Bangin' Bolognese
Could this be the world’s favourite comfort meal? Our spag bol has all the deliciousness of the original, but with minced mushrooms providing the rich, smoky flavour. If you’re looking for a warming, satisfying and healthy(ish) dinner, then look no further. Perfect for a date night and great with a glass of red wine.
Serves
Ingredients
For the mushrooms
<item-todo-done>700g chestnut mushrooms<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>500g spaghetti<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp olive oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> basil leaves<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Salt & pepper to taste<item-todo-done>
For the bolognese
<item-todo-done>2 tsp soy sauce<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 red onions<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 celery stick<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 garlic cloves<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 carrots - about 150g<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp tomato purée<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>300ml red wine - vegan<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp balsamic vinegar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp dried oregano<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 bay leaf<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Food processor | Large frying pan on a high heat | Large saucepan | Kettle boiled
Blend and cook the mushrooms
- Put the mushrooms in the food processor and pulse until very finely minced (you can chop them if you prefer, but it’s quicker with a food processor)
- Pour the oil into the frying pan
- Add the mushrooms and season with a small pinch of salt and pepper
- Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring regularly, until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are well browned
- Take the pan off the heat, transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and set aside
Make the sauce
- Peel and roughly chop the onions for the tomato sauce
- Trim the leaves and root from the celery and roughly chop
- Peel the garlic
- Trim the carrots and peel if the skin is tough, then roughly chop
- Put the chopped vegetables and garlic into the food processor and mince well
- Put the same pan back on a medium-high heat and add the oil
- Add the minced onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook for about 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft
- Stir in the tomato purée
- Add the red wine, balsamic vinegar, oregano, bay leaf and soy sauce
- Stir everything together and then turn down the heat
- Simmer for 10 minutes
Cook the pasta
- Meanwhile, put the large saucepan on a high heat, pour in the hot water, season with a big pinch of salt and bring to the boil
- Add the pasta to the pan and cook until al dente, following the instructions on the packet
- Spoon 100ml of the pasta water into a cup and set aside
- Drain the pasta
Simmer the sauce
- Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper
- Add the minced mushrooms to the simmering sauce, turn up the heat and pour in the reserved pasta water
- Stir everything together and let the sauce simmer for another 3–5 minutes to warm through
Time to serve
- Pour the sauce into the pasta pot and stir everything together so that the sauce completely covers the pasta
- Scatter over the basil leaves and grind over some black pepper
- Serve to happy faces!