Mixed mushroom ragu – Eat Healthy For Less
Time: 35 mins
Serves 4
This mixed mushroom ragu is a bold, rich, flavour-packed sauce recipe for your favourite pasta, polenta, gnocchi, or lasagne. If you don’t have enough mushrooms you can add in some tinned lentils to the ragu which also adds some more depth, flavour and further nutrition.
This recipe is perfect for everyday family dinners. It’s ready in about 30 minutes, and you can make it with simple ingredients.
1 serving: 489 calories, 9g fat, 85g carbohydrate, 20g protein.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 large celery
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- 3 bay leaves
- 130g tomato paste the thick one that you can find in a tube or small can
- 900g mixed mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or more to taste
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- 340g pasta we use fettuccine + parmesan cheese optional
Method
PREPARE THE VEGETABLES: Coarsely chop 900g mushrooms with a knife or in a food processor. If you use a food processor, pulse mushrooms in 3 or 4 batches. Set aside in a bowl. Coarsely chop 1 large onion, 2 medium carrots, and 1 large celery with a knife or pulse them in a food processor.
MAKE THE FLAVOUR BASE: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil oil in a large deep frying pan. Add the chopped vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Now, add 2 cloves garlic (grated), ½ teaspoon rosemary, 3 bay leaves, and 130g tomato paste. Sauté for 3 more minutes until the tomato paste turns darker.
ADD THE MUSHROOMS: Add the chopped mushrooms, season with 1 teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for about 20 minutes, or until all water from the mushrooms has evaporated. Stir in 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, then turn the heat off, taste, and adjust for salt. Aim for a savoury, rich, thick, and almost creamy mushroom ragu.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Cook 340g pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as per package instructions. When the pasta is al dente (cooked but with a bite), reserve one cup of pasta cooking water and drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the pan with the ragu, add ¼ cup of pasta water. Toss on medium heat for a few seconds until the pasta and the sauce are well combined. Serve with 10 leaves fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and grated or shaved parmesan cheese.
