An easy vegetarian Quorn Bolognese recipe, perfect for a meat-free weeknight dinner. Made with Quorn mince, a high-protein, low-fat meat substitute, the recipe is perfect for those looking to reduce their meat intake or follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Serve the vegetarian bolognese over spaghetti or any pasta of your choice and pair it with some garlic bread for a filling and hearty meal everyone will love.
In our household, this Quorn bolognese recipe has become a go-to for #meatfreemondays, and it's always met with rave reviews. One of the biggest advantages of using Quorn mince though, is its convenience; it can be cooked straight from frozen, making it a great staple to keep on hand in the freezer for quick and easy dinners like this.
But that's not all - this meat-free bolognese is also loaded with nutrient-rich veggies (hidden from picky eaters), making it a healthy and filling meal the whole family will love.
With its low-fat and high-fibre content, this easy Quorn spaghetti bolognese takes just 25 minutes to cook (with 10 minutes of prep) and is a great choice for those looking to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
👩🍳 Love meat-free dinners? Check out my mild and creamy Quorn Curry, and my easy Quorn Chilli Con Carne too!
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Meat-free, hearty, and filling. You won't miss the meat at all!
- Loaded with hidden veggies. From carrots to courgettes to celery, this recipe is a great way to sneak extra nutrients into your diet.
- Make a big batch and freeze the leftovers for a quick and easy meal on a busy weeknight.
- Delicious vegetarian comfort food.
🥘 Ingredients
Quorn Mince - This is a meat substitute made from mycoprotein, a type of fungus that is high in protein and fibre. It has a texture similar to ground meat and is a great option for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. The frozen Quorn mince used in this recipe is really easy to use and adds texture to the bolognese.
Olive Oil - This is used for frying the vegetables and adds a healthy source of fat to the dish. It's a great oil to use in cooking due to its high smoke point.
Onion - A brown onion is used in this recipe to add flavour and texture to the bolognese.
Garlic - Adds depth to the bolognese.
Carrot, Celery, and Courgette - These vegetables are finely chopped and added to the bolognese for extra nutrition and flavour. You could also add chopped red peppers.
Herbs - A combination of rosemary, thyme, oregano, and bay is used to season the bolognese.
Vegetable Stock - This is used to add depth and richness to the bolognese.
Passata - Passata makes a nice smooth tomato sauce but if you don't have passata, you can also use a tin of chopped tomatoes instead.
Red Pesto - This is used to add an extra layer of flavour to the bolognese. Make sure it is vegan-friendly.
Tomato Puree - For tomatoey richness.
Marmite - Adds a delicious umami flavour to the bolognese.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Finely chop the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and courgette. Heat the oil in a shallow casserole and cook the vegetables on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften.
Two: Add the herbs and give everything a good mix.
Three: Stir the frozen Quorn mince into the pan and stir frequently for a minute to break up any clumps.
Four: Add the passata, vegetable stock, tomato puree, vegan red pesto, and marmite to the pan and mix in.
Five: Simmer for 20-25 minutes on a low to medium heat stirring often.
Six: Season and serve with vegetarian hard cheese and chopped basil.
💭 Top tips
- Frozen Quorn mince is a great option for this recipe as it can be cooked straight from frozen. This makes it an ideal ingredient to keep in the freezer for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
- Use a mini chopper to chop the vegetables finely. It's the perfect way of getting more nutrients into fussy eaters (without them knowing!).
- It's a great recipe to make ahead of time and store in the fridge or freezer for a quick and easy meal later on.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the Quorn spag bolognese with spaghetti, or the pasta of your choice, and a side of garlic bread or pesto focaccia.
Leftovers are delicious on a jacket potato, or why not stir some through cheesy pasta before it's baked in the oven?
📖 Variations
- Veggie-packed bolognese - up the veggies in your bolognese by adding chopped peppers, diced aubergine, and baby spinach to the recipe. Cook them along with the onion and garlic until tender, then add the rest of the ingredients and cook as directed.
- Spicy bolognese - if you like a bit of heat, try adding 1 chopped red chilli at the same time as the onion. This will add some heat to the dish and give it a bit of a kick.
- Red wine bolognese - for a richer flavour, try adding a glass of red wine just before you add the Quorn mince. This will add depth to the sauce, making it taste like it's been simmering on the hob all day.
- Slow cooker bolognese - for an even easier meal, try making your bolognese in a slow cooker. Simply add all the ingredients to the slow cooker basin and cook on low for 6 hours.
🥡 Storage
Store - The cooked bolognese can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - In the microwave until piping hot.
Freeze - The Quorn bolognese can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Quorn is a great plant-based protein and supplies all 9 essential amino acids. It’s also a great source of fibre, which means it’ll keep you fuller for longer.
Quorn mince is not suitable for vegans as it contains egg white as a binding agent. However, there are vegan alternatives to Quorn, such as soy-based or vegetable-based meat substitutes, that can be used to make vegan Bolognese sauce.
Yes, Quorn Bolognese can be reheated. Make sure to heat it thoroughly before serving. You can reheat it on the stove on a medium heat or in the microwave on high, stirring occasionally, until it's hot all the way through.
😋Related recipes
More bolognese recipes to try!
🍽️ More vegetarian recipes
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Recipe
Quorn Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 1 Carrot peeled and finely chopped
- 1 Celery Stalk finely chopped
- 1 Courgette finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 300 g Quorn Mince frozen
- 250 ml Vegetable Stock
- 400 ml Passata
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 1 tablespoon Red Pesto vegan friendly
- 1 teaspoon Marmite
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a shallow casserole and cook the vegetables on a medium heat for 3 minutes until they start to soften.1 tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Onion, 2 Garlic Cloves, 1 Carrot, 1 Celery Stalk, 1 Courgette
- Add the herbs and give everything a good mix.1 teaspoon Thyme, 1 teaspoon Rosemary, 1 Bay Leaf, 1 teaspoon Oregano
- Stir the frozen Quorn mince into the pan and stir frequently for a minute to break up any clumps.300 g Quorn Mince
- Add the passata, vegetable stock, tomato puree, red pesto, and marmite to the pan and mix in.250 ml Vegetable Stock, 400 ml Passata, 1 tablespoon Tomato Puree, 1 tablespoon Red Pesto, 1 teaspoon Marmite
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes on a low to medium heat stirring often
- Season and serve.Salt and Pepper
Video
Notes
- Veggie-packed bolognese - up the veggies in your bolognese by adding chopped peppers, diced aubergine, and baby spinach to the recipe. Cook them along with the onion and garlic until tender, then add the rest of the ingredients and cook as directed.
- Spicy bolognese - if you like a bit of heat, try adding 1 chopped red chilli at the same time as the onion. This will add some heat to the dish and give it a bit of a kick.
- Red wine bolognese - for a richer flavour, try adding a glass of red wine just before you add the Quorn mince. This will add depth to the sauce, making it taste like it's been simmering on the stove all day.
- Slow cooker bolognese - for an even easier meal, try making your bolognese in a slow cooker. Simply add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. This is a great option for busy weeknights when you don't have time to stand over the stove.
Cathleen
I have been curious about trying Quorn, but with this recipe it is definitely convincing me to give it a go! Thanks so much, bookmarked for later 🙂
Alina
This looks so comforting and delicious dinner idea! But how can I substitute marmite, I doubt I can find one here?
Beth Sachs
Worcestershire sauce would also work.
Helen
We love veggie bolognaise too and this version looks fantastic with all those extra veg. Yum!
Dannii
This is how we make our meat free bolognese too. Thankfully the kids also love it so it's an easy vegetarian meal.
Megan Lehr
I have been looking for more options for meatless monday! This was delicious and felt so healthy.
Claudia Lamascolo
Interesting this sounds wonderful meat free will try soon
Tara
Oh yum! Such a wonderful vegetarian weeknight meal! Those flavors sound incredible and I love how everything comes together in one pot.
Liz
I'm a vegetarian so this Quorn Bolognese is right up my alley! I'm going to pick up some Quorn when I hit up the grocery store!
Anjali
This vegetarian bolognese was so hearty and satisfying even the meat eaters at my table loved it and didn't miss the meat at all!
Sara Welch
This was such a bold and hearty sauce; was perfect over spaghetti! Easily, a new favorite recipe; it was delicious!