I therefore announce that this recipe for eggplant with Bolognese sauce will certainly not be the last of its kind.
The importance of cooking eggplant
I already told you about it in my previous articles which related directly or indirectly to aubergines: they are magnificent fruits (yes, yes, not vegetables haha), which can be quite dirty if not cooked enough.
The sole side is clearly not something I like, and I will never understand how anyone can eat eggplant half raw. Likewise, I’ve never had the problem of a bitter eggplant with baking, when it can happen with pan-frying.
To cook the aubergines I always make streaks in the flesh using a thin bladed knife, then I spread them with oil, I turn them face down on the baking sheet and I put them in the oven: and c ‘is finished !
I only take them out of the eggplant sauna when they are tender. That’s how they are the best.
Vegan bolognese made with textured soy protein
You can make a vegan bolognese with a lot of things: lentils (here lentil bolognese recipe), plain tofu, tofu rosso (++ already seasoned it’s too cool and fast), seitan and also… Textured soy proteins.
As you can see, it’s not really the choice we lack!
In organizing my menus, I try to vary the sources of protein that we consume, so it’s always good to know that all of this is possible.
For this recipe, I think soy protein is a really great option!
So I give you all my tips for a successful Bolognese.
- Rehydrate soy proteins: it is often written that it will swell in the sauce, spoiler alert, no. I buy the ones from the organic store (they’re not the best but frankly, lazy to order on the internet for that), and I tell you: let them swell, you’ll win!
- Flavor the cooking juice well: It will change everything to taste! Here I add red miso to the preparation, it brings a really nice flavor!
- Salt well: no mystery, in slightly liquid preparations such as tomato sauce, it is absolutely necessary to salt if you want to have taste
- Reduce: a good tomato sauce is not a sauce that is bathed in juice!
- Fresh: added at the end of cooking, a little parsley or basil, it doesn’t eat bread, and it can pay off!
Eggplant bolognese side dishes
I find that eaten alone, they are a little light to constitute a meal. Everything obviously depends on whether you take a starter and a dessert, in which case it may be enough, but this is not my case.
To spice up dishes in tomato sauce, I’ve got into the habit of adding a little touch of sourness: I know, said like that, I’m selling you a dream!
Here I went to the simplest with the yogurt sauce, again and again. Ready in 2 spoonfuls, infinitely declinable, fresh, tasty, it highlights the sweetness of the tomato.
Obviously, I can only encourage you to add kalamata olives to your shopping lists (I use them in moderation even if it’s too good in everything, because it’s EXPENSIVE) or capers, but always those from the bravo hugo brand, which I find super good! Even if the jar is not huge, we rarely eat a tablespoon of capers, and it cleverly spice up the dishes without any extra effort other than taking the jar out of the fridge, and adding some at the very end.
In “side” you can choose what you want in the family of vegetables or starchy foods. I really like it with semolina like in my recipe foreggplant with chickpeas and tomato. Rice will also work great, as will sautéed potatoes.
In short, I let you give free rein to your imagination,
Bolognese Roasted Eggplant
Ingredients
- 4 eggplant
- 2 vs. soup olive oil
Bolognese
- 100 g yellow onion
- 2 pods garlic
- 2 vs. soup olive oil
- 120 g textured soy protein small
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 vs. soup red miso
- salt and pepper
Yogurt sauce
- 300 g yogurt
- 1 vs. soup olive oil
- salt
- 1 pod garlic
Instructions
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Rinse the eggplants, and cut them in half lengthwise. Make notches so as to have a grid.
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Oil the surface using a brush or your fingers.
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On a plate, place the aubergines squared side up on the plate, and cook at 200°C for about thirty minutes. The aubergines will become very melting, prick a knife to check.
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Peel and chop the onion finely.
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In a small saucepan, put the soy proteins with water, bring to the boil and set aside until the proteins swell (about 10 minutes).
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Heat a frying pan, add the oil then the onion, and sauté with a pinch of salt for a few minutes, until the onion becomes translucent.
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Once the onions are cooked, drain the soy protein. Add them to the pan, with a jar of tomato sauce (I use pomodoro sauce from the Prosain brand, which I find very good), and add the equivalent of a good half of the jar in water. Do not forget the finely cut or pressed garlic cloves.
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Let reduce over low heat, and when the preparation thickens, add the miso that you have diluted in water. Salt, pepper, and taste. Add the fresh parsley.
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Mix the yogurt with the olive oil, salt, and add the grated or pressed garlic. Pepper.
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Take the aubergines out of the oven, add the bolognese and the sauce and enjoy.You can accompany them with semolina, rice, pasta or eat them as is in a light dish if you eat a starter and a dessert.
