I can’t get enough of this pasta with charred vegetable ragù. Like rigatoni with cauliflower Bolognese, it’s miraculously meaty (despite being plant-based) and rich in flavor (but not heavy). Needless to say, I’m anxious to make the dish again.
If you’re aiming to up your veggie intake, I urge you to give the recipe a go. It features two types of mushrooms (portobello and cremini), a whole head of garlic, one onion, two carrots and two stalks of celery. And a little red wine and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese lend incredible depth and body to the ragù. (Tip: Simply omit the final ingredient for a vegan version.)
While recipe creator Kelsey Youngman recommends using a long noodle in the primo piatto, I opted for mezze maniche – a great shape for trapping sauce – instead. The choice is yours.
Serve pasta with charred vegetable ragù for lunch or alongside a green salad and Pinot Noir for dinner. One taste and I guarantee you’ll be craving more.
Recipe adapted from Food & Wine.
- 4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed and quartered
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 1 head garlic
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 3" pieces
- 2 stalks celery, cut into 3" pieces
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and torn into quarters
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more, to taste
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 12 ounces mezze maniche or other short pasta
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
- Preheat broiler with rack in center position. Place portobello mushrooms, onion, garlic, carrots and celery on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer and broil for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out roasted garlic and transfer to a food processor. Add remaining vegetables and pulse until finely ground. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add cremini mushrooms and toss to coat. Cook, without stirring, until the mushrooms start to brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Stir mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and oregano and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
- Add prepared vegetable mixture, salt and Aleppo pepper and cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked pasta to pot with ragù.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 1 cup reserved cooking liquid to pot; stir to combine. If necessary, add more reserved cooking liquid to loosen the sauce. Season with additional salt to taste. Garnish with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and serve immediately.
