Its getting cold and rainy here in Bangalore. Pasta dinners are the perfect answer for rainy days. We love pasta dinners at home. This is the vegan makeover that is as rich and warm as the meaty classic bolognese. I wanted to make our pasta dinners healthy and I ended up with this no meat, no cheese, no cream version so one can go for guilt free seconds. This recipe is all about bringing in the various textures and aromatics. Meaty mushrooms add a rich and hearty taste to this dish. So lets go and do a “I cant believe its not meat” Ragu Bolognese.
Like Julia Child says always take a bigger pan than you think is necessary. It works like a charm every single time. You will be happy you did. Heat the pan and add in the olive oil and garlic. I run the garlic through the garlic press. Add in the finely chopped onions and salt and fry till translucent and starting to brown. I almost always add the salt with the onions.
Once the onions are done add in the meaty finely chopped mushrooms and the carrots.You can also place mushrooms and carrots in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Let it cook for a good 10-15 minutes in medium flame until all the juices have evaporated and the mushrooms are starting to caramelize. The mushrooms should reduce down to about a quarter of its starting volume. Add in half a teaspoon each of sugar, soy sauce , pepper, chilli flakes and apple cider vinegar. Soy sauce adds that certain Je ne sais quoi. Add in the pureed skinned, De-seeded tomatoes. I just run the tomatoes in the food processor and strain. That’s my easy route to skinned De-seeded tomatoes. I just strain the tomatoes right over the pan.
Reduce the flame to low and let it simmer for a good 20 minutes. Add in the cooked Penne Rigate or any other pasta of your choice and let it finish cooking in the sauce for another couple of minutes. Remove from heat. Add in the fresh basil and serve hot. Truly delicious, healthy and awesome Meatless Mondays.
- 3 Tablespoon Extra virgin Olive Oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large red onion, very finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Coarse salt
- 2 medium carrots, very finely chopped
- 250 grams cremini/button mushroom caps, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coarse black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Soy Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Red chilli flakes (Optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups pureed tomatoes
- 250 grams pasta
- 1/4 cup julienne fresh Basil
- Add oil to a wide skillet set over medium heat until shimmering. Add in the minced garlic, very finely chopped onions and the salt. Saute till well done and starting to brown.
- Add the very finely chopped mushrooms and the carrots. Add in the sugar, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, pepper and red chilli flakes if using. Cook until the moisture in the mushroom completely evaporates and the mushrooms are browned, about 15 minutes.
- Add in the pureed tomatoes and reduce the flame to low. Check for seasoning. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and add to the pot with ragu and let it cook in the sauce for a couple of minutes.
- Remove from heat. Add the fresh basil and serve hot.