Mushroom Ragu
Ingredients
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- 1 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cups water – boiling (for soaking porcini)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cups onion – finely chopped (~1 medium onion)
- 1/2 cups carrot – finely chopped (~1 medium carrot)
- 1/2 cups celery – finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt – divided
- 4 cloves garlic – minced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves – finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary – finely chopped
- 24 ounces cremini mushrooms – finely chopped (~38 medium cremini mushrooms)
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms – stems removed, finely chopped (~15 medium shiitake mushrooms)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cups dry red wine
- 14 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 cups vegetable stock
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
- 1/4 cups flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped (~0.5 n/a parsleys)
- Parmigiano Reggiano – finely grated (for serving)
Instructions
1. Place the dried porcini in a heatproof bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let soak until softened, 20–30 minutes, then lift out, finely chop, and strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve or coffee filter; reserve both.
2. Heat the olive oil and butter in a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with 0.5 tsp of the kosher salt and cook, stirring, until very soft and lightly golden, 8–10 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic, fresh thyme leaves, and fresh rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the cremini mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms, season with another 0.5 tsp kosher salt, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid and the pan starts to brown, 10–15 minutes.
5. Stir in the chopped porcini mushrooms, then add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the paste darkens and coats the mushrooms, 2–3 minutes.
6. Pour in the dry red wine and simmer, scraping up browned bits, until nearly evaporated, 3–5 minutes.
7. Add the canned crushed tomatoes, the reserved porcini soaking liquid (leave any grit behind), the vegetable stock, bay leaf, black pepper, and the remaining 0.5 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, glossy, and deeply flavored, 25–35 minutes. Sauce is done when it clings to a spoon and mushrooms are tender.
8. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the flat-leaf parsley and let the ragu rest off heat for 5 minutes; adjust salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve the mushroom ragu hot over pasta or polenta and finish with Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated (for serving).
Mushroom Ragu is a hearty, savory sauce built on layers of umami from fresh and dried mushrooms. It delivers the depth and richness of a slow-cooked ragù without meat, balancing sweetness from a soffritto with earthy porcini and a gentle acidity from wine and tomatoes. The texture is lush and spoonable, perfect for clinging to wide noodles or pooling over creamy polenta.
This sauce traces its inspiration to Italian ragù traditions, where long-simmered sauces are a cornerstone of northern and central regional cooking. Ragù di funghi is especially associated with autumn markets and woodland foraging, when porcini and other mushrooms are abundant. Served with tagliatelle, pappardelle, or polenta, it stands alongside meat ragùs as a celebrated, rustic expression of seasonal Italian cooking.