Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›McKelvie's Restaurant›Mushroom Ragu Recipe

Mushroom Ragu Recipe

Inspired by McKelvie's Restaurant
Time1h 10m
Serves4

San Marzano tomatoes linguini, red, wine Parmesan braised mushrooms

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Ingredients

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Mushroom Ragu

Pasta & Finishing

Method

Mushroom Ragu

  1. 1

    Prepare mushrooms

    Trim and roughly chop mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. If using larger varieties, slice thicker pieces; smaller mushrooms can be halved or left whole. Pat dry to remove excess moisture.

  2. 2

    Cook aromatics

    Heat 3 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter foams, add diced onion, carrot and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to help draw out moisture.

  3. 3

    Brown mushrooms

    Increase heat to medium-high. Add the chopped mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches if necessary to avoid steaming). Cook without stirring for 2–3 minutes to develop color, then stir and continue to cook until deeply browned and most moisture has evaporated, about 6–8 more minutes total. Season with 1 tsp of the salt and 1/2 tsp pepper while cooking.

  4. 4

    Add garlic and tomato paste

    Reduce heat to medium. Push the mushrooms to the side and add the minced garlic and 2 tbs tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens and the garlic is fragrant, which builds depth of flavor.

  5. 5

    Deglaze with red wine

    Pour in 180 ml red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about half, 4–6 minutes. This concentrates flavor and cooks off alcohol.

  6. 6

    Simmer with tomatoes

    Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes, 250 ml stock, 2 tsp fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, remaining 1/2 tsp salt (adjust later), 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp sugar if the tomatoes taste too acidic. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer very gently for 25–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.

  7. 7

    Finish ragu

    Remove bay leaf. If you prefer a smoother sauce, use a potato masher or an immersion blender to break down some of the mushrooms and tomatoes—leave plenty of texture. Stir in 2 tbs heavy cream if using to round the acidity and add silkiness. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper.

Pasta & Assembly

  1. 8

    Cook linguine

    Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 2 tbs salt. Add 400 g linguine and cook until al dente according to package instructions, usually 9–11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta cooking water before draining.

  2. 9

    Combine pasta and ragu

    Add the drained pasta to the pan with the mushroom ragu (or transfer ragu to the pasta pot if more convenient). Toss to combine over low heat. Add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the noodles; you may not need the whole cup. Cook together 1–2 minutes so pasta absorbs flavor.

  3. 10

    Finish and serve

    Turn off the heat and stir in 100 g freshly grated Parmesan, 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. Divide among plates and garnish with additional Parmesan and a grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

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