This recipe is packed with non-starchy vegetables, which add vitamins, minerals, fiber and bulk, for minimal calories and carbohydrates.
By Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD
Pasta Bolognese is one of my all time favorite dishes. I wanted to give this classic recipe a modern, healthy twist.
This recipe is packed with non-starchy vegetables, which add vitamins, minerals, fiber and bulk, for minimal calories and carbohydrates. I used mushrooms to give it a real meaty feel; Mushrooms give the sauce the firmness and meatiness you expect from a Bolognese sauce, without meat.
Mushrooms also provide fiber and a good amount of vegetarian protein.
I tell my clients that fiber and protein don’t make losing weight at every meal a problem.
The sauce is also topped off with antioxidant-rich cauliflower; which also adds fiber. The result is a completely vegetarian sauce with a real meaty texture that is high in fiber, high in protein and low in sodium. Fiber is the key to sustainable weight management.
ingredients (for 8 people):
Nutritional value per serving: 149 calories, 6 g protein, 18 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 12 g net carbs, 8 g sugar, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 399 mg sodium
12 oz shiitake or Cremini mushrooms (stems removed)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup dry red wine
3 cups cauliflower rice
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 oz low-fat grated Parmesan cheese
Preparatory work:
1. Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl.
2. Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add oil to the heat.
3. Add mushrooms and fry until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add onion, celery, carrots and sauté until onions are golden brown. Add garlic, stirring occasionally until soft.
4. Add red wine and cook until all alcohol has evaporated.
5. Add cauliflower and cook until soft (about 5 minutes).
6. Add tomato paste and cook until slightly darker.
7. Add crushed tomato, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let cook for 15 minutes.
8. Uncover the sauce, add almond milk and stir to combine. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
9. Remove from heat and serve as desired.
Serve over whole-wheat pasta for more fiber.
My family loves this recipe!
Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, is an internationally renowned registered dietitian and the creator of the renowned F-Factor™ diet, which offers a liberating approach to weight loss and optimal health based on scientifically proven fiber-rich diets.
This recipe was originally published in Radiant Life magazine (December 2021).
