# Porcini Ragù

Deep, woodsy, and satisfying — dried porcini and a slow soffritto build a meatless ragù that clings to every ridge of pasta.

_Dinner · Italian_

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 55 min · Total: 75 min · Yields: 4 servings

## Ingredients

- 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 ½ cups boiling water (for soaking)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
- 2 medium celery stalks (finely diced)
- 1 medium carrot (finely diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes (28 oz, crushed by hand)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 piece Parmesan rind (optional but recommended)
- ½ tsp fine salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 lb pappardelle or rigatoni
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 oz Parmesan (finely grated, to serve)

## Instructions

1. Place the 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour over the 1.5 cups boiling water. Let soak for 20 minutes until fully softened.
2. Lift the porcini out with a slotted spoon and chop them roughly. Pour the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer or coffee filter into a separate bowl, leaving any grit behind. Reserve both.
3. Heat the 3 tbsp olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
4. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until the vegetables are very soft and just beginning to turn golden.
5. Add the 4 cloves garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
6. Add the chopped porcini and stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes, letting them sear slightly against the bottom of the pot.
7. Push the vegetables to the side and add the 2 tbsp tomato paste directly to the cleared space. Cook the paste, stirring it on its own, for 2 minutes until it darkens to a brick-red color, then stir it into the vegetables.
8. Pour in the 0.5 cup dry white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it bubble and reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
9. Add the crushed whole peeled tomatoes, the reserved porcini soaking liquid, the 1 tsp thyme leaves, and the Parmesan rind if using. Stir well.
10. Season with the 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and the oil has risen slightly to the surface.
11. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind. Taste and adjust salt.
12. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the 1 lb pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
13. Add the drained pasta directly to the ragù over medium heat. Toss to coat, adding splashes of pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
14. Remove from heat and stir in the 2 tbsp unsalted butter until melted and glossy.
15. Divide among bowls and finish with the 1 oz grated Parmesan.

## Tip

> Don't rush the soffritto — those 12–15 minutes of low, slow cooking are what give the ragù its sweet, rounded backbone. Turning up the heat to save time produces a sharp, raw-tasting base that no amount of simmering will fix.

Tags: vegetarian, comfort-food, one-pan, weeknight, pasta

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Canonical: https://just-recipes.io/recipes/porcini-rag