For this week’s recipe feature, Bri Beaudoin shared her recipe for Vegetable Ragu. A deeply flavoured vegetarian ragu might sound like a paradox, but this one is delicious nonetheless. Caramelized tomato paste, fire-roasted tomatoes, and tamari all bring umami magic to this dish. Meaty shiitake mushrooms add subtle texture—without making things too mushroom-forward. The food processor makes quick work of mincing, but chop the vegetables into roughly similar sizes first. This way, the food processor will mince the vegetables more evenly so they easily meld into the luscious sauce.
Vegetable Ragu
Ingredients:
– 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped (2 cups)
– 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
– 1 celery rib, roughly chopped
– 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
– 8 oz (227g) shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed
– 6 garlic cloves, minced
– ¼ cup tomato paste
– ½ cup dry red wine
– 1 can (28 fl oz / 796 ml) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
– 2 tablespoons tamari
– 2 teaspoons dried oregano
– ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
– ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
– 17.6 oz (500g) dried pappardelle
– 1.3 oz (37g) finely grated Parmesan cheese (⅓ cup), more for garnish
Directions:
1. Mince the vegetables and cook: In a food processor, combine the onion, carrot, and celery and pulse until minced. 3 In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Transfer the minced vegetables to the pot. Add the mushrooms to the food processor, pulse until minced, then add them to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Build the rest of the sauce: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, and tomato paste to the pot and cook, stirring continuously, until the tomato paste darkens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. (Reduce the heat, if needed, to prevent the garlic from burning.) Pour in the red wine and let boil for 1 minute, stirring to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the tomatoes, tamari, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for at least 15 minutes for the flavours to meld.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Scoop out and reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta.
4. Combine: Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle in the Parmesan. Toss, adding more reserved pasta water if needed, a little at a time, until the noodles are coated in a silky sauce. Divide the pasta among bowls and garnish with more Parmesan.
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October 28 marks the release of Evergreen Kitchen, the highly-anticipated first cookbook from recipe developer, certified nutritionist, and food stylist, Bri Beaudoin. As the creator and chef behind the hugely popular blog by the same name, Bri has packed her first cookbook with 110 delicious recipes that will feed everyone from the most seasoned vegetarian to those curiously testing the waters.
While we all know that a home-cooked meal is the best for our budgets and our health, the idea of cooking dinner on weeknights can feel like a chore. With so many of us eating more veggie-forward meals, it’s no wonder busy home cooks are craving tasty vegetarian recipes that everyone at the dinner table will love.
