A Quorn bolognese is simple and quick and ready in just 30 minutes making it perfect for mid-week dinners. Quorn mince can be cooked from frozen, making a perfect standby for those busy days.
Add the Quorn mince to the pan and cook for 5 minutes
300 g Quorn mince
Add the chopped tomatoes, passata, Worcestershire sauce, red wine, fresh basil and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
400 g chopped tomatoes, 125 ml red wine, 250 g passata, 2 tablespoon fresh basil, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 dash black pepper, 1 dash salt
Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions, then serve together with the bolognese sauce and some fresh parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.
360 g dried spaghetti, 25 g Parmesan cheese
Notes
The nutritional information is an estimate and does not include pasta or parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Quorn Mince is a great standby and can be cooked from frozen.
Chopped Tomatoes. I always suggest using the best quality tinned or canned tomatoes you can afford. Cheaper varieties usually have a higher water content so will make your sauce runnier.
Tomato Puree or Paste. This helps give extra flavour and depth to the sauce. It's not a disaster if you don't have it.
Worcestershire Sauce. A traditional ingredient in a cottage pie. It adds a spicy concentrated flavour. A traditional version does however contain anchovies so is not suitable for those who don't eat fish. However, vegetarian and vegan versions are widely available.
Substitutions
Quorn Mince - I've tested this recipe with Quorn mince which is a particular brand. You could use other plant-based or meat-free mince products. Quorn is not suitable for vegans, but other plant-based mince products are.
Vegetables - I've just used onions and carrots in this recipe to keep it simple, but you could also add in celery and mushrooms.
Batch Cooking
This is a great recipe for cooking a batch. (see storage instructions below). Batch cooking can help save on energy costs and means you always have a standby meal in the freezer. Like most recipes, when cooking in bulk, you won't need to double or treble the liquid. The liquid should just about cover the ingredients, but not feel like the Quorn, carrots, and onions are swimming in sauce. The sauce will thicken slightly when cooking. It's difficult to give precise instructions around this because tinned tomatoes for example vary considerably in how much liquid they contain. Some passatas are thicker than others.
Storage
Quorn mince can be frozen and can be cooked from frozen. If you defrost it in the fridge, you should cook it within 24 hours. Once cooked, a Quorn bolognese will keep well in the fridge for 48 hours. It can also be frozen, even if the mince was frozen before. Let it cool and place in the freezer for up to one month. Let it defrost fully in the fridge for 24 hours and reheat it until it is piping hot. You should only reheat the dish once.