Vegan Bolognese with Carrots, Mushrooms, and Rhubarb
Our vegan Bolognese is not only made from carrots and mushrooms, it also contains rhubarb. You can enjoy it with the pasta of your choice and fresh herbs
For the sauce
Cut the carrots in half and slice. Put the carrots in a saucepan with the rhubarb and the rest of the ingredients listed for the sauce and simmer covered for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally.
Continue with the next step while the sauce is cooking.
The authors use 3 tablespoons of garlic-infused olive oil for 4 servings, which we have replaced with 1½ tablespoons of olive oil.
You can replace oregano with the same amount of mixed Italian herbs.
For the meat substitute
Wash the mushrooms and cut into small cubes. Heat a nonstick pan without oil. Add the diced mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Meanwhile, prepare the pasta (Step 4).
Add the soy sauce and olive oil to the mushrooms. Simmer for 1 minute while stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cover to keep warm.
For 4 servings, the authors use 2 tablespoons of garlic oil and 2 tablespoons of vegan butter. We have replaced this with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. We have also halved the amount of soy sauce. See “Tips” for more information on reducing salt and oil.
We have used a low-sodium soy sauce (genen shoyu) instead of the gluten-free tamari soy sauce used in the original recipe.
Prepare the pasta of your choice
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Before draining, take about a ladle of pasta water (for four servings) and set aside for the sauce.
Use the pasta of your choice and make the amount that you prefer.
Finishing the sauce
Puree the carrot mixture (Step 1) with an immersion blender until creamy. If the mixture is too dry, add some pasta water until the sauce takes on a creamy consistency.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and rice syrup.
We have not included the final step in the ingredients list.
Serving
Combine the sauce with the meat substitute and serve with the pasta. Top with some nutritional yeast flakes (optional).
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
Our vegan Bolognese is not only made from carrots and mushrooms, it also contains rhubarb. You can enjoy the sauce with the pasta of your choice and fresh Italian herbs.
Carrots and carotene: Carrots are a favorite low-calorie raw food known for their high levels of carotenoids. Carotenoids are fat-soluble phytonutrients, of which beta-carotene is probably the most famous. Beta-carotene is representative of the carotene group of nutrients and is a precursor of vitamin A. It is also referred to as pro-vitamin A. While the anticarcinogenic effects of beta-carotene in humans are debated, it undeniably plays a role in protecting cells as antioxidants.
Rhubarb: Rhubarb is popular thanks to its tart and refreshing flavor, as well as because it is low in calories. Although cooking vegetables is usually not ideal, as it tends to result in valuable nutrients being lost, rhubarb should be eaten cooked. Raw rhubarb contains high amounts of oxalic acid, meaning that it deprives the body of important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron. This can be dangerous under certain circumstances, especially for children and people with biliary and kidney diseases.
Mushrooms: White button mushrooms are the most common type of cultivated mushrooms. These white mushrooms are firm and have a mild flavor. You can eat button mushrooms cooked, fried, and also raw — for example, in salads. Cremini mushrooms are a special variety of mushrooms that are even firmer than white mushrooms and hold up better in sauces and soups. They also have a fuller taste. Unlike wild mushrooms, cultivated mushrooms are sold year-round in grocery stores and markets.
Rice syrup: Rice syrup is obtained by fermenting rice flour. During this process, starch-degrading enzymes convert the rice starch mainly into maltose. Rice syrup is a viscous, brown syrup that can be used as a general sweetener and for baking. It has a mild, butterscotch flavor. Two types of rice syrup are available commercially: a maltose rice syrup that has been produced industrially and a healthier rice syrup that has been produced according to traditional practice.
Tips
Picking your own rhubarb: Be careful if you pick rhubarb yourself. It is important not to confusewild rhubarb with Petasites hybridus, also known as butterbur. Butterbur contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which have mutagenic, carcinogenic, and possibly toxic effects on the liver.
Recipe for Garlic Oil: You can find a recipe for Garlic-Infused Olive Oil on page 75 of the same cookbook.
Reduce oil: We have deliberately reduced the amount of oil and cut out the vegan butter altogether. Our aim is to keep the amount of oil as low as possible without compromising the taste. If you are interested in reading more about why it is a good idea to reduce your oil intake, please see our detailed review of the book Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss.
Alternate preparation
Mushrooms: Instead of white button mushrooms, you can also use brown mushrooms. Brown (crimini) mushrooms are less sensitive to bruises and have a more intense flavor than white mushrooms.
Sweetener: You can replace the rice syrup with other sweeteners such as agave syrup if you desire.
Fresh herbs: The original recipe calls for mixed Italian herbs, which we have replaced with oregano. You can also use other fresh or dried herbs, depending on availability and your preferences.
