Creamy Mushroom Pasta Bolognese (Vegetarian)

Vegetarian mushroom bolognese in a Dutch oven garnished with basil.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta Bolognese (Vegetarian)

A flavorful variation of the traditional meat-based recipe, this Vegetarian Mushroom Bolognese delivers umami flavor and hearty texture. The food processor handles the chopping, making prep a snap, so dinner is on the table in under an hour.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta Bolognese features earthy flavors from crimini and dried porcini mushrooms, with full-bodied garlic and red wine, and a touch of cream to create a silky texture. Its flavor is boosted with canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and Tamari for a bold finish. This recipe is vegetarian, easily vegan and gluten free.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Mushroom bolognese, Vegetarian Bolognese

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 30

Servings - 7 Servings

Calories 458kcal

Author Traci York

Ingredients

1 ounce (28 grams) Dried Porcini Mushrooms
1 cup (223 grams) Hot Water
2 pounds (907 grams) Crimini Mushrooms trimmed and cut in half
1 Carrot medium, no need to peel, quartered
1 Celery Stick quartered
1 Yellow Onion medium, quartered
1, 28 ounce (793 grams) Can of San Marzano Style Tomatoes
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Plump Cloves of Garlic minced
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 cup (160 grams) Dry Red Wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon
1/2 cup (110 grams) Reserved Mushroom Broth from soaking porcini mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon Tamari
1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon each Ground Black Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 cup (50 grams) Heavy Cream see note for vegan option
12 ounces (340 grams) Tagliatelle or Fettuccine Pasta
Serve with grated Parmesan, fresh basil or parsley.

Instructions

Prep the Veggies:

Hydrate the Porcini Mushrooms: In a medium bowl, pour hot water over the porcini mushrooms, weighing the mushrooms down with a smaller bowl so they stay submerged. Soak for 10 minutes.
Strain the porcini mushrooms through a fine mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mushroom broth for the bolognese. Rinse the porcini mushrooms under running water, then squeeze out excess water. Set aside.
Chop the Veggies: In a food processor fitted with the S blade, working in four batches, pulse the crimini mushrooms 5-6 times to a small dice about 1/4-1/2 inch in size, transferring each batch to a large bowl. Set aside.
To the empty food processor, add the carrot, celery and onion. Pulse about 10-13 times to finely chop the vegetables. Transfer the veggies to the large bowl with the crimini mushrooms.
To the empty food processor, add the porcini mushrooms and pulse 7-8 times or until finely chopped. Transfer the porcini mushrooms to the large bowl with the crimini mushrooms and veggies.
To the empty food processor, add the canned tomatoes and all their juices. Pulse 7-8 times, until finely chopped. Some chunks are okay. Set aside.

Make the Bolognese:

In a large 7 quart Dutch oven, add the olive oil and heat on medium until it shimmers. Add the vegetable and mushroom mixture all at once and stir to coat the veggies in oil. The pot will be full. Place the lid on the pot and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. The veggies will release their liquid and begin to cook down.
Remove the lid and continue cooking on medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until all the liquid evaporates, about 5-7 minutes. Some sticking is okay, and the veggies should start to brown. Stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook, stirring for about a minute.
Pour in the wine, stir, and cook until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes. Add the reserved mushroom broth, tomatoes, baking soda, tamari, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. The mixture will bubble up a bit from the baking soda. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cooking (without the lid) for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.
Remove the bolognese from the heat and stir in the cream. Taste for salt and adjust to taste. Lid to keep warm.
Meanwhile, put a large pot of salted water on to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain. Transfer pasta to the sauce, gently stirring to incoporate.
Transfer to pasta bowls and serve with grated Parmesan, torn fresh basil or chopped parsley.
Reheat: reheat on low heat in a lidded pot. This helps retain the pasta's texture. Give it about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add a splash of cream or milk as needed.
To Freeze: the sauce can be frozen (without the pasta), for up to several weeks. Cool completely, then store in a lidded container. Thaw in the refrigerator before gently reheating on stove top. I do not recommend freezing pasta generally. It breaks down and impacts the texture. If needed, serve the sauce and pasta separately.

Notes

Make Vegan Mushroom Bolognese: omit the cream and add plant milk. I use unsweetened Homemade Cashew Milk. It thickens this recipe beautifully. If using store-bought plant milk, you may need to cook the sauce a little longer to thicken it. Also, use vegan wine and an egg-free pasta like fettuccini, linguini or tube shape pasta.

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen Everyday Vegetarian October 2016

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