Vegan Ragù

Ingredients

• 1 large onion (Or 2 small onions, finely chopped)
• 1 carrot (Finely chopped)
• 1 celery (1 stalk, finely chopped)
• 2 spicchi garlic (Left whole or lightly crushed)
• fresh sage (A few leaves, about 6 leaves; chopped together with the vegetables)
• extra-virgin olive oil (Generous amount; approximately 120 ml in total, including additional drizzles during cooking)
• 250 ml red wine (A generous amount, for deglazing)
• salt (To taste)
• black pepper (To taste)
• 200 g dry textured soy protein
• 1.5 L tomato passata
• 500 ml water (Used to rinse the passata jar and added to the pot; estimated amount)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (Add at the end of cooking; estimated amount, adjust to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the soffritto: finely chop the onion, carrot, celery, and sage leaves. Keep the two garlic cloves whole or lightly crushed.

2. 2

   Pour a generous amount of extra-virgin olive oil into a large pot and heat it over low heat. Add the chopped vegetables and sage, along with the two garlic cloves.

3. 3

   Allow the soffritto to soften slowly over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and fragrant. They should cook gently without taking on color or burning; this stage requires patience.

4. 4

   Season the soffritto with salt and pepper.

5. 5

   Add the red wine and allow it to reduce completely over medium-low heat, stirring and waiting until the alcoholic aroma has disappeared.

6. 6

   Add the dry textured soy protein and stir thoroughly, distributing it throughout the soffritto and allowing it to absorb the flavors for a few minutes.

7. 7

   Pour the tomato passata into the pot and stir until evenly combined.

8. 8

   Fill the empty passata jar with water, shake or swirl it to collect any remaining tomato, and add this water to the pot.

9. 9

   Cover the pot with the lid and cook the ragù over low heat for about 3 hours. The sauce should simmer gently, not boil vigorously.

10. 10

    During cooking, stir the ragù well from time to time to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Add another drizzle of oil if necessary to keep it rich and smooth.

11. 11

    At the end of cooking, add the soy sauce and stir. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.

12. 12

    Turn off the heat, let the ragù cool slightly, and cover it. Once it has cooled safely, let it rest overnight in the refrigerator.

13. 13

    The next day, reheat the ragù slowly before serving, stirring until it is thoroughly hot and reaches its fullest intensity of flavor.

Notes

The author indicates that the overnight rest is essential for achieving the best flavor. Store covered in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly before serving. The amount of oil and wine is intentionally stated generically in the source; the numerical quantities provided are working estimates.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• dairy-free
• vegetarian
• Italian
• slow-cooked
• meal-prep
• gluten-free