Serves: 4
Prep & Cooking Time: 35-40 mins
Type: Main Meal
Tools: Chopping Board, sharp knife, sieve, bowl, 2* non-stick pots, wooden spoon
Notes: This recipe contains: Vitamin A, B-Vitamins, Vitamin C, carbohydrates, protein, fibre, iron, potassium and per serving is low in added salt, sugars and saturated fats.
‘Veganising’ a recipe of this nature was effortless! In no time at all we created a pasta sauce that is not only plant-based and versatile but most importantly, nutritious and delicious! If you’ve never used dried soya mince before and/or fancy something new for your pasta night, we’d thoroughly suggest that you give this recipe a try! It’s packed full of great flavours from a tasty medley of veggies and seasoning’s alike (hint: the soya mince is great at absorbing of all these tasty elements from your dish!), and a wonderful ‘meaty’ texture from the mince! Serve it over some hearty wholemeal or GF spaghetti and you’re good to go!
It’s good to note that:
- We used some frozen veggies because we had some on hand, but feel free to use fresh, frozen and/or anything seasonal!
Quick Foodie Facts:
- This meal contains about 4 servings of vegetables (per serving/*based on four servings) towards you 5-A-Day!
- The soya mince is easy to use, inexpensive and also a great source of protein! Check out some of other health benefits from soya products mentioned here.
Happy cooking everyone!
Ingredients
180g Frozen Mushrooms
100g Frozen Bell Peppers
80g White Onion
8g Garlic Clove
240g Courgette
180g Carrot
50g Dehydrated Soya Mince
Low-Fat Cooking Oil
10g Balsamic Vinegar (2 tbsp.)
10g Lemon Juice (2 tbsp.)
4g Herb Blend (2g of each: Dried Basil & Dried Oregano)
2g Sweet Paprika
Salt & Ground Black Pepper
2 Tins Plum Tomatoes (800g/ unsalted)
40g Tomato Purée (unsalted)
65-80g Wholemeal Spaghetti (use GF if required)/person
Need an easy-print recipe? Print here. 🙂
Directions
- If you’re using frozen mushrooms and bell peppers, place them into a microwavable dish. Place them into a microwave and defrost them. Drain.
- Alternatively wash and prepare any fresh mushrooms and peppers to your own personal preferences. Prepare the remaining vegetables. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Wash the courgette, trim off its ends, slice it (vertically) and then chop it into thin slices. Wash, trim the ends, peel and then dice the carrot.
- Rehydrate the soya mince according to the packet instructions. Drain. Tip: Make sure to follow the instructions to a ‘T’! We used about 150ml of freshly boiled (and seasoned) water; the whole process took about 7 mins.
In the meantime…
- Heat a non-stick pot over a medium-low heat. Spray it with some low-fat cooking oil.
- Add the onion and garlic. Gently fry for 1-2 mins or until softened.
- Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, courgette and carrot. Gently fry for 3-4 mins or until softened.
- Add 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 4g herb blend and sweet paprika. Season it to taste with some salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Mix to coat.
- Add the tin tomatoes and tomato purée. Mix to combine. Tip: Use the edge of your frying spatula or wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes.
- Add the rehydrated soya mince. Stir it through the sauce.
- Cover with a lid. Simmer and cook for about 12 mins, stirring occasionally. NB: Leave the lid loosely covering the pot for the last half of the cooking process.
- Remove from the heat. Taste and season the sauce as necessary. Tip: Tinned tomatoes can be slightly bitter; if necessary just add a pinch of sugar or sweetener to help balance out the flavours! Leave the pot covered until you are ready to serve. Give the sauce a good stir before serving.
- Meantime, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions whilst the sauce is cooking. Drain.
Serve warm. Transfer the pasta into a large serving bowl. Ladle over the sauce. Tip: A drizzle of balsamic glaze or a scattering of fresh herbs and/or toasted pine nuts would make for an extra tasty finish!
Enjoy!
Refrigerate any leftovers in an air-tight and resealable container; reheat and consume within 2-3 days. Alternatively freeze in a resealable container(s); best consumed within 1-2 months, just defrost and reheat before use.
