The delightful aroma of Mushroom and Chestnut Bolognese takes your taste buds straight to the rustic kitchens of Italy. The traditional Bolognese, known as “ragù” in Italy, has its roots in the city of Bologna. It was traditionally made with a medley of meats, tomatoes, and various seasonings. However this, and many other, vegetarian versions have emerged to offer a wholesome, plant-based alternative. This recipe achieves that without compromising the rich, comforting taste of the original.
Mushroom and Chestnut Bolognese isn’t just a delight for your taste buds; it’s also a nutritional powerhouse. Mushrooms bring in earthy, umami notes while packing a nutritional punch. Chestnuts contribute a delightful texture and boast heart-healthy qualities. This meatless wonder is not only a treat for your palate but also a nourishing choice for your well-being.
Creating this dish is an adventure suitable for anyone. It begins with sautéing a mixture of onions, mushrooms, chestnuts, garlic, and fresh herbs. Add a generous amount of passata and vegetable stock and allowing the sauce to simmer and thicken. This velvety mixture is gently combined with spaghetti, culminating in a taste that’s both comforting and exhilarating.
Mushroom and Chestnut Bolognese performs a harmonious dance on your palate, with rich umami notes from the mushrooms and the sweet, nutty taste of chestnuts. This hearty sauce simmers to perfection, delivering a warm embrace of flavours that will have you eagerly reaching for seconds.
As you savour each bite of this dish, you’ll discover a perfect balance between comforting familiarity and the excitement of culinary innovation. Whether you’re a devoted vegetarian or simply intrigued by the allure of meatless cuisine, Mushroom and Chestnut Bolognese is an absolute must-try. So, grab your apron and a pot, and let your journey to Italian culinary bliss commence.
Equipment: You’ll just need basic kitchen equipment like a Electronic scales and a large, lidded and heavy bottomed Stock pot
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Mushroom and Chestnut Bolognese Recipe
Mushroom and Chestnut Bolognese
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 large Onion (finely chopped)
- 300 grams Chestnut mushrooms (cleaned and finely chopped)
- 80 grams Chestnuts (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves Garlic (peeled and finely chopped)
- 500 grams Passata
- 200 ml Vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 4 sprigs Fresh thyme (leaves stripped and chopped)
- 10 leaves Fresh basil (torn into pieces)
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese (grated, plus extra to serve)
- 1 rind Parmesan cheese (see recipe notes)
- 400 grams Spaghetti (or your preferred pasta)
Instructions
Prep
- Weigh/ measure your ingredients
- Prep ingredients as suggested
To Make
- Heat olive oil in your stock pot over a medium heat and soften your onions with a pinch of salt for around 5 minutes, covered and stirring often
- Add mushrooms and chestnuts and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring often. The mushrooms should drop their liquid
- Add the garlic and thyme, stir, and cook for 1 minute
- Add passata and veg stock and stir well. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Season with salt and pepper and add the sugar, grated parmesan and parmesan rind if you're using.
- Cook for up to 1hr, partly covered and stirring occasionally.
- Before the cooking time is up, cook your pasta in a separate pan and at this point, add the torn basil to your bolognese for that final hit of herby freshness
To Serve
- Return your drained pasta to the pan and add your bolognese. Stir well and divide between 4 warmed bows. Offer extra grated cheese to share or serve with one of my Pasta Topper recipes
Notes
- Never, ever discard the rind of a parmesan cheese, it’s far too valuable as a source of flavour! Wrap it and store it in your fridge and drop it in any tomato sauce/ bolognese/ ragu during cooking as a delicious flavour boost. Discard before serving and enjoy the extra depth it gives your source