'Meaty' Spag Bol — a plant-based Italian recipe by BOSH!
Jump to recipeMore Italian recipes →More Dinner recipes →

'Meaty' Spag Bol

This is one of those recipes we keep coming back to week after week, and honestly we're not even sorry about it. Crumbled vegan sausage gives you this incredible meaty, savoury mince that soaks up all the tomato and herb flavours in a way that feels really proper. It's rich, it's hearty, it coats every strand of spaghetti perfectly, and it tastes like the kind of bolognese you'd make on a Sunday afternoon but it's actually on the table in 45 minutes. If you've got people to impress or just want a really satisfying dinner tonight, this is the one.

Cook: 45 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Plant-based sausages defrosted if frozen
  • Microplane or fine grater for garlic
  • Deep frying pan
  • Large pan for pasta
  • Bowls for transferring mince

Ingredients

  • 8 plant-based sausages - defrosted if frozen
  • 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil - from the jar
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tsp soy sauce - (or vegan Worcestershire sauce if you have it)
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 x 400g can cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil - from the jar
  • 4 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 celery stick
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tsp plant-based Worcestershire sauce - (or soy sauce)
  • 2 red onions
  • 300ml plant-based red wine
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 sprig of basil
  • nutritional yeast
  • 500g wholewheat spaghetti
  • side salad

Method

1

First, prepare the sausages

  • Crumble the vegan sausage with your fingers into a bowl (this will form your mince)
  • Peel and grate the garlic clove
  • Warm the sun dried tomato oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat
  • Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant
  • Add the vegan sausage mince to the pan and stir for 3-4 minutes
  • Add the soy sauce to the pan and stir for 2-3 minutes
  • Add the oregano and black pepper to the pan and stir for 1 minute
  • Take the pan off the heat and transfer the mince to a bowl (don't wash the pan)
2

Now, prepare the tomato sauce ingredients

  • Peel, halve and finely dice the onions
  • Peel and finely grate the garlic
  • Finely slice the sun dried tomatoes
  • Trim and coarsely grate the celery
  • Trim, peel and coarsely grate the carrot
3

Then, start cooking the sauce

  • Add the sun dried tomato oil and olive oil to the pan you cooked the mince in, put the pan on the stove over a medium heat and stir for a couple of seconds
  • Add the onion and a pinch of salt to the pan and stir for for 3-4 minutes
  • Add the garlic and sun dried tomatoes to the pan and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the celery and carrot to the pan and stir for 3-4 minutes
4

Add the final sauce ingredients to the pan

  • Add the balsamic vinegar, vegan Worcestershire sauce, oregano and chilli flakes to the pan and stir for 30 seconds
  • Add the tomato puree and stir for 30 seconds
  • Add the red wine and bay leaf to the pan, stir to combine, turn up the heat slightly and simmer for 3-4 minutes
  • Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan, stir to combine and simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent catching
5

Now, prepare the pasta, finish the sauce and serve

  • Cook the pasta according to packet instructions (approx 9 minutes in a large pan of salted boiling water)
  • Add the sausage mince to the tomato sauce, fold to combine, taste and season to perfection with salt and pepper
  • Add a splash of pasta water to the sauce to loosen
  • Drain the pasta, add to the sauce and twist with tongs to mix
  • Transfer the pasta into 4 bowls, garnish with a few basil leaves, season with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and serve

Tips & Variations

  • Use good sausages: The quality of your vegan sausage really matters here. We find the ones with a firmer texture crumble best and hold up in the sauce without going mushy.
  • Don't rush the browning: Give the sausage mince a proper few minutes in the pan before you add anything else. That colour equals flavour, trust us on this one.
  • Save your pasta water: Before you drain the spaghetti, scoop out a mugful of the starchy cooking water. Stir a splash into the sauce at the end and it brings everything together beautifully.

Why This Works

The trick is crumbling the sausages by hand before they go in the pan. You get all these irregular bits that brown and crisp up at the edges, just like proper mince would. Adding a splash of soy sauce mid-cook is something we swear by too, it deepens the savoury flavour and gives the whole sauce this extra richness that makes people wonder what your secret is.