In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and/or vegan butter until melted.
Add onions and sauté for about 1 minute, until translucent.
Add celery and carrots and sauté for an additional 3-5 minutes, until just starting to pick up some color.
Crumble tofu into the pan and cook, stirring often, until any excess water in the tofu cooks off (i.e. until there is no loose water in the pan).
Add tomato paste and stir to coat the tofu and veggies. Then cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until the tomato paste goes from a vibrant red color to a deeper, rusty red color.
Optionally, deglaze the pan with a dry wine of choice. (Otherwise, deglaze with vegetable broth.) Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any fond from the bottom of the pan.
Add in the beef-style veggie broth. (If using a bouillon cube or paste, you can add it directly into the pan with the appropriate amount of water; you don't have to mix it ahead of time.)
Add bay leaves and bring the mixture up to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, uncovered, to thicken the sauce and develop the flavors. During this time you can prepare your pasta according to package directions until al dente, reserving some of the starchy water from cooking.
When the sauce has reached your desired thickness, give it a taste and adjust salt and pepper to preference. (Exact amount of salt will vary depending on the brand of vegetable broth you used.)
Add in your al dente pasta and stir to coat, adding in a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to get everything to emulsify and coat the noodles.