Roasted Vegetable Ragu
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Roasted Vegetable Ragu
Description
This recipe for Roasted Vegetable Ragu starts by broiling an assortment of vegetables including portobello mushrooms, whole garlic cloves, carrots, onion, and celery until they are charred and softened. These vegetables are then lightly pulsed in a food processor to maintain texture without pureeing. Cremini mushrooms are browned in olive oil before adding tomato paste, dried herbs like basil and oregano, red pepper flakes, and dry red wine to build layers of flavor.
The combined mixture creates a richly textured ragu with a balance of roasted undertones and tomato acidity, enhanced by the wine and aromatic spices. It's typically served over cooked pappardelle pasta that can soak up the sauce. The use of fresh roasted vegetables and mushrooms gives depth, while the process preserves some vegetable body.
This ragu makes a satisfying vegetarian main or side dish. Roasting the vegetables is essential for developing their complex flavors. Using reserved pasta water helps adjust the sauce consistency for coating the noodles. The recipe suits those seeking a vegetable-forward, savory pasta sauce with well-developed taste and texture.
Ingredients
- 4 portobello mushrooms quartered, large
- 12 garlic whole cloves
- 2 carrot peeled and cut into third, large
- 1 onion chopped into quarters, sweet
- 1 celery cut into thirds, stalk
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- salt kosher salt
- black pepper kosher salt
- 8 ounces cremini mushroom chopped, sliced
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed
- ½ cup red wine dry
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 ½ cups water reserved pasta water
- 8 to 16 ounces pappardelle pasta for serving, cooked
Instructions
- Heat the broiler in your oven to the highest setting.
- On a baking sheet, spread out the portobello mushrooms, garlic cloves, carrots, onion and celery. Toss the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
- Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven (not right below the broiler). Broil for 20 minutes, tossing the vegetables once or twice during cook time, until charred and roasted. Remove the vegetables.
- Transfer the broiled vegetables to a food processor and pulse a few times until coarsely chopped. You don’t want them fully blended. Just pulse a few times until they look like my photo above!
- At this point you can also bring your salted water to a boil for your pasta.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook until browned and softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, basil, oregano and crushed red pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the tomato paste deepens in color. Stir in the red wine, stirring constantly. Stir until thickened. Stir in the roasted vegetables from the food processor.
- Stir in half of the reserved starchy pasta water, until thickened. Stir in the remaining. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve immediately with the noodles, tossing everything together so it gets combined and the sauce covers the pappadelle.
Notes
- Broil vegetables until nicely charred for deeper flavor before processing.
- Pulsing vegetables coarsely maintains texture in the sauce.
- Reserved pasta water helps adjust sauce thickness and helps it cling to pasta.
- Use good-quality dry red wine for richer sauce flavor.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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