Meatless Monday: Mushroom Ragu with Homemade Cavatelli

Mushroom Ragu with Homemade Cavatelli

There's lots of news swirling around this Monday.

First up, Meatless Monday is featuring my recipe for Pomegranate Guacamole this week, so hope on over and give the recipe some love! It's delicious, healthy, and Susan Feniger even loved it (it placed second in a guacamole contest).

Second, the Environmental Working Group has just released the Meat Eaters Guide to Climate Change and Health, where you can calculate the carbon footprint of your diet. This tool can help you reduce your environmental impact and eat healthier by cutting down on your meat consumption. It also helps identify which protein sources, such as beef and farmed salmon, are the least carbon friendly. So check it out!

Now on to this week's Meatless Monday recipe for Mushroom Ragu with Homemade Cavatelli. While I paired this meaty meatless sauce with my homemade pasta, which I blogged about last week, it would work with any boxed pasta, too. Just try to pick up something made from whole grains. For an extra special treat, instead of using parm, I topped the pasta with ricotta cheese. It added a lovely, creamy layer to the dish, and went beautifully with the sauce. This is my favorite pasta recipe that I've made recently, and I can't wait to try it again!

Mushroom Ragu with Homemade Cavatelli
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time (for the sauce): about 40 minutes
Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Ingredients

•  4 cups portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 28 ounce can of tomatoes, pureed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry red wine 
• 1 bay leaf 
• pinch of chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt & freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 recipe Homemade Cavatelli or other pasta

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.  
2. Add the onion and carrots and saute until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.  
3. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender, another few minutes.
4. Then, add the garlic and chili flakes and saute for another minute. 
5. Add the red wine and bring to a simmer and allow it to reduce in half.
6. Finally, add the tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme. Partially cover the pot and allow the sauce to simmer for about 35-40 minutes.  
7. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. 
8. To serve, place the pasta in a bowl and top with a generous portion of the Mushroom Ragu. Finish with a scoop of fresh ricotta cheese. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients

• portobello mushrooms, onions, carrots, garlic, and thyme from the West Hollywood Farmers Market
• ricotta cheese from Trader Joe's