TVP Bolognese Pasta Sauce Recipe (Vegan, High Protein)
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Jump to RecipeThis TVP Bolognese Pasta Sauce is packed with flavor! With aromatic garlic, basil, & white wine you won’t miss the meat in this hearty pasta sauce.
Serve with vegan garlic knots, a chopped salad, and a generous glass of vino. You’ll have a restaurant-quality dinner ready at home in no time!
We love this hearty flavorful TVP spaghetti sauce! I make a huge batch of TVP meat sauce about once a month, and add TVP (textured vegetable protein) which has the consistency of ground beef but is totally 100% plant based. And let me tell you… we have a WINNING recipe right here.
What Is TVP – Textured Vegetable Protein?
TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) are small bits of soy protein, which has a very similar texture as ground beef.
Because of this, TVP is really versatile to use in place of real meat. We use TVP in soups and stews, for taco filling, and in lasagnas. TVP is a great pantry-staple protein, and it lasts a long time.
This TVP Bolognese Sauce Is:
- Hearty
- Satisfying
- Bright
- Herby
- Loaded with flavor
- High protein
- Low sodium
- Vegan, dairy free, vegetarian
Make TVP Meat Sauce Vegan for a Plant-Based Version
This vegan TVP Meat Sauce recipe is a simple way to get extra veggies in your diet. I’m all about making recipes plant-based when I can. Vegan cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right. By building meals around vegan pantry staples and swapping in a few plant-based ingredients you can make better meals for you and your family.
I made a list of my 125 favorite vegan pantry ingredients that we use on a weekly basis, and check out all my vegan recipes here that are on The Herbeevore. These easy and tasty recipes are fantastic meatless and dairy free meals for your table.
A Vegan Substitute for Ground Beef
TVP is a high-protein plant based alternative to ground beef. A lot of companies make “fake meat” ground beef, which admittedly are yummy, but are loaded with sodium, preservatives, and chemicals.
I like to use TVP instead because the only ingredient is soy protein, and I can add any spices, seasonings, or salt myself. I use TVP in my TVP Tacos recipe, TVP meatballs, and even a TVP ground ‘sausage’ that is totally plant based!
What’s In This TVP Pasta Sauce Recipe
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
- TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
- Diced Tomatoes
- Onions
- Extra virgin olive oil
- White Wine
- Basil
- Italian Seasoning Blend: usually has thyme, basil, rosemary, parsley, etc. I love this bright and flavorful Italian season mix which brings this amazing dish to life.
- Sea salt and black pepper
This sauce is great over spaghetti or rigatoni with a side of garlic bread. You can also use this sauce in a lasagna instead of normal tomato sauce. Any recipe that calls for tomato sauce can use this awesome delish plant based TVP sauce instead.
How Do I Make This TVP Bolognese?
- In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic and onion, and sauté on low from 7 or 8 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
- Add the wine and simmer for 10 minutes until the wine begins to reduce.
- Meanwhile, boil the 2 cups of water. In a separate bowl, mix the dry TVP, onion powder, and Italian seasonings. Add the boiling water to the TVP, stir, and cover for 5 minutes until the water is absorbed.
- Now, the fun part: crushing tomatoes by hand! Open can of tomatoes and crush each one by hand while still submerged in the juices. That way the tomatoes won’t splatter everywhere while you crush.
- Add the TVP and tomatoes to Dutch oven and reduce on low heat for 30 minutes until sauce begins to thicken. Top off the sauce with fresh basil, and stir. Pour over pasta of choice!
Serve This TVP Bolognese Sauce With:
Easy Vegan Tofu Lasagna (Dairy Free, High Protein)
The Best Italian TVP Meatballs (Dairy Free, Vegan)
Garlic Lover’s Baked Garlic Bread (Vegan, Gluten Free Option)
Cheese-y Eggplant Bake (Keto, Vegetarian)
Sheet Pan Pasta Bake with Mozzarella and Lemon (Vegetarian)
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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
TVP Bolognese Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 10 cloves garlic minced
- 2 sweet onion diced
- 2 cups white wine
- 2 28 ounce cans can whole tomatoes crushed
- 1 cups water
- 1 cups Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic and onion, and saute on low from 7 or 8 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
- Add the wine and simmer for 10 minutes until the wine begins to reduce.
- Meanwhile, boil the 2 cups of water. In a seperate bowl, mix the dry TVP, onion powder, and Italian seasonings. Add the boiling water to the TVP, stir, and cover for 5 minutes until the water is absorbed.
- Add the TVP and diced/crushed tomatoes to Dutch oven and reduce on low heat for 30 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
- Top off the sauce with fresh basil, and stir. Pour over pasta of choice!
Nutrition
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My very first time working with TVP, I followed the recipe EXACTLY (added salt to taste) and the whole family is in love! Even my meat-eaters in the house! Success!
Hi Cristin – I’m so happy to hear it was a hit! TVP is super versatile, and this is a fantastic intro recipe to enjoy it in! Thank you for rating 🙂
– Kelly
Great eating in this recipe WOW
What is the serving size?
Mmmmmmmm. Love it!