Name: Vegetarian Mushroom Bolognese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin); 2 stalks celery; 1 onion; 2 carrots; 2 cloves garlic; 3 rosemary sprigs; 1 kg /2lbs mushrooms (mixed variety); 400 g /14oz chopped tomatoes; 500 g /2 cups passata/crushed tomatoes; 1 bay leaf; Salt to taste

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Vegetarian mushroom bolognese is an essential recipe that will open up a whole world of Italian meals. Savoury mushrooms, sweet tomatoes and so much more make this sauce an absolute legend!

Make our Tomato Salad with Basil and Mozzarella for a light and flavourful starter or Italian Charcuterie Platter for meat lovers!

Plate of pasta with vegetarian mushroom bolognese

A good ragu recipe is a great thing to have up your sleeve. You can turn a sauce like this into a huge number of other dishes, such as vegetarian lasagna. Bolognese has come to my rescue many times when a family dinner is required!

The nutty mushrooms in this dish meld perfectly with the sweet passata and chopped tomatoes. A mix of mushroom varieties only enhances the fantastic flavour they bring to the dish.

This recipe makes a hefty amount of bolognese, perfect for storing for future use. I made one big pot and used it for lasagna and over tagliatelle, with some left to spare!

Vegetarian bolognese

A lovely bolognese sauce is a classic for a reason. It’s a hearty meat based sauce with deep, rich flavour that can be used in a huge variety of ways.

Originating from the legendary foodie capital of Bologna, it’s traditionally used with thick pasta or in lasagna. It’s one form of a ragu, which is a hearty meat sauce cooked with tomatoes, vegetables and often red wine.

Versions of ragu have been around for an extremely long time, slowly evolving into a bolognese ragu we could recognise in the middle of last century. I think that a mushroom ragu is the next evolutionary step, with all the hearty goodness of the original and no compromise on flavour.

The trick is a thoughtful use of mushrooms, using a variety of types and texture, while giving the sauce plenty of time to cook so those beautiful flavours can combine and shine!

Making the bolognese

Start the proper, Italian way by sautéing finely diced celery, carrots and onions with rosemary and garlic in oil. The pot or This is an affiliate link.deep pan should be over low heat, so give it 7-10 minutes to soften properly.

While that’s happening, pulse about two-thirds of the mushrooms in a This is an affiliate link.food processor until they are coarsely chopped. Roughly chop the rest of the mushrooms to have a diversity of textures.

Next, once the vegetables are soft, add all the mushrooms to the pot and let them cook for 10 minutes. The mushrooms are going to reduce in volume as they cook.

Now add the This is an affiliate link.chopped tomatoes, This is an affiliate link.passata and bay leaf with some salt. Cover it with a lid and let it all simmer away for about 10-15 minutes.

Process shots showing making of the bolognese

Recipe Tips and Notes

Sauté the vegetables for at least 7 minutes in olive oil until the onions are translucent and the rest are soft. This is a vital park of the making the dish and not something to rush as a huge amount of flavour comes from this early step.
Not all canned tomatoes are created equal. Therefore, find a variety that is made with ripe and sweet tomatoes so they break up easily and no sugar is required. I find that This is an affiliate link.Italian canned tomato and This is an affiliate link.passata varieties are the most consistent. Add a pinch of sugar if the sauce isn’t as sweet as you would like.
Using a combination of mushrooms is an easy way to bring different flavours to the bolognese. I used chestnut, button and porcini mushrooms, although you can go with whatever is available.
I’ve suggested chopping some of the mushrooms in a This is an affiliate link.food processor and the rest by hand. This may seem like an unnecessary bit of fuss but it’s actually a useful way to make sure there is a variety of textures in the dish. Mushrooms of different sizes will cook down at different rates, making the pasta sauce much more interesting to eat with a “meaty” texture.
I’ve labeled this sauce as vegetarian, but it’s actually vegan as well, which should make it a suitable for just about anyone!

Serving suggestions

A ragu like this is very versatile and making extra gives you a great base for future meals. It’s much quicker to make than a traditional beef bolognese, but still has heaps of flavour to offer.

It’s a great way to make vegetarian versions of classic recipes. Here are some of my favourite ways of using mushroom bolognese:

Lasagne
Spaghetti bolognese
Pasta bakes like gnocchi bake or stuffed shells
Baked/jacket potato

I live in the UK where bolognese is traditionally served with spaghetti, but this usually goes down rather poorly with Italians, who feel that the thin pasta does a poor job holding onto the sauce. They are right of course, and thicker shapes like pappardelle or tagliatelle will be best. But if you prefer spaghetti, who’s to know!

Cook the pasta till it is al dente and combine well with the sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and you have a meal you’ll want on rotation!

Storage and leftovers

Ragu freezes very well so can be stored and used at a later date. Let it cool before putting in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container, and you’ll have meals ready to go whenever you need them.

If you would rather not freeze, the vegetarian bolognese will keep in the fridge for up to five days. Let it cool, then store in an airtight container.