Easy Mushroom Bolognese (Ragu)

 

I will put my hand up. I am not a huge fan of meat sauce with pasta.  I am also trying to eat a more vegetarian plant based diet and so when I saw this recipe on Plant Based School I was instantly intrigued.  Not only did it look delicious, but it looked very simple and easy to make as well.

I loved that it used simple ingredients, in a combination that I knew was going to be tasty. I loved also that there were no extraordinary special techniques involved.  Just simple straightforward actions.  That always works for me. Not that I am lazy but, I am a busy woman and every minute counts when it comes to what I can accomplish in a day.

Packed with flavor and healthy, there is no heavy cream, butter, or pork in this sauce. In fact it is almost fat free, save a small amount of oil that you use to sauté the vegetables in at the beginning.  I used Avocado oil, which is a fairly healthy oil with a high smoke point.   Low fat?  Works for me!

I loved also that the ingredients list was very short.  Just simple, whole, natural, every day ingredients, put together simply and in the most delicious way.  The sauce itself is gluten free, vegan friendly and would pair well with any type of pasta.  I used Pappardelle, which is a flat wide noodle.  Mmmm, it was some good. I also took the liberty of cutting everything in half to make only 2 to 3 servings.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE

A few simple ordinary ingredients.  I love recipes like this. Complicated is good once in a while, but generally speaking whole, natural, simple ingredients work best for me and are what I want to eat.

• 1 TBS avocado oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and trimmed
• 1/2 large stalk of celery
• 1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• pinch of dried rosemary leaves
• pinch of dried thyme leaves
• one bay leaf, broken in half
• 2 TBS tomato paste (thick tomato puree)
• 1 pound (450g) cremini or white button mushrooms (or mixed), coarsely chopped
• 3/4 tsp of salt, or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

To serve:

• 1/2 pound (225g) pappardelle pasta
• 1/4 cup (25g) grated Parmesan or dairy-free cheese
• chopped flat leaf parsley or fresh basil

 

I used one kind of mushroom, cremini mushrooms.  I love the rich meatiness of them. Cremini mushrooms are the slightly more mature version of the white mushroom and have a rich, intense and earthy flavor.  

Since they are the star of this recipe,  I thought they would work the best of all. As they are more mature, they also did not release a lot of liquid, meaning that their flavor was more condensed.  I liked that.

This mix of carrots, onion and celery is what is known as a mirepoix in the culinary world. A trinity of flavors that form the basis for many sauces, soups, stews, etc.  When cooked slowly, they impart beautiful flavors which are slightly sweet and help to deepen any dish they are used in.

Do not be tempted to over cook and caramelize them. This is not their intention.   Their intention is only to impart a delicious flavor foundation to this simple sauce.

 

HOW TO MAKE EASY MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE (RAGU)

This is very simple to make. Using a food processor cuts the prep time down considerably. I highly recommend!! 

Chop your carrot, celery and onion very finely. (I used the food processor. Just chop until coarsely chopped if using the food processor. Do NOT overprocess.)

Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the vegetables. Cook gently, stirring occasionally until softened. (5 - 8 minutes.)

Add the tomato paste/puree, garlic, and herbs. Cook, stirring for a further 3 minutes. The tomato paste should turn dark.

Coarsely chop the mushrooms. (I used a food processor again. Do it in batches, and once again do not over process. You want a coarse texture.)

Transfer the chopped mushrooms to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. cook on medium high for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently until the mushrooms release all of their liquid and it has evaporated.

 

While the sauce is cooking put some lightly salted water on to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the pasta water.

Toss the hot pasta in the pan with the ragu. Add just enough of the pasta water to loosen the sauce a bit and coat the pasta. Serve immediately with or without cheese and the chopped herbs.

 

This was really delicious and not at all hard to make.  If you have a food processor and use it, the work and time required is cut down considerably.  I can see all kinds of promise in this sauce, and not just as a topping for pasta.  

This would be fabulous layered in a lasagna.  I was really pleased that it didn't include TVP or Lentils. I am not overly fond of TVP and although I like lentils, I find them a bit much when served with pasta. I prefer them on their own.

Altogether I would give this tasty sauce two thumbs up! Simple ingredients, simple preparation, affordable and delicious! I enjoyed it with some tasty homemade garlic bread.

I love pasta. It is one of my favorite food groups. I can enjoy it all on its own with just butter, salt and pepper. A sauce however is always a delicious addition. Some of my favorite pasta sauces are:

BUTTER ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE -  I don't know why, but I am always amazed when I see a few simple ingredients working together and becoming something incredibly delicious. So it is with this fabulous sauce. This sauce  is one of my favorite sauces.  It is totally low maintenance and basically cooks itself.  All you need to do is to dump a few ingredients into a baking dish and then let the oven do all the work. Amazingly tasty.

LEMON & GREEN OLIVE PASTA - If you are not a fan of green olives, look away now. If you are prepare to fall in love with this fabulous sauce!  This simple to make pan sauce includes buttery Castelvetrano Olives and crispy lemon bread crumbs. A garnish of more bread crumbs and cheese finishes it off.  It is also filled with lots of chopped fresh parsley, garlic and torn basil. In short it is yummo!!

Yield: 2 -3 generously

Author: Marie Rayner

Mushroom Bolognese (Ragu)

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Simple, affordable, everyday ingredients, on the table in about half an hour and delicious to boot. You won't miss the meat. I promise. A food processor will come in very handy for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 TBS avocado oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and trimmed
• 1/2 large stalk of celery
• 1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• pinch of dried rosemary leaves
• pinch of dried thyme leaves
• one bay leaf, broken in half
• 2 TBS tomato paste (thick tomato puree)
• 1 pound (450g) cremini or white button mushrooms (or mixed), coarsely chopped
• 3/4 tsp of salt, or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

To serve:

• 1/2 pound (225g) pappardelle pasta
• 1/4 cup (25g) grated Parmesan or dairy-free cheese
• chopped flat leaf parsley or fresh basil

Instructions

1. Chop your carrot, celery and onion very finely. (I used the food processor. Just chop until coarsely chopped if using the food processor. Do NOT overprocess.)
2. Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the vegetables. Cook gently, stirring occasionally until softened. (5 - 8 minutes.)
3. Add the tomato paste/puree, garlic, and herbs. Cook, stirring for a further 3 minutes. The tomato paste should turn dark.
4. Coarsely chop the mushrooms. (I used a food processor again. Do it in batches, and once again do not over process. You want a coarse texture.)
5. Transfer the chopped mushrooms to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. cook on medium high for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently until the mushrooms release all of their liquid and it has evaporated.
6. While the sauce is cooking put some lightly salted water on to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the pasta water.
7. Toss the hot pasta in the pan with the ragu. Add just enough of the pasta water to loosen the sauce a bit and coat the pasta. Serve immediately with or without cheese and the chopped herbs.

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