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Mushroom Walnut Bolognese

3 pasta portions · Active 20 min · Total 45 min

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Finely chopped mushrooms and walnuts give this tomato sauce a pleasantly uneven texture. Browning the mushrooms before adding tomato is the main flavor-building step. The walnuts are chopped small enough to sit naturally among the mushroom pieces, not left as large hard surprises. This is a useful plant-based pasta sauce in its own right.

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Spaghetti with a chunky mushroom and walnut tomato sauce.

Wait for the mushroom liquid to evaporate

A crowded pan of chopped mushrooms looks wet before it looks browned. Keep cooking and stir occasionally until the liquid disappears and some edges color. Only then add tomato paste. Adding the tomatoes while the mushrooms are still swimming makes a perfectly edible sauce, but loses the deeper savory flavor that makes this version distinctive.

Ingredients

  • 12 oz mushrooms, finely chopped (340 g)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (100 g)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (50 g)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste (15 g)
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes (14 oz/400 g)
  • 1/2 cup water (120 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 8 oz dried spaghetti (225 g)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Set out

Large skillet, Saucepan, Wooden spoon, Colander

Allergens

Tree nuts, Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat oil in the skillet over medium-high. Cook mushrooms and onion for 10–12 minutes until their liquid evaporates and edges brown.
  2. Add garlic, walnuts and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
  3. Add tomatoes, water, oregano, salt and black pepper. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to its package. Reserve a little cooking water, drain and toss pasta with the sauce, adding a spoonful of cooking water if needed. Finish with parsley.

Freeze the sauce rather than all the pasta

A flat frozen sauce portion is easy to thaw in the refrigerator and use with freshly cooked pasta. It also avoids storing more cooked spaghetti than the week’s plan actually needs.

A useful detail

Chop walnuts with a knife rather than grinding them into a fine meal; a little texture is useful.

Another way

  • Use short ridged pasta instead of spaghetti.
  • Add a finely diced carrot with the onion for a sweeter sauce.

Keep it well

Refrigerate sauce and pasta within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat to 165°F/74°C, adding a little water and stirring thoroughly.