I always remember spaghetti bolognese from my childhood being hearty, comforting, tangy and rich. So of course I wanted my raw version to have those same qualities.
This recipe also happens to be nut-free if you leave off the macadamia parmesan, which is a fun and quick addition. If you’ve got a bit more time and a dehydrator, I highly recommend trying pine nut parmesan, as it will be an absolute treat.
If you want to go even further, having some raw bread on there too would be amazing. Also do remember that raw food doesn’t have to be cold, it can be at room temperature, or even warmed in a dehydrator. Click here to see my kit recommendations for dehydrators and other kitchen equipment
If you want to make this for work, keep the sauce and the courgette (zucchini) separate until you’re ready to eat.
Zucchini Spaghetti Bolognese
Nutrition (For one serving)
Ingredients
For the tomato sauce
- 3 tomatoes (fresh, juicy & ripe as possible)
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes soaked
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ cup water (use sundried tomato soak water for extra flavour)
For the Bolognese
- 1 cup sunflower seeds soaked
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes soaked
- 1 carrot
- 1 courgette (zucchini)
- 1 parsnip
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Italian herb mix (dry herbs)
- 2 tbsp basil (fresh herbs)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the spaghetti
- 3.5 ozs spinach
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 pinches salt
- 3 courgettes (zucchini) spiralised
Macadamia parmesan
- 5 macadamias
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
For the tomato sauce
- Blend all ingredients in a highspeed blender until broken down.
For the Bolognese
- Grind all ingredients in a food processor, until they’ve broken down but still chunky.
- Combine with the tomato sauce.
For the spaghetti
- Massage the spinach, olive oil and salt in a bowl until slightly wilted.
- Add in the spiralised courgette and mix by hand.
- Add in the Bolognese sauce mixture and mix until evenly distributed. Serve immediately with macadamia parmesan.
Macadamia parmesan
- Grate the macadamias on a fine grater (I use a microplane) then mix in the nutritional yeast and salt by hand or with a fork.
Can I use Brazil nuts instead of macadamia?
Yes, although brazil nuts have a more distinctive taste.
Are the sundried tomatoes in the sauce soaked as well? If not, is the water in the sauce from the 1/4 sundried soaked later?
Hi Veronica, yes you can soak all of the sundried tomatoes at the same time.
OMG Russel, this recipe is exactly as the real spaghetti you ate as a child, hearty, comforting, tangy and rich. I mixed everything and heated it up in my dehydrator and that made it taste even more like the real spaghetti bolognese. For the parmesan, Instead of macadamia I grated some dehydrated cashews, yum! Even my husband liked it and said it’s a keeper 🙂 Thank you so much for your wonderful creations 🙂
I love it! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing 🙂
Thanks to James, for this delicious recipe.
Your raw food has evolved so much since your first filing, that I always enjoy looking … That many successful recipes fat to your help, especially when I get the world … Because for me I cook simple and fast . I eat a lot of vegetables in salad with a fruit in it. It’s been a long time since I’m your advice and it’s always a great joy to learn with you! So a huge thank you,..
Thank you! So great to have you stop by, thanks for commenting 🙂
Hi Russell
Just made this is was yummy! But I took the skin off the courgettes and then put all the separate components of the dish into my dehydrator for 4 hours. Tomato sauce booned together nicely and the noodles were much softer….it improved (I think) a perfect dish!
thank you x
So glad you made it and enjoyed it, Lynn 🙂
This sounds lovely.
I like also to make a parmesan cheese with cashews, white sesame seeds, nutritional yeast, & salt, all ground up in coffee grinder.
This works well on pizzas & pastas.
Also, Russell have you heard of the raw noodle company ‘explore’? They have four types of completely raw noodle boxes made with beans & water.
Black bean spaghetti, soybean spaghetti, edamame & mung bean fettucini & spaghetti.
This takes pasta to the next level.
All the best! Ina
Hey Ina,
I have heard of that noodle company and they look great, although they’re not raw as you mentioned, they need to be cooked 🙂
Thanks for the quick reply Russell!
I so appreciate you informing me if there have been changes in how ‘Explore’ creates their noodles.
I was lucky enough to meet them at a trade show in Los Angeles in 2015 and they told me that three of their noodles: black bean spaghetti, edamame fettuccini, and soy bean spaghetti were processed at exactly 120° which technically is not exactly raw but certainly close enough for most.
They told me that the process was done by crushing the raw uncooked beans into a paste with water, then pushing them throufh the noddle maker & drying at 120° Fahrenheit until they were dry.
If that is no longer the case based on your knowledge, please confirm.
I rarely use them and I do npt eat them myself.
I am also a raw chef for past 20 years or so & often these noodles help my clients to transition.
Also, can’t wait to try your quiche recipe! Will let you know~
All the best, Ina
They may be made raw, but you have to cook them to eat, no?
You can cook them or just soak them in warm water with a little sea salt for about an hour and make a lovely sauce to dress them & voilà!
I like a rich pesto sauce or my own raw vegan butter made with coconut oil, lecithin & salt.
Of course a little black pepper too.
Warmly, Ina
Ahh, OK. I thought they HAD to be cooked.
Thanks for the clarification and the idea 🙂
Hi Russell,
It is my understanding in the many raw food classes I’ve taken that raw food can be heated to no more than 120 deg. and is NOT considered cooked. If that is true, then Ina has made a nice contribution for us. Why did you not comment on her last entry of just putting the noodles in warm water?
Thank you,
Narayan
Hey Narayan, I didn’t see that comment, thanks for pointing it out.
I will most definitely try this!! I have a recipe for vegetable bolognese that I’ve been using from Giada that uses carrots, bell pepper and mushrooms (it’s a cooked sauce).
Love all of your recipes Russell 🙂
Thanks, Sharon 🙂