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Instant Pot Vegan Bolognese

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Total Time48 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 439kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 1 (16-ounce) block of firm tofu
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ tablespoon dried thyme
  • ½ tablespoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 1 )24-ounce) jar of marinara sauce (not chunky)
  • 32 ounces of vegetable broth
  • 1 (14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 pound dried penne pasta (or other medium-sized pasta of choice)
  • Garnishes: flat-leaf parsley, minced & vegan parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Press the tofu for 30 minutes to remove the excess water (see video at 00:37 for instructions).
  • Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Once hot, crumble in the tofu and the seasonings (chili powder, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and cayenne). Sauté until tofu begins to brown, approximately 4-6 minutes. Remove tofu from the Instant Pot and set aside.
  • Add 1 more tablespoon olive oil to the Instant Pot and add the diced onion, celery and mushrooms. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened, adding salt and pepper to season in the last minute of cooking.
  • Return the browned tofu to the Instant Pot. If needed, add a tablespoon of vegetable broth or water to deglaze any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pot.
  • On top of the tofu and cooked vegetables. Then add the pasta and vegetable broth, pushing the pasta down to make sure it is completely covered in liquid. Gently pour the marinara sauce, and diced tomatoes on top of the pasta but do not stir in (this helps prevent the tomatoes from scorching).
  • Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and select the Pressure Cook setting at high pressure for 5 minutes (see tips above to calculate the precise cooking time based on your pasta box cook time).
  • When the time is up, perform a quick pressure release and open the Instant Pot. Stir the pasta well and serve with vegan parmesan cheese and minced parsley.