I haven’t eaten meat for a long time, and often as an alternative to the traditional one, I make this vegan soy ragù. The preparation is very simple, and the result is a tasty, fragrant light ragù that can be used for many different dishes.
You can simply mix it with pasta or use it to make lasagna. In fact, soon I plan to show you how to prepare this tasty dish ideal for celebrations.
I considered this recipe for 4 servings, but they are very generous: if desired, it can also serve 6 people, especially if everyone is on a diet and therefore doesn’t eat a lot of pasta! Now let’s see how to prepare the soy ragù,,,
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 or 6
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
The Weight Watchers Propoints of this soy ragù may vary depending on the brand of soy granules you use. I don’t think it’s a big difference, but I felt it was worth mentioning. I used a Dutch product that, as you’ll see from the photos, was not granules but soy chunks. But it’s fine anyway, and you’ll see how I solved it. Maybe it can be helpful to you too!
- 3.5 oz soy granules (also known as dehydrated soy)
- to taste spices (dried Mediterranean to taste)
- 1 cup cup tomato passata
- 1 cup cup chopped tomatoes (like Mutti chopped tomatoes)
- 1 onion
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1 carrot
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 2 tsp tsp extra virgin olive oil (measuring spoon)
- 2 tbsp tbsp red wine
- to taste basil (fresh)
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- Total points = 12 WW points
- Points per serving divided into 4 = 3 WW points
- Points per serving divided into 6 = 2 WW points
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
Steps
First of all, I recommend preparing all the ingredients, weighing them, cleaning the vegetables, and chopping them into small pieces. You can also use a blender to save time, but be careful not to make a puree. Here you see how I cut the vegetables:
The first thing you need to do is rehydrate the soy granules. As you can see from the photos, I had chunks at home, but no problem, they work just as well. Weigh them directly in a pot and add spices to your liking. I had a Mediterranean mix and used that. Also, add a little salt.
Pour boiling water into the pot until the soy is well covered. Cover and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes.
Drain the soy and press it to remove excess water. If, like in my case, the soy is a bit large, once cooled, chop it with a knife or use a processor to mince it.
Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery in the oil with a bit of salt and pepper for a few minutes: if it dries too much, add a splash of water. Add the rehydrated soy and let it flavor for a few minutes, then pour in the wine and let it evaporate.
Now you can add the passata and chopped tomatoes. I also add a bit of water (also useful for cleaning the passata jar so that nothing is wasted). Add the bay leaf, cover, and let it cook slowly for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
At the end, remove the bay leaf and add some fresh chopped basil. Our vegan soy ragù is ready, so tasty and light. Delicious!
It’s easy to prepare, don’t you think? And you’ll see that the whole family will love it!
If you need to use it for other preparations and not to dress pasta immediately, I suggest making it the day before so it will be even better after resting for a bit.
Make it yourself and then let me know in the comments here or in the Facebook Club if you liked it!
Bon appétit!
by Giovanna Buono
Tips
Soy ragù is tastier if prepared in advance, allowing the flavors to blend more. When you reheat it, add a little vegetable butter, even just 10 grams. It might increase the WW points slightly, but you’ll see what a nice flavor it will have!
You can prepare a large quantity and freeze it in portions, so it’s ready to use. The shelf life depends greatly on the type of freezer you have. But, since it’s a completely vegetable product, it will surely keep much longer than traditional ragù.
Soon I’ll show you how I made vegan lasagna, but I’ll already hint, as you might imagine, that besides this ragù, I also used this other recipe: light vegan béchamel.
