Eat More Plants: Tofu Bolognese

By Zhuxin Yin, Dietetic Intern

Tofu bolognese is a vegan-friendly, gluten-free sauce that uses tofu as its protein source instead of the traditional red meat version. In addition to diced tomatoes, it also contains mirepoix (pronounced MEER-pwah), which in French stands for a trio of vegetables including diced onion, carrot, and celery [i]. Not only do these vegetables offer layers of earthy and savory aroma to the recipe, their abundance in fiber and vitamins also makes it a nutrients-dense sauce. It is also easy-to-make with ingredients commonly found in grocery stores. Ideal for batching cooking and busy-day schedules! 

Ingredient Highlight: 

Tofu: Tofu is a soybean-derived product that is typically used as an animal protein alternative [ii]. It offers high quality protein similar to that found in milk, egg, and meat products, containing all 9 essential amino acids human needs with high digestibility [iii]. Just 3 oz of tofu offers about 8 grams of protein, which is comparable to animal protein. Tofu has been showing potential in lowering risks of cardiovascular diseases and mortality [iv, v]. In addition, soy intake has also been associated with reduced cancer risk such as breast cancer, stomach, and lung cancer [iv].

Tomato: Tomato plays a key role in developing the savory/umami taste that is stronger when cooked, compared to raw tomatoes [vi]. It is also rich in antioxidants including carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, and bioactive phenols that are also responsible for combating inflammation, regulating cellular growth, enzymatic activities and signaling processes in the human body. Lycopene and β-carotene –two major carotenoids found in tomatoes–have been linked with lowering risks of heart diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer [vii] [viii] [ix]. They are also responsible for the red color of tomatoes. Its abundance of dietary fibers is also good for gut health [x].  

Celery: Celery has a high water content and is a good source of dietary fiber (both soluble and insoluble). This helps with our overall digestion, lowering the risk of constipation. Additionally, it is also packed with antioxidants, vitamin A, C, and K and polyphenols. These antioxidant compounds help reduce inflammation in the human body that occurs often with chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, or cardiovascular diseases [xi]. Specific flavonoids like apigenin from celery were also found to have inhibitory effects on cancer cells [xii, xiii].

Recipe, 3 servings,  30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 block of tofu, extra firm (14oz)
• ½ cup onion, diced
• ½ cup carrots, diced
• ½ cup celery stalk, diced
• 2 can of diced tomatoes (no salt added)(28oz)
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp sugar 
• 1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped (0.3oz)

Instructions:

1. Dice onion, celery, and carrot into small bite size shapes.
2. Drain the tofu block; crumble them and squeeze out extra liquid. 
3. Heat a sauce/fry pan at medium heat; add olive oil. 
4. Fry the onion and celery for 3 minutes until they turn soft, then add the tofu and fry it as well for 3 minutes (add water if too dry). Turn up the heat to medium-high.
5. After 3 minutes, add in the carrots. Add the canned tomatoes alongside all the seasonings (thyme, pepper, salt, and sugar).
6. Bring the sauce to boil and turn the heat down to medium. 
7. Let the sauce simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Simmer for longer if for thicker sauce. 
8. Add salt/sugar/pepper for taste. 
9. Enjoy this recipe with a plant-based or whole grain pasta or zucchini noodles.

Notes

• Easy-to-cook version: already chopped onion, celery, and carrot can be purchased to save time on preparation. 
• Soybean allergy: people who are allergic to soy may try to use lentils or seitan as alternatives (notice: seitan contains gluten).  
• Thick sauce: besides simmering the dish for longer to reduce the sauce, swapping canned diced tomatoes with tomato puree/paste can help yield thicker and smoother consistency.  
• Omit sugar if desired.
• Low sodium: to reduce sodium content of the recipe, take ½ tsp of salt instead of 1 tsp. 
• Eat The Rainbow: Besides celery, carrots, and onions, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms are excellent veggie options for the sauce.

References:

[i] Harlan, J. (2023, December 26). What is Mirepoix?. Southern Living. https://www.southernliving.com/how-to/cook/what-is-mirepoix 

[ii] Romito, N. (2023, September 14). 5 Reasons To Eat More Tofu. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved July 30, 2024, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/tofu-benefits

[iii]  Hughes, G. J., Ryan, D. J., Mukherjea, R., & Schasteen, C. S. (2011). Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Scores (PDCAAS) for Soy Protein Isolates and Concentrate: Criteria for Evaluation. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 59(23), 12707–12712. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf203220v

[iv] Rizzo, G., & Baroni, L. (2018). Soy, Soy Foods and Their Role in Vegetarian Diets. Nutrients, 10(1), 43-. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10010043

[v] Ma, L., Liu, G., Ding, M., Zong, G., Hu, F. B., Willett, W. C., Rimm, E. B., Manson, J. E., & Sun, Q. (2020). Isoflavone Intake and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in US Men and Women: Results From 3 Prospective Cohort Studies. Circulation (New York, N.Y.), 141(14), 1127–1137. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.041306

[vi] Oruna-Concha, M.-J., Methven, L., Blumenthal, H., Young, C., & Mottram, D. S. (2007). Differences in Glutamic Acid and 5‘-Ribonucleotide Contents between Flesh and Pulp of Tomatoes and the Relationship with Umami Taste. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 55(14), 5776–5780. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf070791p

[vii] Cheng, H. M., Koutsidis, G., Lodge, J. K., Ashor, A. W., Siervo, M., & Lara, J. (2019). Lycopene and tomato and risk of cardiovascular diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological evidence. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 59(1), 141–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1362630

[viii] Park, H.-A., Hayden, M. M., Bannerman, S., Jansen, J., & Crowe-White, K. M. (2020). Anti-Apoptotic Effects of Carotenoids in Neurodegeneration. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 25(15), 3453-. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25153453

[ix] Ali, M. Y., Sina, A. A. I., Khandker, S. S., Neesa, L., Tanvir, E. M., Kabir, A., Khalil, M. I., & Gan, S. H. (2020). Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Compounds in Tomatoes and Their Impact on Human Health and Disease: A Review. Foods, 10(1), 45-. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10010045

[x] Claye, S. S., Idouraine, A., & Weber, C. W. (1996). Extraction and fractionation of insoluble fiber from five fiber sources. Food Chemistry, 57(2), 305–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/0308-8146(95)00250-2

[xi] Kooti, W., & Daraei, N. (2017). A Review of the Antioxidant Activity of Celery (Apium graveolens L). Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 22(4), 1029–1034. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587217717415

[xii] Yan, X., Qi, M., Li, P., Zhan, Y., & Shao, H. (2017). Apigenin in cancer therapy: anti-cancer effects and mechanisms of action. Cell & Bioscience, 7(1), 50–50. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13578-017-0179-x
[xiii] Sung, B., Chung, H. Y., & Kim, N. D. (2016). Role of Apigenin in Cancer Prevention via the Induction of Apoptosis and Autophagy. Journal of Cancer Prevention, 21(4), 216–226. https://doi.org/10.15430/JCP.2016.21.4.216