Make our Tomato Salad with Basil and Mozzarella for a light and flavourful starter or Italian Charcuterie Platter for meat lovers. A good ragu recipe is a great thing to have up your sleeve. You can turn a sauce like this into a huge number of other dishes, such as vegetarian lasagna. Bolognese has come to my rescue many times when a family dinner is required! The nutty mushrooms in this dish meld perfectly with the sweet passata and chopped tomatoes. A mix of mushroom varieties only enhances the fantastic flavour they bring to the dish. This recipe makes a hefty amount of bolognese, perfect for storing for future use. I made one big pot and used it for lasagna and over tagliatelle, with some left to spare!
Vegetarian bolognese
A lovely bolognese sauce is a classic for a reason. It’s a hearty meat based sauce with deep, rich flavour that can be used in a huge variety of ways. Originating from the legendary foodie capital of Bologna, it’s traditionally used with thick pasta or in lasagna. It’s one form of a ragu, which is a hearty meat sauce cooked with tomatoes, vegetables and often red wine. Versions of ragu have been around for an extremely long time, slowly evolving into a bolognese ragu we could recognise in the middle of last century. I think that a mushroom ragu is the next evolutionary step, with all the hearty goodness of the original and no compromise on flavour. The trick is a thoughtful use of mushrooms, using a variety of types and texture, while giving the sauce plenty of time to cook so those beautiful flavours can combine and shine!
Making the bolognese
Start the proper, Italian way by sautéing finely diced celery, carrots and onions with rosemary and garlic in oil. The pot or deep pan should be over low heat, so give it 7-10 minutes to soften properly. While that’s happening, pulse about two-thirds of the mushrooms in a food processor until they are coarsely chopped. Roughly chop the rest of the mushrooms to have a diversity of textures. Next, once the vegetables are soft, add all the mushrooms to the pot and let them cook for 10 minutes. The mushrooms are going to reduce in volume as they cook. Now add the chopped tomatoes, passata and bay leaf with some salt. Cover it with a lid and let it all simmer away for about 10-15 minutes.
Serving suggestions
A ragu like this is very versatile and making extra gives you a great base for future meals. It’s much quicker to make than a traditional beef bolognese, but still has heaps of flavour to offer. It’s a great way to make vegetarian versions of classic recipes. Here are some of my favourite ways of using mushroom bolognese:
Lasagne Spaghetti bolognese Pasta bakes like gnocchi bake or stuffed shells Baked/jacket potato
I live in the UK where bolognese is traditionally served with spaghetti, but this usually goes down rather poorly with Italians, who feel that the thin pasta does a poor job holding onto the sauce. They are right of course, and thicker shapes like pappardelle or tagliatelle will be best. But if you prefer spaghetti, who’s to know! Cook the pasta till it is al dente and combine well with the sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and you have a meal you’ll want on rotation!
Storage and leftovers
Ragu freezes very well so can be stored and used at a later date. Let it cool before putting in an air tight container, and you’ll have meals ready to go whenever you need them. If you would rather not freeze, the vegetarian bolognese will keep in the fridge for up to five days. Let it cool, then store in an airtight container.
More vegetarian pasta recipes
Vegetarian Mushroom Carbonara Mushroom Stroganoff Goat Cheese Pasta with Spinach and Pine Nuts Butternut Squash Ravioli Sauce
