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Cauliflower Bolognese-this hearty and healthy bolognese is made with cauliflower and lentils. Even meat lovers will enjoy this rich and delicious bolognese sauce.
Utah has been getting pounded with snow this winter. Josh is loving the snow becausehe has had some pretty epic ski days on the mountain, but I am kind of over it. I enjoyed the first few snow storms, but I am ready for the snow to go! I do want to thank the snow for my comfort food cravings. The snow MADE me make this amazing CauliflowerBolognese Sauce. I was craving a big old bowl of pasta and this cauliflower bolognesewas the perfect sauce to top off my spaghetti.
On one of our many snow days, I turned on the fireplace and snuggled up with Emilie’s cookbook, The Clever Cookbook. I was flipping through the book and spotted a Cauliflower Bolognese recipe and knew I had to make it for dinner. Iwas already craving pasta andI LOVEcauliflower so I was sold. It sounded so good!
If you are a traditionalist and are thinking, cauliflower in my bolognese, what??? Think cauliflower in my bolognese, YES! It is SO good! There are also lentils in the sauce which make it super hearty and give the sauce a niceprotein boost. The cauliflower is chopped really small so you don’t even know it is there. The cauliflower and lentils give the sauce a nice, meaty texture without any meat. I changed the recipe a bit by adding balsamic vinegar, some herbs and spices, and a pinch of sugar to cut the acidity.
I served the Cauliflower Bolognese over whole wheat spaghetti and added fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
Oh my goodness, this sauce is life changing, seriously! My meat loving boys even loved it. They had no clue it was made with cauliflower and lentils and I wasn’t about to tell them:) Shhh, that is our little secret:) Maxwell loved it so much he was yelling bolognYAYse…ha!
The bolognese sauce has SO much flavor. The addition of balsamic vinegarreally made the sauce rich and delicious. Don’t skip it! This bolognese would also be good with zoodles, spaghetti squash, quinoa, rice, on toast, or with roasted vegetables, chicken…just about everything!
I put somesauce in the freezer, it will come in handy if we keep having these cold, snowy days. Cauliflower Bolognese is the perfect healthy comfort food, you’ve gotta try it.
Vegetarian
You will never know this hearty bolognese is meatless. It is SO good!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 1 small head cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons butter (olive oil for vegan)
- 1 cup choppedyellow onions
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 28ozcans whole plum tomatoes in thick puree
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- Dash of crushed red pepper
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 lb spaghetti or other pasta (can use gluten-free pasta, zoodles, or spaghetti squash)
- Chopped fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (omit cheese for vegan)
Instructions
Slice the cauliflower in half, removing the thick center core. Cut into large chunks.
Using a food processor,break up the cauliflower into florets. Do this in batches to create uniform pieces. Pulse the cauliflower two times until it looks crumbly with a few small florets. Put cauliflower in a bowl and repeat. If you don't have a food processor, you can finely chop the cauliflower into pieces.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the butter or olive oil over low heat. Add the onions and cookuntil soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the cauliflower to the pot. Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook stirring occasionally until the cauliflower begins to lose its shape and takes on a light golden color, about 10-12minutes. Add the garlicand cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Pour in the tomatoes, red lentils, balsamic vinegar, sugar, thyme, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
Place the lid on top and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid onfor about 30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft and lentils are broken down. The sauce should be thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Serve pasta with cauliflower bolognese sauce. Garnish with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm.
Note-If you don't have whole plum tomatoes, you can use diced or crushed tomatoes. The cauliflower bolognese will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week. It will freeze in a freezer container for up to 2 months. Make sure the sauce is completely cooled before freezing. This sauce is also great with zucchini noodles, rice, or quinoa.
Nutrition
Calories: 328kcal, Carbohydrates: 61g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 200mg, Potassium: 682mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 208IU, Vitamin C: 47mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 3mg
Have you tried this recipe?
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FAQs
6 Things That'll Make Your Spaghetti Bolognese Taste SO Much...
- Milk. Adding milk to Bolognese is actually a part of the traditional method. ...
- Sundried Tomatoes. I can't get enough of sundried toms, and I have been known to sneak a few straight from the jar (boujee snack alert). ...
- Anchovies. ...
- Wine. ...
- Porcini mushrooms. ...
- Sugar.
For the bolognese all spice, cinnamon, and garlic powder really enhance the flavor of the meat. For the tomato sauce, fresh basil, bay leaves, and dried oregano are my herbs of choice, but feel free to mix it up! You can use dried basil, generic Italian seasoning, parsley, thyme.
Why is my bolognese sauce bland? ›
Your spaghetti sauce may taste bland due to insufficient seasoning. Try adding more salt, herbs (like basil, oregano, or thyme), and other flavor enhancers like garlic, onion, or red pepper flakes. Also, a dash of sugar can balance flavors and bring out the natural sweetness of tomatoes.
How to make bolognese sauce Gordon Ramsay? ›
Spaghetti Bolognese Gordon Ramsay Style
- Meat. • 500 g Beef mince, lean.
- Canned goods. • 2 tbsp Tomato puree.
- Condiments. • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
- Pasta & grains. • 300 g Spaghetti, dried.
- Baking & spices. • 1 pinch Salt and black pepper.
- Oils & vinegars. • 1 tbsp Olive oil.
- Dairy. • 4 tbsp Whole milk.
- Beer, wine & spirits.
As the sauce simmers, the water in it will evaporate and the sauce will get thicker. You can also add a little bit of cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it without changing the flavor. If you don't mind altering the sauce's flavor, try adding grated cheese, tomato paste, or even mashed potatoes to thicken it.
Should you put butter in bolognese? ›
Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in the pot and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat them well. Add ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper.
What does sugar do in bolognese sauce? ›
The reason for sprinkling a pinch of sugar into a simmering saucepan of tomatoes is simple: sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and creates an overall more balanced sauce. The exact acid levels in tomatoes can vary quite a bit depending on whether they're fresh or canned, the tomato variety, and the time of year.
Why do Italians add milk to bolognese? ›
According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”. She adds: “It also makes the mince meat nice and tender, creating that melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.”
Does bolognese taste better if you cook it longer? ›
Like most recipes the longer you leave it to slowly cook the better the flavour will be but this can also be knocked up with in an hour.
What can I add to my bolognese to make it tastier? ›
Just add seasoning and the flavour will be completely different from what you're used to. You can add various herbs, too. Try a teaspoon of dried Italian mixed herbs (added at the start) or a tablespoon of fresh, chopped oregano (added towards the end) in the meat sauce.
Let this sauce gently simmer and lightly bubble for at least two (2) hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally, tasting as you go because it already smells so good, you can't believe you have to wait that long, so may as well taste as you go.
What stock to use in bolognese? ›
Add 2 tins plum tomatoes, the finely chopped leaves from ¾ small pack basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 bay leaves, 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1 beef stock cube, 1 deseeded and finely chopped red chilli (if using), 125ml red wine and 6 halved cherry tomatoes.
Do Italians put sugar in Bolognese sauce? ›
Usually no. But putting (a very small bit) of sugar or even a tiny pinch of baking soda in the tomato sauce can help if it is too acidic, but this is only done if the person cooking it is really in a rush.
What's the difference between Ragu and Bolognese sauce? ›
Even though both are considered meat sauces and are thusly chunky, ragù is more like a thick tomato sauce with recognizable bits of ground beef within it. Bolognese, though, is creamier and thicker because it is made with milk. It is not considered to be a tomato sauce.
Do you put garlic in Bolognese sauce? ›
A note on garlic: Classic Bolognese sauce does not contain garlic. In many Italian pasta recipe, the garlic debate rages on—some like to use it, some don't and say it's blasphemy to do so. Me? I do add garlic to my Bolognese because I think it adds an extra flavor dimension I really enjoy.
Is bolognese better the longer you cook it? ›
Never rush a bolognese, good things take time. Cooking it for anything less than an hour is seen as rushed. We recommend 1.5 – 2 hours cooking time, or as much time you can spare the better.
Why add milk or cream to Bolognese sauce? ›
According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”. She adds: “It also makes the mince meat nice and tender, creating that melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.”
Is bolognese better cooked longer? ›
It does make a difference. It will be palatable after simmering for 30 minutes, but there will not be the best 'marriage'. The longer amount of cooking time enables the ingredients to better create the ultimate ragu alla bolognese flavor.
