1-Pan Tempeh Bolognese

I used nutritional yeast in place of vegan cheese.

Success! I was a little worried it wouldn’t turn out because I used tempeh made from black eyed peas (that didn’t smell great as it was cooking) and Lion’s mane mushrooms (kinda smooshy). But I was wrong! It was great! This recipe is flavorful and versatile. Thanks so much!

Most of the recipes here I really like, but not this one. You can really taste the specific taste of tempeh, what I don’t really like. I followed the recipe as written. Even simmered it a bit longer.

I make this at least once a fortnight. I always add carrot, celery and Zuchinni for extra veg and it’s always a hit!

The depth of flavor is insane! I really don’t like tempeh but I had a package of this to use up and this recipe did not disappoint. In fact I am now a tempeh convert and will use it in my spaghetti sauce from here on out! All I had on hand were mixed dried mushrooms so I rehydrated those to substitute for the fresh mushrooms. I used the residual mushroom broth to thin the sauce. I also added basically the entire 8-ounce can of tomato paste. So good!

Excellent!! Easy, fast, filling, and healthy. Added in 1/3 c green olives and brine while it simmered and served over spaghetti squash. Can’t wait to make it for my non-veg family – I know they too will enjoy.

I really enjoyed this recipe. Super easy and satisfying. I never would have thought of making tempeh this way. I made it with spaghetti squash, which was a great combination. The only problem was there wasn’t enough sauce to finish the full squash. I blogged my experience on my blog Nimble Veggies.

This was so easy to make and delicious! Definitely making it again, thank you for the recipe!

I was really excited to try a new tempeh recipe especially since this has fabulous reviews, but as written it was majorly disappointing for me. I needed to add more salt, heat, and herbs (I did use low sodium tamari so maybe that contributed).

WOW!!! i’ve just started getting into cooking with tempeh and this recipe was incredible! the fennel really adds something special to it. LOVE LOVE LOVE! i didn’t feel like pasta tonight, so i had it on some quinoa and additionally mixed in some white sweet potato that i was sauteeing on the side! ate the rest of it plain out of the pot haha so good. thank you so much!!!!!

I made this as is (with the addition of some fresh basil) and it came out amazing! Next time I may add shredded carrot in place of the sweetener.

Honestly this is friggin delicious. I make this at least once per week so I play around quite a bit with this one. I’m Italian so my grandma used to make traditional bolognese quite often.

I do add a bit of sweetener (1 tsp of sugar to cut the acidity) and I sometimes add diced carrots and peas for added texture, protein and nutrients. I always try to add fresh basil. Also, for even more protein I love adding nutritional yeast.

I serve over pasta (and sometimes on a baguette).

My husband and I love it!!

This is the first tempeh recipe I’ve actually enjoyed rather than merely tolerated, so thank you! I was out of mushrooms (sad), and had to sub salt-reduced soy sauce for the aminos and nutritional yeast for the vegan Parmesan, so can imagine it would be even better if I followed the recipe ;)

This is delicious! I scaled down the recipe for two but kept the amount of tempeh and mushrooms as written. I also added some chopped red pepper I needed to use up, and used 365 shredded vegan parmesan, but otherwise followed as written. I served it over Trader Joe’s hearts of palm linguini and it was filling, satisfying and quite tasty! I will definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing your recipes.

Really good. Store was out of tempeh so I substituted vegetarian chorizo. Still tasted great. Also, for some reason I thought it had basil in it, so I picked up fresh basil at the store. I figured I’d just add it–it tasted pretty good. I did not add sweetener, but people said it still tasted sweet. Also, I used baby bellas instead of cremini or shitakes… still tasted great!

Delicious!! Have made more than once, and I just used the sauce to make a lasagne too, so yum! I did throw a few extra veg in finely diced just to use them up, also used normal mushrooms because they are cheaper!

This is one of my favorite recipes. I make it 1x a week with spaghetti squash. Thank you so much ! I use oyster mushrooms and omit the wine and fennel. Thank you so much, so quick, light and delicious !

This is delicious! Mostly followed the recipe, with the only change being that we sprinkled in the sugar a little at a time until it just cuts down the acidity. One tablespoon seems like a lot, but to each their own!

Will be adding this to our Minimalist Baker rotation. Thank you!

Turned out really well — my first recipe with tempeh since my teenager became a vegetarian a month ago. The rest of us eat meat. (I was referred here by a friend who has two college-age daughters who are vegan/vegetarian.) I would just second one reviewer’s note about using less fennel (I’d cut to 1/4 teaspoon also) because I’m not a fennel fan. But my family wasn’t othered by the fennel at all, so it was just me. Also, we’re not vegan so I used real parmesan cheese. My meat-eating husband and in-laws were impressed with its “meatiness.” I have been wondering about how to get the same depth of flavor in plant-based sauces, soups, etc. as you can from the fat/flavor in meat. I will also experiment next time I make this sauce with balsamic vinegar or tamari instead of the aminos, which have a flavor I’m not wild about. Looking forward to having leftovers for lunch!

I made this recipe the other day and it was absolutely amazing. I’m planning on making it again soon and quite often.
My meat-eater partner couldn’t believe how good it was, kept saying there must be meat! Even said ‘if that’s how we eat then I’m becoming vegan for sure!’ multiple times ;)
I didn’t use red wine, used dried oregano and only 1/4tsp of fennel seeds but lightly crushed them, which really helped release the flavours. 10/10 would recommend

This was so good! My meat eater husband enjoyed it! I have IBS so no onions or mushrooms but added lentils and had it over spaghetti squash. I didn’t have Parmesan so use a sprinkle of Nutritional Yeast. Will definitely make it again

Delicious! I doubled the tempeh and it made enough for 6 servings. Definitely putting this in my dinner rotation!

Family favorite! The flavor is amazing. Thanks again for another fabulous meal!

This is really delicious! I made it as written except using dried oregano instead of fresh. The fennel seed really adds to the depth of flavor. Thank you!

this use of Tempeh is so amazing! Loved this dish!

Awesome recipe!!! Loved the texture, umami flavor, and the subtle heat. Thanks for the recipe Dana.

Didn’t have shiitake mushrooms, fennel, crushed tomatoes, or fresh oregano, but made do with white button mushrooms, cumin, cans of pureed and fire-roasted tomatoes, dried oregano, and fresh basil.

WHOLE FAMILY RECIPE! :)

Another beautiful recipe; so quick, easy and delicious! My 17month old toddlers loved it (I left out chilli for their little mouths) and snuck in some carrot and zucchini :)

NOTE: I pulsed everything in the blender for speed, first the onion, garlic, carrot, zucchini all together and sautéed in the pan, then tempeh and mushrooms in the blender and added to the pan, followed the next steps, using balsamic instead of coconut aminos as noted.

THank you!

I made this in my Instant Pot last night. I added 2 large Portobello mushrooms, chopped, and fresh parsley, with the oregano. I added 11 oz. of dry pasta and 2 cups of water and cooked on High Pressure for 8 minutes. I didn’t add any sweetener, I forgot. Nevertheless, it turned out great. I’ve just started making Tempeh at home and am always looking for recipes. Thank you for this!

Just made this. Love the concept. It’s lovely in color, fragrance and taste and nutrients but too sweet for my liking (I added just 1tbsp maple syrup and did NOT include the wine); I added salt and veggie broth. It’s been simmering about 30min to integrate the flavors. Also it’s taking almost 2hours w/the food prep and slow simmer. But I’m not mad at it! Can’t wait to enjoy over pasta and perhaps put in lasagna in the next couple days. Thanks as always!

LOVE this recipe exactly as it’s written, but I’ll also use this recipe as a guideline when I make a simpler “cheat version” with bottled marinara.

In my cheat version I don’t add the:
-crushed tomatoes (although they could add more texture/heartiness)
-tomato paste
-oregano
-red pepper flakes (i do add spice which I’ll explain later)

Instead, I’ll add:
-jarred marinara
– 1-2 tablespoons of Trader Joe’s Tunisian Harissa chili pepper paste
– I also buy already chopped up onions and mushrooms if I’m short on time.

I make the rest of the recipe pretty much the same. Super tasty!

AWESOME!!! I made this last night because I was craving spaghetti. My husband and I absolutely loved this.. the depth of flavor was fantastic and took me by surprise. I am looking forward to having it again tonight! This is going to be a staple in our home, and a go-to when I’m craving pasta. Best way to use tempeh, ever!

This is so good! I followed the recipe exactly but added fresh basil and also needed to add about a cup of water to get it to the right consistency. I used the pasta water. Delicious!

Delicious! I can’t eat tempeh so switched it for Gardein ground “meat,” and I also added fresh basil at the end. So great and easy, and it seems like a versatile recipe. Thank you!

This was absolutely amazing! I’ve never thought to use tempeh in this way and it’s so inspired. I only used 1/2 tbsp maple syrup and upped the red pepper flakes to 1 tsp. We were so impressed by the depth of flavor. Will definitely be adding this to our regular recipe rotation. Thanks for another great recipe.

This is absolutely delicious as written! I used lentil pasta, 1 TBSP maple syrup and only 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, so the kids would eat it as well. Thank you for making healthy food taste incredible!

We really liked this meal. I added a little more mushrooms and fennel for my personal taste but followed the directions otherwise. This is definitely going in my weekly rotation. I tasted no bitterness from the tempeh without steaming. I served it over pasta with some steamed kale on the side to get extra veggies. Thank you for this recipe! Your website has been a lifesaver since my husband had to go on a strict whole food, non processed, no oil diet 7 months ago.

I made this yesterday, it exceeded my expectations. Very hearty, and delicious! I will definitely be making this again. My husband didn’t even realize it wasn’t a meat sauce!

I’ve made this recipe at least five times… I usually add a couple diced zucchinis and play around with the seasonings a bit, but I always love it!

This is seriously amazing. I didn’t use wine because I didn’t have an open bottle. Served it over zucchini noodles.

SO delicious!

Something about this recipe is a little off to me… it might be that I’m not a huge fan of tempeh or that it seems a little heavy handed on the tomato paste as written.

A total winner! Will become a staple recipie. Grating the tempeh is genius.

I made this tonight and served it with zucchini noodles. The reviews I read before making this were spot on. It was easy and delicious. I added extra fennel and extra red wine. Fabulous recipe – thank you so much for sharing it. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. X – SD

This recipe is so delish and easy to make. I’m not a fan of Tempeh, so I was sceptical, but it turned out to be awesome. I didn’t have any vegan Parmesan so I added nutritional yeast instead. I omitted the sweetener too.
Served with courgette spaghetti. Yum, will definitely make again.
Dana, I love your recipes, I have made so many and they have always turned out great. Best vegan website for sure.

This recipe is AMAZING! SO flavorful (I omitted some ingredients I didn’t had (garlic, fennel, dry wine, vegan parmesan – and still fantastic).

I’m planning on making this again (I made it a couple weeks ago) because it was sooooooo good and I’ve been dreaming about it ever since. All the wonderful comfort and deliciousness when you think of homemade bolognese, but without the meat component. It was absolutely delicious, and had such rich and wonderful flavor and I’m not even a tempeh fan!!

Simply delicious! The wine definitely added depth, as well as the tempeh and mushrooms. I didn’t have fennel so look forward to adding that next time. Thanks for sharing!

Since going Vegan I just avoided having spaghetti nights. I made this today and it’s so delicious! I skipped on the parm, but it was still great!

Thank you!
I loved this! Will definitely make this plenty of times more!
It also worked really well in the freezer :)

This was amazing! I didn’t simmer for long enough at the end so my tempeh was a little crunchy but I liked that. Great flavor and so hearty. Thank you!

I loved this recipe and what a cool way to use tempeh! I am not vegan….so used parm and rigatoni which were fantastic vehicles of goodness to hold bites of flavorful and texturally superb bolognese. Also didn’t add any sweetener and thought I came out really fantastic without the additional sweetness. Only had dried mushrooms which I rehydrated in hot water for about 15 mins before mincing and also was pleased with how not rubbery they turned out. Great meal and my meat eating friends didn’t miss the beef one bit. Will keep this in my repertoire and will keep an eye out for more tempeh recipes from Dana!

This was delicious. Since it is a Monday night, I did not wish to open a bottle of wine. I brew artisan beer (I have a 10 tap Keezer), so I replaced the wine with English bitter. I doubled the mushroom volume (used portobello). I’m not vegan, so I used real parmasan cheese.

Great recipe.

I did make this recipe last night. The reason I did not give it 5 stars was for two reasons: using maple syrup as a sweetener made it too sweet (I used 1Tbsp.), and I don’t like using tomato paste in my sauce, but I wanted to follow the recipe.

I loved the sauce, but I am Italian, and, of course, I make my sauce the way my mother always made it. This was great except (for my taste–that is) the two ingredients I mentioned above. I know that people are always adding sugar or carrots to their sauce due to the acidity of the sauce. My mother never did, and I guess I am used to the taste without it and prefer it. Also, as you cook sauce, it thickens, which is why I never add tomato paste, and the flavor is quite good on its own with the flavors of the onion, garlic, and herbs–oregano, basil, parsley, etc.

Unlike my mother’s recipe, I added tempeh instead of meat. I made the spaghetti squash and a brown rice pasta. It was delicious, but again, my only issue was the sweetness. So, take my comments with a grain of salt or consider that when you make it yourself.

I love all your recipes. So, I am a loyal fan.

I made the recipe with a few modifications: I added 1 extra tablespoon of tomato paste, used soy sauce instead of coconut aminos, and omitted the wine since I didn’t have any bottle open. It turned out delicious! The combination of the soy sauce, tomato paste and maple syrup really gave it a great depth of flavor. Tempeh bolognese is a regular for me, and I think I just found my new go-to recipe! Thank you :)

This is now literally my most favorite red sauce – I made with spaghetti squash as my “pasta” which was just so very yummy! I did add the maple syrup for a bit of sweetness and I think that is why I am so in love with it! Would be great on a pizza crust (if the cauliflower ones). Really I just want to eat it with a spoon!! IN LOVE!!

So so so good. Why haven’t I thought of grating tempeh before??
I followed the recipe as is, and then decided it wasn’t enough… I wanted more! So I threw in the rest of the carton of mushrooms (chopped) and an additional can (28oz) of tomatoes and then spices to taste. Absolutely to die for. Thank you for yet another game changer recipe.

Wow! This recipe is amazing! Made it yesterday and it tasted so good. My (meat eating and Italian food loving) boyfriend was eating unholy amounts of it, haha. We were so surprised of how similar it was to ‘regular’ bolognese. I used a lot of the spices and red wine, way more than the recipe indicated, so I would say adjust to your own taste :) I minced the tempeh in a food processor and that worked fine. Next time I would steam the tempeh beforehand because I could taste some of it’s bitterness. Will definitely be making this again, thanks for the great recipe!

THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE. Im a Indonesian and Tempes are ABUNDANT here where i live. We eat it almost every other day but to cook it like this, never cross my mind before. I just made it for lunch, with few modifications based on what available here. I caramelized the onion first, sub the wine with pasta water, used mushroom powder instead of coconut aminos, used homade tomato sauce instead of tomato paste. It came out amazing. I DID NOT MISS THE MEAT AT ALL. You can not believe how estatic i am right now because tempes are andundant and cheap and nutritious and locally made and sold wrapped in a banana leaf here. It ticks soo many boxes. Thank you thank you thank you

This was okay. Grated tempeh gave it a great beefy texture, but it wasn’t one of those recipes that you’ll remember forever. Still good though!

Great recipe.
I minced the mushrooms and tempeh together in a food processor. It made a a great ‘mince blend’. Although I’d like to see how the recipe works if I baked it briefly prior to using, to dehydrate it somewhat. If I do this, I’ll post the results.
Overall, a great recipe. I would never have thought to use tempeh this way.

This was the first recipe from your blog that I made, and it was amazing! I haven’t eaten meat in a really long time so I can’t say if it tasted like the meat version of Bolognese, but my meat eating friends said it tasted a.ma.zing! Thank you for a great recipe!!

Made this tonight. When I first saw the post I wasn’t sure. But I love tempeh and I want the fam to too. Started with sauteing the garlic and mushrooms. Didn’t do onion, but instead fennel (like the bulby part–cuz we don’t do onion) and celery cut real tiny. let that get nice and yummy with salt and olive oil for a good 10-15 in the pan. then I added the finely chopped tempeh and let it all cook together for another 20 and I’ll be darned if that tempeh didn’t end up tasting hella good!!! lots of smoked paprika (that’s about my spice tolerance these days), added the crushed tomato, paste, and water. let that simmer for 30 ish min. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t even tell you how dang good it was. This will be in my weekly rotation until further notice. Thank you so much :-)

Absolutely delicious. We’re in the process of cutting back the amount of meat we eat. Such that we only eat meat once or twice a week now. For someone who was brought up on meat and 3 veg as ‘normal’ this recipe was a revelation.

I’ve never eaten or cooked with Tempeh before so a quick trip to the local chinese supermarket and we were off! We followed the recipe except for the following …
Mushrooms – we finely chopped the chestnut mushrooms that we had in the fridge (basically brown button mushrooms).
Tempeh – the only stuff I could source was frozen so I sliced it into strips and then diced it further before cooking.
Coconut aminos – we used 1/2 dark soy sauce (no light soy in the house) and 1/2 balsamic vinegar.
Tomatoes – I worked out that 28 ounces of tomatoes = 2 tins of tomatoes in the UK
…oh and we used a lot more of the chilli flakes, non vegan parmesan and omitted any sweetener!

Loved it. It tastes amazing and I will be pairing it with the crispy eggplant parmesan that I’m off to make now. I know that I am gushing about this recipe but it tastes fabulous and I will definitely be making it again! Thank you so much xx

Bulletproof recipe! I just polished off the leftovers from last night and added some cottage cheese on top. Never shredded tempeh before – what a cool idea :)

This is another excellent recipe. I goofed and had to make a last minute change. I did not have the fennel seeds, so I omitted the red pepper but went with the oregano – added a bit of fresh basil and parsley to make it a sweet tomato sauce. It was excellent. The flavor of the mushrooms came through. I used shiitake mushrooms and in every other way followed the recipe. I served it over pasta. A new family favorite. Thank you, Dana!