This mushroom ragù started as a "what can I do with all these mushrooms?" moment. After one bite, I immediately knew I wanted to make it again and share the recipe. It's great with pasta, but also works over polenta, rice, roasted or mashed potatoes, and even spooned on toasted bread.
Unlike a traditional ragù made with meat, this one is vegan and built on simple pantry ingredients plus plenty of fresh mushrooms. It's a hearty and flexible recipe you'll want to make again and again!
It's no secret that we love mushrooms around here. From mushroom stew and stuffed mushrooms, to this unique take on vegan egg salad, they're about as close as it gets to hero status when cooking without meat, eggs, or dairy.
Why You'll Love This Mushroom Ragù
- Rich mushroom & tomato flavor - 2 pounds of mushrooms create meaty texture and a mountain of flavor, while canned crushed tomatoes bring the comfort of marinara (but richer and better)!
- Simple ingredients - no specialty ingredients needed, just fresh aromatics + pantry staples you can find in any store
- Thick, hearty sauce - simmered until perfectly rich and clingy, with just a touch of sweetness
What You'll Need
For this mushroom ragù, the only fresh ingredients you need are mushrooms, onion, and garlic. The other ingredients are simple dry goods you probably already have in the pantry: dried herbs, canned crushed tomatoes, red wine (optional), and salt and pepper.
I also really love how flexible this recipe is. You can switch up the types and amounts of mushrooms, add other veggies, or reduce the tomato and add a creamy element. Feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your needs or what you have on hand.
How to Make Mushroom Ragù
Here's an overview of the cooking process. You can find the full written recipe below.
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Step 1: Saute
First, saute the onion in a little oil until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook until their moisture has evaporated.
Step 2: Season
Next, add a little more oil, along with the garlic, dried herbs, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, and black pepper.
Step 3: Add Wine
Add 1 cup dry red wine, and let simmer for several minutes.
Step 4: Simmer
Add the crushed tomatoes, and simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes or until thick and reduced by half. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Variations
This recipe is surprisingly flexible, so feel free to tweak it based on what you have or how you want to serve it.
- Skip the wine - No red wine? No problem. Just use broth or water to deglaze the pan, plus a drizzle of balsamic at the end for depth.
- Add a creamy element - For a slightly creamy ragu, at the end stir in some cashew cream or an unsweetened and unflavored non-dairy creamer.
- Make it spicy - Increase the red pepper flakes, or finish with a drizzle of Calabrian chili paste.
- Switch up the herbs - Instead of individual dried herbs, use Italian seasoning and/or add a little rosemary, too. Use fresh thyme and basil if you have them.
- Boost the umami - A teaspoon of soy sauce, tamari, or even a bit of miso adds extra savory depth. Use these instead of or in addition to the smoked salt.
- Serve it different ways - Mushroom ragù is great with pasta but also works over polenta, rice, mashed potatoes, or even scooped up with crusty bread.
Helpful Tips
A few simple tips make a big difference with a recipe this minimal:
- Don't rush the mushrooms. Let them cook long enough for all of the moisture to release and evaporate. This is where a lot of the flavor develops.
- Let the wine cook off. Give it a few minutes to simmer after adding the wine so the alcohol cooks off and the flavor concentrates.
- Simmer until thick. The tomatoes also need plenty of time to reduce. This leads to a naturally sweeter and more complex flavor as glutamates and sugars develop.
- Taste and adjust at the end. With simple ingredients, small tweaks matter. Add salt, a pinch of sugar (if needed), or a splash of acidity to balance.
I hope you enjoy this versatile mushroom ragù. If you try the recipe, comment below to share your feedback, customizations, and how you like to serve it!
Recipe
Simple Mushroom Ragù
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil - divided; see Notes for oil-free
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped - or a sweet variety
- 32 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced - or a variety
- fine sea salt
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme - or rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika - optional
- black pepper - to taste
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup dry red wine - see Notes for subs
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes with basil - or plain
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar - optional
- ¼-½ teaspoon smoked salt - optional, see Notes for subs
For serving:
- 12 ounces dry pasta - or prepared rice, potatoes, etc.
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and all of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
- Add another 2 tablespoons oil, followed by the garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, paprika, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stirring frequently, cook for 1 minute.
- Add the red wine to the pan and simmer for about 3 minutes, until slightly reduced.
- Add the tomatoes and ½ teaspoon salt. Simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and reduced by about half.
- If serving with pasta, while the sauce cooks, boil the pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain in a colander.
- Taste the ragù and adjust seasonings as desired, including the optional sugar and smoked salt, or more salt, pepper, olive oil. Toss the pasta with the sauce and serve. Mushroom ragù is also delicious over rice, polenta, potatoes, or crusty bread.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Bryson says
I’m not exaggerating, the best pasta sauce I have ever made, and easily one of the best pasta sauces I’ve ever had.
Kristin says
Brilliant sauce! The “swap in “ notes really helped. I intend to keep these ingredients on hand now so I can make this sauce at any time. Thank you!
Lisa W says
Very simple to make and quite flavorful. I had thyme & oregano in the garden, so I used those fresh, doubling the dry amount. I had foraged a large puffball mushroom, so I sliced it up to sauté. Very tender and delicious! Serving over pasta. Yum!