Vegan Bolognese With Mushrooms and Walnuts

Vegan Bolognese With Mushrooms and Walnuts
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
1¾ hours
Rating
4(2,532)
Notes
Read community notes

Some may balk at this version of Bolognese, the classic Italian ragù, because it bypasses the meat and dairy that are traditionally integral to the dish. But this recipe is equally rich, robust and complex, owing to seared mushrooms and toasted walnuts, which are bolstered by balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, soy sauce and Marmite. A popular British sandwich spread made from concentrated yeast extract, Marmite brings salty, bitter notes to the sauce, but you can substitute a vegetable bouillon concentrate paste — or skip it entirely. Enjoy the sauce over cooked pasta or employ it in this vegetarian lasagna Bolognese.

Featured in: This Bolognese May Be Meatless, but It Has Good Bones

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Ingredients

Yield:About 6 cups
  • 1cup shelled walnuts (about 100 grams), chopped into pieces no larger than ¼-inch (see Tip)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1pound fresh mushrooms (preferably half shiitake and half cremini)
  • ½cup olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2teaspoons soy sauce
  • 2teaspoons thick, syrupy balsamic vinegar (optional)
  • 1medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1⅓ cups)
  • 1medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2celery stalks, peeled and finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
  • 4garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1teaspoons dried oregano
  • ¾teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 3tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2teaspoons Marmite
  • ½cup dry vegan red wine
  • 1(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • Linguine, fettuccine or other long pasta (about 4 ounces per serving), cooked until al dente
  • Minced fresh parsley or sliced fresh basil, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (18 servings)

377 calories; 11 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 58 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 426 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Add the chopped nuts to a large Dutch oven or heavy pot and toast over medium, stirring frequently, until they visibly sweat and become fragrant, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the mushrooms: Stem the shiitake mushrooms (reserve the stems another use), if using, then wipe the mushroom caps clean using damp paper towels. Chop the caps into ¼-inch pieces. (Resist the urge to use a food processor here, which will chop the mushrooms unevenly.)

  3. Step 3

    Wipe out the pot, then heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add half the mushrooms and ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the toasted walnuts, then repeat with the remaining mushrooms and the remaining ½ teaspoon fennel seeds. Stir the soy sauce into the mushroom mixture, then the balsamic (if using). Set aside.

  4. Step 4

    Wipe out the pot, then heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium. Add the onion, carrot and celery, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to caramelize and brown at the edges, about 7 minutes. Stir in the mushroom-walnut mixture, garlic, oregano and red-pepper flakes, and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and Marmite, and cook, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Pour in the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the alcohol cooks off and the liquid reduces until thick and sticky, 3 to 4 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Add the crushed tomatoes, along with 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over high.

  7. Step 7

    Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are cooked through and flavors meld, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil, for richness, then season to taste with salt and pepper. (Makes about 6 cups.)

  8. Step 8

    Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1½ cups pasta water.

  9. Step 9

    Toss the cooked pasta with the desired amount of sauce (about ¾ cup to 1 cup per serving), adding pasta water as needed so sauce is glossy.

  10. Step 10

    Divide cooked pasta among shallow bowls and top with more sauce. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley or basil, if using, and serve immediately. (Leftover sauce will keep covered in the refrigerator for a few days, or frozen for up to 3 months.)

Tip
  • You might be tempted to pulse the nuts in a food processor, but beware: It’s easy to accidentally pulverize them this way. Small pieces will burn by the time all the nuts are properly toasted, so chopping by hand is preferred.

Ratings

4 out of 5
2,532 user ratings
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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

I've made a version of this for years. Almost this exact recipe. But I use two or three anchovies instead of Marmite.

I will certainly be trying this! It's the first time I've ever seen Marmite as an ingredient in a recipe, and of course I happen to have it because I'm British. If you've never tried it, but decide to buy a jar of it anyway for this recipe, you will have plenty left over. May I therefore suggest that you also try eating it spread VERY thinly (more thinly than you might think) on some buttered toast? It's also good paired with scrambled eggs on toast, or in a cheese sandwich.

Nutritional yeast if you have it.

White miso would probably work well too. Or just a bit more wine and soy sauce. This recipe is like a vegan umami encyclopedia (soy sauce, wine, mushrooms and marmite) - not all of these sources are necessary to make a good sauce.

Red miso is the best substitute for Marmite that many folks likely have around. It's a bit less salty and strongly flavored, so you may want 3-4 tsp.

I was raised by a South African mother and love Marmite so much I sometimes eat it with a spoon. (Apparently it's a superfood, why not?) If I have a soup or stew that is just not flavorful enough or seems to be lacking something, a teaspoon or two of Marmite often puts it right.

This is a keeper. Not a vegan, but always on the lookout for a meatless dish - I used butter when browning the onion, and PARMESAN ROCKS ON THIS, and, um... vegan wine? Actually the wine really affects the flavor, unlike a long beef braise, so avoid a heavy wine. This recipe's a master-class in flavor building - we halved the recipe so I did all the saute steps in a large skillet, far easier than a pot. Miso vs. marmite. Do all your chopping first, allow 45 mins. + simmer time. And garlic bread!

Marmite is available at well stocked local supermarkets in the international aisle. To anyone not raised on it, it is vile on its own. It is a useful ingredient for vegans but use sparingly. A substitute might be soy with a little fish sauce. There are vegetarian versions of that.

View from London: amusing to see Marmite being discussed as an exotic ingredient! But good to see it used too, it is versatile in the kitchen. Marmite is very much a traditional item in the UK, though it divides opinion here so much between lovers and haters that it has given rise to a turn of phrase to use about anything in life that divides; i.e. "It's very Marmite". Aussies and Kiwis will talk about Vegemite rather than Marmite, but what do they know?! ;)

I made this but used one cup of homemade beef stock instead of water. I make two meals a week with no meat but I often use stock to increase the flavor. I like this dish. Next time I will use miso paste instead of marmite.

Here in Australia we have - and love - Vegemite. It’s wonderful on toast (some pair it with butter, but I like it straight) and as my family has turned to more plant-based meals, I’ve been using it sparingly to give some recipes to add a salty beefiness. It’s also very good for you.

I loved seeing Marmite here, though I am a Vegamite guy. I have been cooking (mostly soups and stews) with this for years. The most underused condiment in the pantry!

I am not a vegetarian, but this recipe made me feel like I could make that transition. The flavors are so rich and the texture is wonderful. I actually prefer it over regular bolognese now.

The reason that all wines are not vegan or even vegetarian has to do with how the wine is clarified and a process called ‘fining’. Traditionally the most commonly used fining agents were casein (a milk protein), albumin (egg whites), gelatin (animal protein) and isinglass (fish bladder protein). These fining agents are known as processing aids. They are not additives to the wine, as they are precipitated out along with the haze molecules. https://www.thekitchn.com/as-it-is-vegan-week-136676

We did not have any wine so I used 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar instead and of course we don't have Marmite, so I used white miso. Though I was a little surprised by how labor intensive this was (lots of chopping and several steps), it was so delicious I will make this again and again. So much depth of flavor and very rich and robust--a reminder why I love vegan cooking even though I eat meat.

A labor of love, but WOW! Exceptionally flavourful.

I mean this with no judgment on the amount of oil in the recipe whatsoever, but for those trying to avoid oil, I made this by sautéing the veggies in veggie broth, and left out oil entirely. It was still delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!

"(Resist the urge to use a food processor here, which will chop the mushrooms unevenly.)" and what kind of knife skills do you think i'm working with here?

This recipe is seriously fantastic! I’ve used it both as a sauce for tagliatelle and in the vegetarian lasagne recipe that accompanied the original post. It is absolutely worth the time it takes to chop and prep all of the ingredients.

Excellent! Hearty, robust flavor was a hit with vegetarians and meat-lovers. I used Better Than Bouillon instead of Marmite.

Outstanding depth of flavor and texture! Well worth the chopping prep. I prepped the vegetables and walnuts the day before, which made cooking the sauce today very easy. I debated about using marmite, then decided to give it a try and was happy I did. Such a satisfying meal. My husband, who likes a bit more animal protein than I do, LOVED it!

It’s delightful! Next time I might tone down the fennel seed and the salt, but our omnivore family loved it. It’s a rich, “Sunday gravy”-style sauce, so small portions are actually the best way to serve.

Followed the recipe to the letter. I would say the flavors are super bright and earthy. The vegan in my family flipped for it and ate it all. I am on the fence as I wanted to love it but can’t get past the tang from the marmite. I may try it again and manage the soy, balsamic vinegar and marmite differently.

I've made this a few times. Sometimes I have all the ingredients, sometimes not, but I love how forgiving and flexible the recipe is. I've used star anise in place of fennel seed, and I've used fresh fennel (my fav option) instead of seed. I make mine in my Instant Pot though, as I find that is a more effective (and a little quicker) way to infuse the flavors into the sauce. I also like all the veg cooked soft, and the Instant Pot helps with that too. I also stick blend a portion of the sauce.

Thinking of making for the vegans in the family for the Christmas dinner. There is an allergy to walnuts. Would almonds work as a sub?

I would try to use a similarly textured nut such as pine nuts. I would think almonds would be overly crunchy, but have only used walnuts in the recipe personally. Good luck!

Thank you Chefs for ideas! I also have thoughts. The walnuts were still crunchy in the sauce, so I will also roast at 325, 15 minutes, then chop or process them. Umami substitute for marmite: I used a combo of smoked soy sauce, TJ coconut aminos and tamari. Next time, I will try RED MISO, but… Miso is a fermented food, with active cultures that are destroyed if boiled. Melt in 3-4 TBS AFTER removing from the heat.

OMG yum. Made with a few changes as recommended. Used cremini mushrooms. Added dab of anchovy paste instead of marmite (under a tsp). Added more tomatoes and tomato paste. I roasted mushrooms and garlic in the oven together, and used a rolling pin to break up walnuts which I think gives them a softer shape. I used a food processor (gently) for everything before sautéing. Cote du Rhone was a great wine for it. Served over linguini with shredded parm, a dollop of ricotta and fresh parsley. Fab!!!

Sooooo delish. In place of all the stuff I didn’t have—marmite, syrupy balsamic and red wine— I added parm rind (I’m vegetarian, not vegan).

This is outrageously delicious! We were just exclaiming with each bite. We're not vegan, just looking for something to use up walnuts and leftover tomato paste. I didn't have Marmite so I used Worcestershire. I also used about a tablespoon of butter to finish it, rather than adding olive oil at the very end. It's so good and it's got to be better for you than traditional Bolognese. This one is a keeper!!

I used fermented tofu instead of Marmite. It adds a deep fermented/salty flavor much like Marmite. This recipe is a keeper.

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