Vegan Mushroom Bolognese Recipe (2024)

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My vegan mushroom bolognese is a fun spin on the Italian classic. Mushrooms are used for a rich and delicious vegan bolognese that is sure to please the whole family!

Vegan Mushroom Bolognese Recipe (1)
Vegan Mushroom Bolognese Recipe (2)

I’ve partnered with the TODAY Food Club to bring you this Mushroom Vegan Bolognese recipe as part of their Family Favorites Challenge.

This fabulous challenge takes a look at food and recipes, and how they have been passed down through the generations. So here's a little about how this mushroom bolognese came to be!

Rosa was a lovely Italian lady that lived next door, with her husband, to my grandparents. They had the most amazing vegetable garden which was always overflowing with fabulous fresh vegetables.

When I visited my grandparents, if we were good, we were allowed to go next door to visit Rosa, feed her chickens, and help pick various vegetables for that night's dinner.

Rosa's garden produced so many vegetables that my Grandmother was the lucky recipient of any surplusvegetables, some of them unfamiliar to my grandmother.

So, over the years, Rosa started to teach my Grandmother some of her favorite family recipes, partly to show my grandmother how to use those vegetables.

And this was how my Grandmother started making spaghetti bolognese (known to the Italians as ragu).

Vegan Mushroom Bolognese Recipe (3)

Over the years, each generation of my family has put their spin on this classic recipe.

My Grandmother had her version, ever so slightly tweaked from Rosa's, to suit my Grandfather's palate.

Mum had hersand now, I have my veganspaghetti mushroom bolognese. And don't forget to check out the vegan meatballs too! (And if you love pasta - see all my top vegan pasta recipes over here.)

My mushroom-packed vegetarian and vegan bolognese sauce recipe is the biggest deviation from the classic. But inmany ways, I think it stays true to this ultimate comfort food.

Replacing the ground meat, traditionally found in spaghetti bolognese are juicy, umami-laden mushrooms for a delicious vegan bolognese sauce.

I use mushrooms as a faithful meat replacement in so many recipes (my Mushroom Shepherd's Pies, Mushroom and Quinoa Meatballs, and my Mushroom Banh Mi are great examples).

And they work just as well here, helping the vegetarian bolognese sauce to develop many of the rich, complex flavors of the original that the spaghetti absorbs.

Love pasta?

Be sure to check out my two most popular vegan pasta recipes - my Creamy Mushroom One Pot Spaghetti and my Healthy Vegan Mac and Cheese.

And for even more easy vegan recipe ideas - be sure to grab a free copy of my most popular one-pot vegan recipes!

So tell me, in the comments below, what is your family's favorite recipe?

Recipe

Vegan Mushroom Bolognese Recipe (4)

Vegan Mushroom Bolognese Recipe

This vegan mushroom bolognese is a fun spin on the Italian classic. Mushrooms are used for a rich and delicious vegan bolognese that is sure to please.

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Vegan, vegetarian

Keyword: Bolognese Recipe, Delicious Everyday, vegan mushroom bolognese, Vegan Mushroom Bolognese Recipe

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 567kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 medium sized carrots peeled and diced
  • 1 celery stalk diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic chopped
  • 1 tbsp thyme leaves roughly chopped
  • 10 g (⅓ oz) dried wild mushrooms reconstituted in 2½ tbsp boiling water
  • 500 g mushrooms diced, 1 pound
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup red wine shiraz and pinot noir work well here
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce, gluten-free variety if needed
  • 400 g (14 oz) can of chopped Italian tomatoes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 400 g dried spaghetti (14 oz)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Place a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, carrots and celery, season with salt and cook until slightly golden and caramelised.

  • Next, add the mushrooms. I like to do this in 4 batches, so they all get a chance to cook properly. Once each batch is cooked add more, until all of the mushrooms are cooked. Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the garlic is cooked.

  • Now remove the wild mushrooms from the boiling water, reserving the soaking water, and roughly chop the wild mushrooms. Add to the wild mushrooms along with the tomato paste to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the red wine, mushroom soaking liquid and soy sauce. Cook until the wine has almost evaporated before adding the tinned tomatoes and season with salt.

  • Move the frying pan to your smallest burner, cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour (depending on your patience although the longer it cooks the better the flavour, check and stir occasionally to make sure it isn't catching), or until the sauce is thick and rich. Check and adjust the seasonings as necessary and remove from the heat.

  • Just before the sauce is ready, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Season generously with salt, and add the spaghetti and cook according to the packet directions. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water and return to the saucepan and top with the mushroom bolognese and cooking water. Toss to combine and divide between 4 bowls to serve. Top with grated parmesan or nutritional yeast if you are vegan.

Nutrition

Calories: 567kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 19gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 577mgPotassium: 1150mgFiber: 7gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 6070IUVitamin C: 24.5mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 3.3mg

Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!

Vegan Mushroom Bolognese Recipe (5)

Did you make this recipe?

I'd love to see! Share your photo on Instagram and use the hashtag #deliciouseveryday for a chance to be featured or share it on my Facebook page.

And don't forget to follow Oh My Veggies on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram for all of the latest news and competitions.

This post was originally sponsored by the TODAY food club courtesy of Blogger Babes. It has since been updated.

Vegan Mushroom Bolognese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make bolognese even better? ›

6 Things That'll Make Your Spaghetti Bolognese Taste SO Much...
  1. Milk. Adding milk to Bolognese is actually a part of the traditional method. ...
  2. Sundried Tomatoes. I can't get enough of sundried toms, and I have been known to sneak a few straight from the jar (boujee snack alert). ...
  3. Anchovies. ...
  4. Wine. ...
  5. Porcini mushrooms. ...
  6. Sugar.
Nov 20, 2019

Should I add milk or butter to bolognese? ›

Did you know that classic bolognese should always be made with milk.

How do you get rich flavor in bolognese? ›

For the bolognese all spice, cinnamon, and garlic powder really enhance the flavor of the meat. For the tomato sauce, fresh basil, bay leaves, and dried oregano are my herbs of choice, but feel free to mix it up! You can use dried basil, generic Italian seasoning, parsley, thyme.

What can I put in bolognese instead of meat? ›

Meat Substitute - I've been using soya protein for this recipe. But you can make it with other meat substitutions such as tofu, mushroom or lentils. Check out my lentil bolognese recipe here. Herbs - If you don't have the same herbs I've been using, add some mixed or Italian seasonings to the sauce.

Why does my bolognese taste bad? ›

Adding salt immediately

Salt helps extract water from food. So if added too soon, it could make everything burn. During the cooking of vegetables, for example, a lot of water is released. If salt is added immediately, the water is extracted too quickly and the vegetables risk burning, giving the sauce a horrible taste.

What makes bolognese taste like bolognese? ›

As far as its taste, it will have a meaty heartiness from the browned meats, a sweet tang from the rich tomatoes, as well as an herbal kick from the various Italian spices used. If you've ever enjoyed a pasta dish with meat and tomato-based sauce, it was likely a variation of a bolognese recipe.

How long should a bolognese simmer for? ›

Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until mixture cooks down into a thick sauce, at least 3 hours but preferably 4 to 6 hours. Skim fat from the top of sauce if desired. Add more water if sauce is too thick. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.

Do Italians put milk in their bolognese? ›

However, there are as many recipe versions of this delicious slow-cooked sauce as there are cooks in the Italian city of Bologna. The secret ingredient to a true Bolognese Sauce is milk (or cream), which is added in such small amount, you don't even know it's there.

Why do you put sugar in bolognese? ›

If the tomatoes are too acidic or you add wine to the sauce, and you don't plan on cooking it for hours like an authentic Sunday Sauce, then a teaspoon of sugar can help reduce the acidity.

What is the missing ingredient in bolognese sauce? ›

If you are missing an umami note, it's possible you are missing a very common ingredient in bolognese - chicken livers. These give a meaty, almost sweet flavour. Soak them in water for a few minutes, then finely chop or pulse in a food processor. I use minced (ground) pork, beef and chicken livers.

Why do Italians add milk to bolognese? ›

Bolognese sauce, also known as ragù alla bolognese, is a classic Italian meat-based sauce that is typically made with milk or cream to add richness and depth of flavor.

Why add vinegar to bolognese? ›

And as an added bonus, both the plums and the vinegar have some great benefits for digestion, energy, and as an antibacterial boost. Umeboshi vinegar is a deep reddish purple. Perfect for adding both the depth of flavour and colour into our bolognese sauce!

Does bolognese taste better if you cook it longer? ›

Like most recipes the longer you leave it to slowly cook the better the flavour will be but this can also be knocked up with in an hour.

Is bolognese better the longer you cook it? ›

Never rush a bolognese, good things take time. Cooking it for anything less than an hour is seen as rushed. We recommend 1.5 – 2 hours cooking time, or as much time you can spare the better.

Does cooking bolognese longer make it better? ›

This slow-cooking process is essential for achieving the rich, complex taste that makes Bolognese sauce so distinctive. Experiment with different meats. While beef is the traditional choice, you can also combine it with ground pork or veal to add depth and complexity to the sauce.

References

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