Wild Mushroom Ragù
A hearty, earthy pasta dish built for the table
Serves: 4–6 | Total Time: About 1 hour
Ingredients
For the Wild Mushroom Ragù
⅞ lb (about 400g) mushrooms of your choice
½ large yellow onion, diced small (about 7oz / 200g)
1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, sliced into thin half-rings (about 3.5oz / 100g)
¼ cup (60g) tomato paste
4 cups (1 quart) mushroom stock
2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Olive oil, salt, and pepper
For the Green Garlic Soubise (a silky, savory sauce)
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 3.5 oz / 100g)
3–4 stalks green garlic (or substitute 2 garlic cloves + 2 green onions), roughly chopped (about 3.5 oz / 100g)
¼ cup heavy cream
Neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil), salt, and pepper
To Finish
1 lb your favorite pasta (pappardelle, rigatoni, or tagliatelle are great choices)
Directions
Step 1 — Roast the Mushrooms
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Toss the mushrooms in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread them in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast for 20–25 minutes, until golden and slightly crispy at the edges. Set aside.
Step 2 — Build the Ragù
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add the diced onion and leeks. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until they’re soft and translucent. (This is called “sweating” — you’re drawing out their natural sweetness, not browning them.)
- Add the minced garlic and tomato paste. Stir and cook for 2–3 minutes, letting the paste darken slightly and stick to the bottom of the pot in spots. (That caramelized layer = flavor.)
- Pour in about half the mushroom stock and stir, scraping up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it gently simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the roasted mushrooms and stir to combine.
- Pour in the remaining mushroom stock and add the rosemary sprigs.
- Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Let the ragù rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes — this is where the flavors come together.
Tip: Remove the rosemary sprigs before serving. The leaves will have fallen off into the sauce — that’s perfect.
Step 3 — Make the Green Garlic Soubise
- In a small saucepan, heat a drizzle of neutral oil over medium-low heat.
- Add the chopped onion and green garlic. Cook gently, stirring often, for 10–12 minutes until very soft. (Low and slow here — you don’t want any color on them.)
- Transfer everything to a blender. Blend on low speed until smooth.
- With the blender still running on low, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Blend until silky. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4 — Cook the Pasta & Bring It Together
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta according to the package directions until just al dente (with a little bite left).
- Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- Drain the pasta and add it directly to the pot of mushroom ragù. Toss to coat, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.
To Serve
Spoon a generous pool of the green garlic soubise onto the bottom of each bowl or plate. Pile the ragù-tossed pasta on top, letting the creamy soubise peek out around the edges.