A delicious vegan spin on a traditional Italian dish will make everyone around the dinner table say "YUM!" You're going to love it!
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup dry red wine, merlot, or cabernet
1 24-ounce jar of Marinara Sauce
14.5-ounces Crushed Tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2/3 cup water
1 cup meatless ground crumbles, we love Lightlife Smart Ground for this dish!
12 ounces rigatoni or penne pasta
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley or basil- for garnish
Melt the vegan butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add the bell pepper, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne to the pot and cook until the vegetables are mostly tender; 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the wine and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the marinara sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Cook, occasionally stirring, until the sauce begins to simmer, then reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer gently for about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the meatless crumbles and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.
Meanwhile, prepare the pasta as directed on the package. Then drain the pasta and add it to the bolognese sauce, tossing to coat.
Plate and garnish each serving with basil or parsley, if desired.
