I always get really nervous when I post recipes like this. One, because it’s weird. Making vegan versions of meat-based dishes out of ingredients that don’t, at least on first glance, resemble meat at all, is weird. And I’m always afraid of scaring people away. But please don’t run! There are a million ways to replicate meat sauce and I’ve posted many on this blog. But this one is different. Here’s the thing: this one actually tastes pretty darn close to the real deal. Stuff like lentils, tempeh, and mushrooms all replicate the flavor or texture of crumbled meat to some degree, but not totally. There are a bunch of recipes for cauliflower walnut taco meat circulating the internet, and I hear the mix can be pretty darn convincing. I thought the combination had some definite potential in spaghetti sauce. I thought right! The other thing is that I’m not really satisfied with the name “meat sauce.” I know somebody is going to get mad at me for calling it that and I know it’s not meat, but I really didn’t know any other way to convey what this dish is all about. My husband asked why I didn’t name it ragú or Bolognese (or in his words “Bongo…bourgeoisie…whateveryoucallit), but it’s not technically either of those (and I’ve covered both here, here, and here). This is really just a vegan version of good ol’ spaghetti with meat sauce. Nothing fancy. Like you ate when you were a kid. Like mom made. So here’s how this works: cauliflower and walnuts get pulsed to a crumble in the food processor, then seasoned up with some ingredients that might seem a little weird, but trust me, they make the mix taste meaty. Then bake! While that’s happening, simmer up a big pot of tomato sauce on the stove. The sauce part is nothing special. I mean, it’s delicious, but it’s really just my basic spaghetti sauce recipe. If you have a favorite, or even if you want to go with jarred sauce, by all means, do it! Everything gets mixed up at the end, which is important because otherwise the seasonings might cook out of the crumbles and into the sauce. To me this tasted just like the spaghetti and meat sauce I grew up eating. It’s excellent winter comfort food! Looking for more pasta dinners? Check out my collection of 20 delicious vegan pasta recipes! Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
