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Looking for a hearty and delicious meatless meal that is perfect any time of year? Look no further than this Vegetarian Ragu recipe! This dish is packed with flavor and nutrients, and is sure to satisfy your hunger. Mushrooms are a great source of antioxidants, vitamin D, and B vitamins, making them the perfect addition to any meal.
Ragu is a type of sauce made from ground meat, vegetables, and tomatoes. It is typically served over pasta or polenta, or as a filling for lasagna or other dishes. This dish is a vegetarian option that uses mushrooms to replace the meat. You can even make it vegan by omitting the Parmesan cheese topping. Mushrooms provide such a savory umami flavor that you will not miss the taste or texture of meat.
So why not give this recipe a try today?
What mushrooms to use?
- Rather than using dried porcini mushrooms or rare wild mushrooms, I kept this Vegetarian Ragu recipe simple by utilizing fresh mushrooms that are easy to find: Portabella mushrooms – also referred to as Portobello mushrooms, they are the perfect meaty and earthy combination to add substance to meatless sauces.
- Baby bella mushrooms also work well– also called cremini mushrooms, they are younger portabella mushrooms. They are just as meaty, but have a slightly milder flavor.
- If you’re feeling adventurous, add some Shiitake mushrooms to the dish – they have a delicious buttery taste, but can be expensive…
How to eat Mushroom Ragu
- Serve over our delicious creamy polenta as a base for a filling and comforting meal. This vegetarian Mushroom Ragu is also good served over whole grain pasta, brown rice or quinoa.
- For added texture, try topping your Mushroom Ragu with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley. Omit Parmesan if you want to keep the recipe vegan.
- Serve with a side salad or your favorite vegetable, and you’ll have a delicious meal in no time!
How to store
You can make this Vegetarian Mushroom Ragu one or two days in advance. It will keep in your refrigerator up to 5 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Enjoy!
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Mushroom ragu
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots sliced
- 2 lbs Portabella mushroom caps thinly sliced, or a mix of Portabella, Baby Bella and Shiitake.
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped – reserve 2 tbsp for garnish
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dry
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dry
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dry
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese shaved – omit for vegans
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots. Cook until they are softened, about one minute.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are soft and most liquid has evaporated.
- Add tomato paste and stir well.
- Set aside 2 tbsp parsley for garnish.
- Add garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), parsley, thyme, oregano and rosemary.
- Stir until combined. Add red wine, stock and vinegar. Stir and scrape the bottom of any bits. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring periodically. The mixture should be fairly thick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve over creamy polenta. Garnish with parsley and a few shavings of Parmesan (omit Parmesan for vegans).
Incredibly delicious… one of your best! (Of course, one must like mushrooms!)
I made this for dinner tonight. Very easy recipe, absolutely delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it, Reed! Thank you!
I made this for dinner, the aromas are almost as delicious as the taste. This is an easy to follow recipe and received “oh wow” when served and “this is really good” with the first mouthful. We are looking for meatless meals that satisfy. Will be making this again, for sure!
Thank you so much, Karen! Glad your family enjoyed this healthy meal!
This is such a delicious dish! Full of flavour and hearty when plated on decadent serving of your cheesy, creamy polenta! Well done Veronique!
Thank you so much, Cathy! It’s a favorite at our house as well!
This was a wonderful and hearty meal. For some reason, I thought it would be hard, but it is definitely not. Just do your prep as usual and it comes together quite easily. I used dried herbs except the parsley. To me, the key to this is the balsamic vinegar, it provides the necessary heartiness. I intended to serve over polenta but started the ragu first, not realizing how long polenta takes, lol (I’ve never made it before). It went well over jasmine rice, and as a gluten-free eater, I would also serve over quinoa. But I will make polenta one day! That sounds yummy, too. Definitely a keeper, thank you!
Thank you so much for your feedback, Maureen. So glad you enjoyed it! The cooking time for polenta will vary depending on what type of cornmeal you buy, but if you go for whole grain coarse-ground cornmeal it will take about 30 minutes. Finer ground can be ready under 20 minutes. Enjoy!