One pot vegan bolognese

This whole delicious meal, packed with vegetables and meat-free mince, can be made in a single pot - yes, even the pasta! If you've got a saucepan and 30 minutes, you can make this flavour-packed one pot vegan bolognese.

Sometimes, speedy pasta dishes can lack depth of flavour, but the trick here is to use jarred pasta sauce / marinara sauce alongside plenty of tasty veg. This introduces tomatoes and herbs that have already been reduced to a thick ragu, meaning they lend plenty of flavour.

To make this dish, you'll start by softening garlic, onions and oregano, before adding the meat-free mince and frying until heated through. Next, you'll add diced courgette, sliced peppers and grated carrot and sweat.

From there, you'll simply stir in pasta sauce, pile the dried linguine on top, cover with boiling water, pop the lid on the pan and simmer for 12 minutes. That really is all it takes to make one pot veggie pasta.

Here's the full recipe. Enjoy!

Instructions

Warm the oil in a large pan on a medium heat, then add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.

Add the onion, oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Fry another 2-3 mins until the onions are beginning to soften.

Add the mince. 

Stir through and fry for about 3 minutes (or until heated through, if frozen).

Add the peppers, courgette, carrot.

Stir well and fry for 5 minutes until the veggies just start to soften.

Add the pasta sauce.

Stir through.

Drop the linguine on top, twisting as you drop it into the pan. This stops it sticking together as it cooks.

Add 500ml boiling water. 

Bring to boil, put on lid, simmer for 5 minutes, stir, then simmer for a further 5-7 minutes. Stir and season to taste.

Serve and enjoy.

This one pot veggie pasta is also delicious with a scattering of plant-based hard cheese.

Let me know how you get on!

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect one pot vegan bolognese

Is one pot vegan bolognese easy to make?

This is a super easy recipe! You'll be cooking everything in one pot, which makes making and washing up a breeze. It's also quick. This vegan bolognese can be on the table in about 30 minutes with all the ingredients cooking together to create a rich tasty sauce and pasta in one.

Traditional ragu sauces are slow-cooked for a long time to create that distinctive deep flavour, which I wholeheartedly recommend trying out when you have the time. But for in-a-hurry days, this recipe is great. It uses jars of pasta sauce (marinara) to help create that deep flavour effect with much less time and effort.

This recipe serves 6 and is always a winner when the kids have friends over for dinner, or reheated the next day for an easy working lunch.

Will I need any special equipment for this one pot vegan bolognese?

You really will make this whole recipe in just one pot - pasta and sauce!

Make sure you have a lidded pan or pot large enough to hold all the veggies and sauce, and for the linguine to fit in flat, fanned out on top. Everything else you need should be easy to find in most kitchens, such as a chopping board and knife, weighing scales, and a grater.

There is a full list of suggested equipment on the recipe card towards the bottom of this post.

How can I tell if dried oregano has gone off?

Adding dried herbs to recipes like this is such an easy way to bring flavour to a dish but there's no point adding in sad old dried herbs that have lost all their oomph.

Check the Best Before date on your oregano, and make sure it's been stored correctly somewhere cool, dry, and out of direct sunlight. Over time, the oregano will fade in colour and lose its taste, so check to see what it looks like, then give it a sniff.

You should be able to easily smell the aromatic herb. If you want to test it more thoroughly, rub a little between your fingers and see if the herbs still smell. If they look pale and grey, and lack taste or smell then it's time to get a new pot.

Is this one pot bologense suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

I've made this recipe using solely plant-based ingredients so if you do the same it will be suitable for both vegans and vegetarians.

If are vegan or cooking for vegans, it's important to check labels, particularly on the pasta sauce you want to use as well as the vegan mince as some vegetarian brands contain egg. Check the linguine too as some are made with egg.

Make sure you also check the labels on anything extra you intend to serve the recipe with, such as a dusting of vegan hard cheese.

Is this one pot vegan bolognese gluten-free?

Made exactly as directed, this recipe is not gluten-free because of the linguine and depending on the pasta sauce and vegan mince you use, these may not be gluten-free either.

You can easily make a gluten-free version of this recipe by using gluten-free linguine, and checking the pasta sauce and vegan mince are also gluten-free. You might need to adjust the timings as some gluten free pastas take more or less time to cook than their wheat equivalents.

Double check all of your ingredients labels to make sure that they are gluten-free. Don't forget to also check anything extra you intend to serve the recipe with.

Is this vegan one-pot bolognese recipe keto-friendly?

No, this recipe is too high in carbohydrates due to the linguine and tomato-based sauce to be workable for a keto diet.

Is this one-pot vegan bolognese healthy?

This one-pot vegan bolognese is a great mid week dinner to have as part of a healthy balanced diet. You'll get plenty of energy from the pasta, protein from the vegan mince and vitamins and minerals from the fresh veggies.

If you want to have a look at some more detailed nutritional information about this recipe, you'll find it at the bottom of the recipe card below. All figures are estimates based on publicly available data.

Is one-pot vegan bolognese safe to eat while pregnant?

There's nothing in this recipe that would usually pose a risk to a pregnant woman.

Wash the veggies before preparing them. Make sure all the ingredients are in good condition and this meal is prepared safely and hygienically.

A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.

Is one-pot vegan bolognese suitable for babies and toddlers?

This recipe is made using ready made pasta sauce which often contain more than the recommended daily allowance of salt and sugar for babies and young children. If you are making this for young children or babies, used tinned tomatoes rather than jarred sauce and don't add any salt. The NHS explains why salt should be avoided. 

Always give food at an appropriate size and shape for your baby or child. Cut small, round foods, like grapes and cherry tomatoes, into small pieces.

Always keep babies supported upright while eating and supervise your baby when they’re eating in case they start to choke.

A Mummy Too does not give medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns please speak to a health professional.

The NHS has some fantastic resources on their website on what to feed babies and young children.

What goes well with this one-pot vegan bolognese?

The magic of this recipe is that it's a whole meal cooked in one pot! If you have them, add some fresh basil leaves to the top when you serve, and perhaps some grated plant-based cheese.

If you do like a few extra things on the side or are stretching this out to feed more people, then why not serve with a lovely leafy salad? A little dish of olives to nibble on or some vegan garlic bread would be great too.

Can I make this recipe without linguine?

I recommend using linguine in this recipe because it's sturdy enough not to lose its shape in the pasta, yet not so broad that it wants to stick together during cooking.

If you don't have linguine, you could try pici or spaghetti, adjusting the cooking times as indicated on the packet. Avoid long, flat pastas such as fettuccine or tagliatelle as they will likely stick together.

Any small pasta shapes, like penne, rigatoni or fusilli should also work, just be mindful the pasta might stick together if left in a mass at the top of the pan. Instead stir them straight into the sauce with the boiling water, stirring again halfway through, and cook until the pasta is done.

I haven’t got peppers can I use a different vegetable?

If you don't have any peppers one of the easiest things to do would be to add an extra courgette and an extra carrot to replace them. However, this might make the meal a little plain.

You can of course used different vegetables too, such as mushrooms or spinach - see just below for some ideas.

Can I add extra or different veggies to this recipe?

A great way to add at least one extra veggie to this recipe would be to finely dice a stick of celery and cook it with the onion. I'd say it's best to stick to the amounts of vegetables in the recipe otherwise the ratio of sauce will be off. But you can of course play around with the types of vegetables you put in.

Whatever you choose, chop them quite small so they cook quickly and stick to 2 or 3 different types. Other alternative vegetables you can use could be aubergine or mushrooms, broccoli florets or cavolo nero. Have a look in the fridge and see what combinations you can come up with.

How should I store this vegan bolognese?

Any leftovers of this vegan bolognese need to be cooled and then put straight into the fridge with 2 hours of making. Make sure to cover well or transfer into a sealed container.

How long does this one-pot vegan bolognese keep?

If covered well and placed in the fridge within two hours of making, this vegan bolognese will keep up to 3 days.

The pasta will continue to absorb moisture from the sauce so will go a bit softer over time.

Can I leave this vegan bolognese out on the counter?

No, it's not safe to leave dishes like this vegan bolognese out on the counter other than for serving and cooling. Cool any leftovers and get them into the fridge as soon as you can - certainly within 2 hours of cooking.

Can I make one-pot vegan bolognese ahead?

For me, pasta is best served freshly cooked and as this one-pot recipe only takes half an hour there's not much you can get done ahead.

You could make the sauce without the pasta, if you like, and then boil the pasta later. If you do this, you'll need much less water as it won't be being absorbed by the dried pasta.

Can I keep this vegan bolognese in the refrigerator?

Yes, any leftovers need to be kept in the fridge as soon as they are cooled to keep them fresh.

Can I freeze this one-pot vegan bolognese?

Personally, I don't usually freeze pasta because by the time it's thawed and been reheated the pasta goes a bit too soft for me and sometimes breaks up (I've included tips on reheating to limit this below).

Another thing to look out for is the mince you've used as some are not suitable for home freezing, so check the label on yours. Other than that, this recipe freezes well, so it's up to you.

Divide any leftovers into portions, if you can - re-useable freezer bags or small containers work well. Label with the date and what's inside.

This vegan bolognese will keep in the freezer for up to three months. Once thawed consume within 24 hours, and don't reheat again or refreeze.

What is the best way to reheat vegan bolognese?

When it comes to reheating this vegan bolognese, the pasta will go a bit softer as it has continued to soak up moisture from the sauce and heating it will increase this. You can of course enjoy this cold if you like.

To reheat in the microwave, transfer your bolognese into microwave-safe bowls and loosely cover. Heat on full power for 2-4 minutes, stirring gently halfway through. If, at this half-way stage, your pasta is too stuck together to stir without breaking it up, I like to add a splash of freshly boiled water to loosen. Make sure food is hot right through before serving.

This bolognese can also be reheated in a pan. This is a good option if you have quite a lot to reheat. Pile the pasta and sauce into a suitably sized pan, the one you cooked it in might be a bit big if you're only reheating a small amount.

Heat on the hob over a medium heat, stirring regularly. Try to let it warm and relax before stirring too vigorously as this will just break the pasta apart. You might need to add a few tablespoons of freshly boiled water to loosen everything if the pasta seems stuck together or the sauce is sticking to the pan. It should take about 10 minutes to warm through on the hob. Make sure the pasta and sauce are piping hot.

Leftovers should only be reheated once, anything left after this should be discarded.

Can I make this one-pot vegan bolognese in a different quantity?

If you want to make more or less of this recipe then go right ahead. You will need to consider the pan size if you want to make more of this vegan bolognese. I use my largest pot and this is big enough to hold enough 6 servings. If you're going bigger, you'll probably need to use a stock pot.

Look for the recipe card below. You'll see the servings number shown near the top left. To change this to the number you want to make, just click on it or hover over it (depending on your device) and a little slider will pop up. You can move the slider up or down to get the desired number of servings.

All the ingredient quantities will update automatically for you so that everything is in the right ratios.

Can I make this vegan bolognese with a food processor?

I wouldn't usually get the food processor out for this recipe. Though you could use it to finely dice the veggies and even to grate the carrot, if you have the right fitting.

Textures can be an issue for some kids, so finely dicing in a food processor could be helping. Don't puree them though as this will give you a sickly looking paste. Just use the pulse button to cut the veggies down in bursts until you have pieces a similar size to your mince.

How can I make sure this vegan bolognese is perfectly cooked?

A little preparation at the start will make this vegan bolognese come together beautifully. I find it helpful to read the whole recipe, then get all the weighing and chopping out of the way before I start cooking. That way, everything is on hand ready to go in the pan.

If you want to save a bit of time, you could chop the ingredients in the order they are added. So you'd chop and add the garlic and onion to the pan first, then whilst they are sweating, grate the carrot and cut up the courgette and pepper ready to add it. It's a good idea to cut the vegetables into fairly small pieces so they cook quickly.

If you are multitasking like this, just be sure you don't take your eye off the pan and things can easily burn.

When you add the vegan mince and cook with the onions, this only needs to be done until it has warmed through - timing will depend on if you're using frozen or chilled mince. Unlike beef mince, plant-based mince doesn't usually need to be browned (an exception is Meatless Farm, which is best cooked a bit more like meat).

Now it's time to add the rest of the veg. Give them 5 minutes or so to soften before adding in the sauce. Give everything a really good stir before adding the linguine.

A key step with the pasta is not to just dump it all in the pan in one pile as it will stick together. Hold the linguine horizontally above the pan, drop a few strands in then turn your hand and drop a few more. Keep twisting and layering up in this way until you have a fan of linguine on the top. Add the boiling water and put the lid on so the pot can simmer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes the pasta should be just soft enough to be able to stir into the sauce, then continue to simmer for 5-7 minutes until the sauce has thickened up and the pasta is cooked to your liking.

Why did the linguine in my vegan bolognese turn out hard and uncooked?

With all the sauce and water in this recipe, it should be enough to cook the pasta.

The linguine I used has a recommended cooking time of 10 minutes for al dente. The recipe cooks for slightly longer than this as the pasta can take a bit more time to read al dent when it's cooked with the sauce. Check the packet and adjust your cooking times as needed. If you're using wholewheat pasta this might take longer to cook so you will need to simmer the pan until the pasta is done.

It's also important to use boiling water to top up the pan after the pasta is added. If you've used cold water this will cool the sauce down, and take longer to come back up to a simmering temperature, which can make the pasta soggy or chalky rather than pleasantly cooked.

Make sure you have the lid off during cooking. If you don't, too much moisture will be lost as steam. If you think your sauce is drying out before the pasta is cooking, just add a splash more boiling water.

Why did my vegan bolognese turn out really wet?

Make sure to use boiling water to add in after the linguine to help maintain the temperature in the pan. It needs to be simmering well to cook the pasta properly.

As the pan simmers and cooks the linguine it should be absorbing a lot of the liquid in the pan as well as releasing starches into the sauce which will naturally thicken it. Simmer the pan with the lid off for a few more minutes, if you need to, to help the sauce reduce a little.

How can I add/change the flavours in this vegan bolognese?

The easiest way to change the flavours of this recipe is to use a different pasta sauce - an arrabbiata sauce could be amazing if you're a fan of spice, just remember to check the label if you need to keep this dish vegan as some sauces contain milk or cheese.

You also could try changing the vegetables. Mushrooms or aubergine work well, so see what you have in the fridge.

For a change of protein, you could give vegan meatballs a go instead of using mince. And perhaps use wholewheat linguine for a more nutty flavour, though this might take a little longer to cook so check the packet.

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If you enjoyed this recipe then you'll likely also enjoy my delicious tagliatelle verdi recipe too.

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