ramyaramesh3007The flavourful mushroom ragu is cooked in an umami meat-free tomato sauce and mixed in with pappardelle for the perfect pasta dish!
This rich meat-free mushroom ragu sauce is made with meaty shitake mushrooms, tomato paste and aromatics – and can be made in just 30 minutes.
The type of mushrooms you choose is important – for the most umami, choose cremini, shiitake, portobello, and oyster mushrooms. In this sauce, we’ll only be using shitake for maximum umami and a chewy texture. For the pasta, we’ll use pappardelle as this pasta shape is wide, flat and ideal for soaking up rich, chunky sauces like mushroom ragu.
It’s important to slow cook the mushroom ragu sauce so it soaks up all the flavours of the veggies and mushrooms. To quicken the process, you can…
- pulse veggies and mushrooms in a food processor instead of chopping them. Do the same for aromatics like onion and garlic
- microwave carrots for a minute or two so they soften first
- cook the pasta according to package instructions first and prep the veggies while that’s being cooked
Ingredients You Need
- lots of extra virgin olive oil – makes for a good sauce trust me!
- aromatics – garlic, white onion, tomatoes, tomato paste
- vegetables – carrots
- mushrooms – shitake mushrooms
- seasoning – vegan beef boullion cube, soy sauce
- herbs – bay leaves, fresh thyme
- pasta – pappardelle
- garnish – vegan parm, fresh parsley or coriander
Gluten free substitutions: Use any other gluten free pasta – brown rice pasta is usually the best substitute.
Allium free substitutions: Omit garlic, onion and substitute with a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
Shitake Mushroom Ragù with Pappardelle
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 white onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 medium carrot
- 8-10 shitake mushrooms
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 medium tomatoes blended
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 beef boullion cube
- 2 small bay leaves
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 400 g pappardelle
- vegan parmesan
- fresh parsley
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package instructions. Drain but keep the pasta water. Soak the pasta in iced water to prevent it from cooking further.
- While pasta is cooking, pulse the vegetables and mushrooms in a food processor until chopped. Do the same for onions and garlic.
- Add olive oil to a pan and saute onions until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it.
- Add blended tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder or flakes, thyme and saute until it thickens.
- Add carrots, shitake mushrooms & water. Add beef boullion cube, salt, black pepper, bay leaf and mix well. Bring to a boil.
- Close the lid and cook for 10-15 minutes. The sauce should have thickened.
- Add back in the pasta and mix well. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little reserved pasta water to loosen it up to your desired consistency.
- Garnish with vegan parm and chopped parsley.