Veg-Packed Spaghetti Bolognese

Bolognese 

• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 stick celery, finely sliced
• ½ red pepper, cored and diced
• 1 medium courgette, chopped in half lengthways then sliced
• 100g/4oz mushrooms, chopped
• 225g/8oz vegan mince
• 2 x 400g/14 oz tins plum tomatoes or chopped tomatoes or 400ml/14 fl oz passata
• 125ml/4 fl oz vegan red wine (use alcohol-free if preferred or 125ml boiling water)
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp vegan syrup (eg agave or maple) or 2 tsp sugar (optional)
• 1 vegan stock cube dissolved in a tiny amount of boiling water
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 handfuls of fresh basil, stalks removed and finely chopped or use 3 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp tahini or nut butter (optional – to create a richer, creamier sauce)

Serving

• 400g wholewheat spaghetti, cooked according to instructions on packet
• 8 tbsp vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast
• Fresh basil for garnish

Tip: if you’d prefer to use lentils instead of vegan mince then use 2 x 400g tins green or brown lentils, drained and rinsed, then add them to the bolognese 10 minutes before the end of cooking time.