Mushroom Ragù Pasta

A hearty, delicious and meatless pasta sauce, this pasta with Mushroom Ragù is the perfect vegetarian alternative to Bolognese.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup onion (finely chopped)
• Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
• Pinch Salt
• 3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
• 1/4 cup double-concentrated tomato paste (or can use regular tomato paste)
• 12 oz. mushrooms (sliced, such as button, cremini, shiitake, oyster etc., tough stems removed)
• 1/3 cup Marsala wine (or red wine (or water, for wine-free))
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (35% b.f.)
• 1/2 cup pasta cooking water (plus more as needed)
• 8-10 oz. rigatoni ( or other short pasta)
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup Parmesan (finely grated, plus more for serving)
• 2-3 Tablespoons Fresh basil or parsley (chopped, plus more for serving)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, reserving the pasta cooking liquid.
2. 2Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to turn golden around edges, about 2 minutes (don't let the garlic burn or it will be bitter).
3. 3Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly darkened about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms then add the marsala. Season with a pinch more salt. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes.
4. 4Add cream and pasta cooking water to the skillet. Add cooked pasta and a knob of butter. Cook, stirring, until the sauce coats the pasta well, adding additional pasta cooking water if sauce is too thick. Stir in Parmesan and basil.
5. 5Taste and season with additional salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve garnished with additional Parmesan and fresh basil or parsley.