Mushroom Ragu in 30 Minutes
A rich, hearty mushroom ragu that comes together in just 30 minutes. Packed with savory mushrooms, garlic, herbs, and tomato, it’s the perfect comforting sauce for pasta on a busy weeknight.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb (450 g) mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 12 oz (340 g) pasta
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped mushrooms. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their moisture and become nicely browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, thyme, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes rich and flavorful.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss well. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan on top.
Tips
- Finely chopping the mushrooms gives the ragu a texture similar to traditional meat-based ragu.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking the mushrooms; browning them well gives the sauce much more flavor.
- For a richer sauce, add a small knob of butter at the end.
- This ragu is delicious with spaghetti, rigatoni, pappardelle, or penne.