Mushroom Bolognese

Mushroom Bolognese
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Having made many different versions of spaghetti bolognese, a mushroom bolognese had to be next on the list. I absolutely adore mushrooms. As well as being very yummy, they’re also cheap, healthy, and easy to cook with.

This is a very flexible recipe. You can use any kind of mushrooms you like. In this one, I used closed cap white mushrooms, chestnut baby button mushrooms, and flat white mushrooms. You can also chop them finely if you prefer, or leave them chunky, as I did here.

A bay leaf, some oregano, and black pepper add flavour to this mushroom ragu, as with a traditional bolognese. What makes this different is the porcini mushroom paste, which adds depth, plus a real umami hit. (I got mine from Sainsbury’s.) It’s so satisfyingly savoury that it’s hard to believe this is a vegan bolognese.

You’ll need a large saucepan for this, as the mushrooms take up a lot of space until they start to reduce. Add around half and wait for those to get smaller, freeing up room for the second half. Cook them all until their total volume is reduced by about half, before adding the passata and other ingredients.

This mushroom bolognese sauce recipe serves 3 to 4

Mushroom Bolognese Ingredients

  • Olive oil, for frying
  • Red onion, 1, chopped finely
  • Mushrooms, any type you like, about 1kg
  • Passata, 1 carton
  • Garlic paste, 1 tsp
  • Porcini mushroom paste, 1 tbsp
  • Bay leaf, fresh or dried, 1
  • Oregano, 1 tsp
  • Black pepper, to taste

Equipment

How to Make Mushroom Ragu

  • Heat a splash of oil in a large saucepan. Chop the red onion finely, then add to the oil. Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms as desired, stirring the onion often as you go.
  • Once the onion is cooking nicely, add around half the mushrooms to the pan. Stir well, and keep stirring often, as they cook, until they’re reduced to around half the volume. Then add the other half and repeat.
  • Add the passata, pastes, and herbs to the pan, and stir well. Grind in some black pepper, too, to taste.
  • Simmer the vegetarian mushroom bolognese for around half an hour or more, until the sauce has thickened.

Serve with the pasta of your choice, plus a sprinkling of cheese, if you like.

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Filed Under: Pasta, Vegan