans, then the passata, stock and salt.
• Stir well and let the bolognese read a bubbling point. Lower the heat and let it slowly simmer.
• Cook slowly for around 90 minutes or until the beans are cooked and the flavours have developed.
• [Optional] Add the sugar to help with the acidity of the dish and splash of milk to take the edge off it.
• Serve with pasta, vegan parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

BEAN BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• 1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Mash 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl with a fork. 2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and bay leaf; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add wine; increase heat to high and boil until most of the liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes (with juices), 2 tablespoons parsley and the mashed beans. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Add the remaining whole beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. 3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions. Drain. 4. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls. Top with the sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining parsley.

BEAN BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• 1. Put a large pot of water on to boil Mash 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl with a fork. 2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened about 10 minutes. Add garlic and bay leaf; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add wine; increase heat to high and boil until most of the liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes (with juices), 2 tablespoons parsley and the mashed beans. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Add the remaining whole beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. 3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in the poiling water until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions. Drain. 4. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls. Top with the sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining parsley.

BEAN BOLOGNESE--EATING WELL

Steps:

• Put a large pot of water on to boil. Mash 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl with a fork.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add garlic and bay leaf; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add wine; increase heat to high and boil until most of the liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and their juices, 2 tablespoons parsley and the mashed beans. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar if you like. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes.
• Add the remaining whole beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.
• Divide the pasta among 4 bowls. Discard the bay leaf and top the pasta with the sauce. You can also just mix the pasta and sauce and divide into servings. Serve with remaining parmesan and parsley.

GREEN BEAN AND CORN ALMONDINE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) deep skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add green beans and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and toss to evenly coat in the oil. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover and steam until beans are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter and corn, and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn and green beans are tender and glazed in the sauce, 4 to 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs, and season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer beans and corn to a large platter and spoon over any remaining sauce. Garnish with the toasted almonds and more black pepper.