Mushroom Bolognese is a vegetarian twist on a beloved pasta sauce recipe. It’s deliciously thick, hearty, and loaded with robust tomato flavor! Even your most proud carnivore will love this easy to make sauce. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak some extra veggies into your dinner.

A fork is twirling a bite of pasta in a white bowl that's filled with noodles, sauce, and shredded parmesan cheese.


Mushroom Bolognese

Although I’m not vegan myself, I can definitely appreciate a good plant based meal from time to time! I love getting my daily serving of veggies however I can, and if that’s cooked into an incredible tomato sauce and tossed onto tender pasta, then so be it! For those of you out there that actually are vegan/vegetarian, this sauce is going to become a staple in your dinner routine. You’ll no longer have to miss out on your old favorite meat sauce.

Mushroom bolognese is just as filling and delicious as traditional Bolognese Sauce (yes, really!) just without all the meat. It also has an added benefit that regular bolognese sauce doesn’t have, and that’s the many health benefits of eating mushrooms! Sadly, your typical bolognese has no real benefit to your health. Mushrooms, however, are loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and plenty of vitamins. Plus, they’re super low in calories!

So if you’re like me and not a vegan or vegetarian, I still implore you to give this mushroom sauce a chance. It’s a healthier alternative to a delicious meat sauce, and you don’t miss out on any of the flavor! Plus, it’s a total cinch to make this homemade sauce. From start to finish, it’ll only take about 30 minutes of your time. On a meatless Monday when you want something filling, nutritious, and easy to make, this is the recipe for you!

The ingredients for mushroom bolognese are spread out on a white surface.

How to Make It

Heat the oil. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot.

Cook most of the veggies. Add the onions to the olive oil and sauté until they begin to soften. Add the carrots and celery and continue to sauté another 3 minutes.

Make it garlicky! Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Cook the mushrooms. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.

Make it flavorful. Stir in the oregano, bay leaf, tomato paste and wine and allow the liquid to reduce by half. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper.

Boil, then simmer. Bring the sauce to a boil and then turn the heat down to low. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes.

Enjoy! Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with your favorite pasta, and enjoy!

A wooden ladel is scooping a serving of pasta sauce from the full pot.

How finely should I chop the mushrooms?

You’ll need to make sure you chop all the mushrooms pretty thoroughly to get the ground meat consistency. A few larger pieces here and there are okay, but overall, you’ll want the bits of mushroom to be fairly small and indistinguishable.

How long will mushroom bolognese stay fresh?

In an airtight container in the fridge, this pasta sauce will stay fresh for up to 2 days. Just make sure the lid is actually airtight, that way a film doesn’t form on the top of the sauce. If you want to keep it fresh for much longer, pop it into a freezer-safe food storage container and keep it in the freezer, where it’ll stay fresh for up to 2 months.

Can I make mushroom bolognese spicy?

You sure can! When you’re first heating the olive oil in your pot, add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. About a teaspoon will give you a decent amount of heat, and any more than that can create some real spice to your sauce. Add however much your heart desires, spice lovers!

Mushroom bolognese is being placed on top of a serving of cooked pasta.

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A wooden ladel is scooping a serving of pasta sauce from the full pot.

Get the Recipe: Mushroom Bolognese

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Top your pasta this delicious mushroom bolognese! So "meaty" you won't even miss the beef.
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium vidalia onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb cremini mushrooms, chopped(white mushrooms will work, also)
  • 5 oz shitake mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 28 oz can tomato puree
  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt, plus more for additional seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp pepper, plus more for additional seasoning

Equipment

  • saucepan

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Add the onions to the olive oil and sauté until they begin to soften. Add the carrots and celery and continue to sauté another 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the oregano, bay leaf, tomato paste and wine and allow the liquid to reduce by half.
  • Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil and then turn the heat down to low. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with your favorite pasta.

Notes

Sauce can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days in the refrigerator or up to 60 days in the freezer.
Serving: 0g, Calories: 145kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 262mg, Potassium: 1142mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 2052IU, Vitamin C: 22mg, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 4mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

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