• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Contact
    • Photo Use Policy

Connoisseurus Veg logo

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up for email updates and receive a free copy of my veggie burger e-book!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Free Veggie Burger Book
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Entrees / Wild Mushroom Ragú with Creamy Polenta

    LAST UPDATED: January 28, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: September 12, 2016

    Wild Mushroom Ragú with Creamy Polenta

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Creamy polenta is topped with a wild mushroom that's ragú cooked up in an herbed red wine tomato sauce to make this irresistible vegan bowl of coziness! The perfect meal for a chilly fall evening.

    Overhead View of a Bowl of Creamy Polenta Topped with Mushroom Ragu

    My mom's side of the family is Italian. I went vegetarian at thirteen. This could be really good or really bad. On a good day growing up, there were personal lasagnas loaded with veggies, or even my very own batch of eggplant meatballs. On a bad day, it meant the meatballs (and not the eggplant kind) were cooked in the sauce, and me dining on plain noodles.

    I recently was given a review copy of Fresh Italian Cooking for the New Generation by Alexandra Caspero Lenz of the blog Delish Knowledge. Upon cracking it open, my first thought was this: if only I could travel back in time and hand my thirteen year old self a copy of this, a lot of dinnertime woes could've been avoided.

    Wild Mushroom Ragú with Creamy Polenta

    Okay, so I've actually been sitting on this book, and this particular recipe from the book, for a month or so, not because I wasn't excited to share it, but because the mushroom ragú is serious comfort food, and I wasn't sure you guys would be up for that in the middle of August. While there are plenty of recipes that are totally doable for summertime dinners (check out Balsamic and Basil Pasta Salad, Rainbow Peppers with Capellini, or Mediterranean Zucchini Linguine if we hit a few more hot days), I couldn't resist the idea of juicy wild mushroom sauce over a cozy bed of polenta, regardless of the weather. My instinct was right, because this dish was killer.

    Wild Mushroom Ragú with Creamy Polenta

    Everything in the book sounds good to me though. Italian food has so much potential when it comes to plant-based eating, and Alex makes the most of that potential, swapping out meat for healthy ingredients that totally make sense and are way delicious (like mushrooms!). The book has 100 recipes, all vegetarian, and all much healthier than anything I ate growing up (even after going veg). Of those 100 recipes, over 70 are vegan or include vegan modifications, which are generally as simple as using vegan Parmesan cheese or cashew cream, both of which have recipes conveniently provided towards the back of the book.

    Wild Mushroom Ragú with Creamy Polenta
    Overhead View of a Bowl of Creamy Polenta Topped with Mushroom Ragu
    4.85 from 13 votes
    Print

    Wild Mushroom Ragú with Creamy Polenta

    Creamy polenta is topped with a wild mushroom ragú that's cooked up in an herbed red wine tomato sauce to make this irresistible vegan bowl of coziness! The perfect meal for a chilly fall evening.
    Course Entree
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 516 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    Ingredients

    Wild Mushroom Ragú

    • ⅓ cup 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
    • 4 cups 280 g mixed wild mushrooms, chopped
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 shallot, minced
    • 1 tsp dried rosemary
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • ½ cup 120 ml tomato sauce
    • ¼ cup 60 ml red wine
    • ½ cup 120 ml vegetable broth
    • 1 tbsp 15 g non-dairy butter
    • ⅛ cup 15 g fresh parsley leaves, chopped

    Creamy Polenta

    • 1 cup 240 ml vegetable broth
    • 3 cups 709 ml soy milk
    • 1 cup 170 g cornmeal
    • 3 tbsp 40 g non-dairy butter
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions

    1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes until reduced and caramelized, stirring only a few times. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic, shallot, rosemary and oregano, and cook for 5 more minutes. Add tomato sauce and red wine, stir and cook an additional 5 minutes more while you prepare the polenta.
    2. In a separate saucepan, heat the broth and milk over medium heat. When bubbles start to surface, gently whisk in cornmeal and stir together. Reduce heat to low and let cook until thick, stirring often, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in non-dairy butter and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
    3. While the polenta is simmering, finish the ragú. Add the vegetable broth to the mushroom sauce, reduce heat to low and simmer until polenta is done cooking. Remove the ragú from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter. Garnish with parsley.
    Nutrition Facts
    Wild Mushroom Ragú with Creamy Polenta
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 516 Calories from Fat 301
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 33.4g51%
    Saturated Fat 5g25%
    Sodium 692mg29%
    Potassium 785mg22%
    Carbohydrates 42.5g14%
    Fiber 4.9g20%
    Sugar 10.5g12%
    Protein 13.5g27%
    Calcium 60mg6%
    Iron 5.4mg30%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
    Vegan Eggplant Moussaka »

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email

    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

    Subscribe

    Subscribe for email updates and receive a free copy of my veggie burger e-book!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Judi Hershel says

      September 12, 2016 at 4:55 pm

      Planning on making this tomorrow, and love nutritional info.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        September 12, 2016 at 5:14 pm

        Hi Judi! This is a great calculator to try for the nutrition info. I don't usually calculate it myself because you never know what brand someone is going to use, serving size, etc. I hope you enjoy the ragu - my husband and I LOVED it. :)

        Reply
    2. Kirsten@humbledish says

      September 20, 2016 at 7:45 pm

      It's 4:43 on the west coast, so I'm pretty much wanting to shrink myself down, curl up in that bowl, and intimately spoon that mushroom ragu. Willl make!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        September 22, 2016 at 9:44 pm

        It was so good! I hope you give it a try. :) Thanks Kristen!

        Reply
    3. Jennifer Arent says

      September 22, 2016 at 12:33 pm

      Holy Smack! This looks so beyond awesome! Can't wait to buy groceries on Saturday! Super excited! Thanks so much for sharing and thanks for all your hard work on your blog - I appreciate it!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        September 22, 2016 at 9:45 pm

        Thanks Jennifer! We LOVED this one in my house. I hope you do too!!

        Reply
    4. Kelly says

      September 25, 2016 at 9:29 pm

      i made this today! I was worried the mushroom taste would be too overpowering but it wasn't! and mine looks exactly like the picture which doesn't happen very often! this recipe is a keeper!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        September 28, 2016 at 9:58 am

        Yay! Glad you liked it!

        Reply
    5. Amy Morris says

      September 25, 2016 at 9:47 pm

      Just made this and it's delicious! I didn't have tomato sauce and ended up subbing 1 1/2 Tbs tomato paste and extra broth. Also added a splash of marsala wine. This will become a regular, I can tell!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        September 28, 2016 at 9:59 am

        Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it! And thanks for sharing your results with tomato paste - I always have cans of that around, but not sauce, so it may come in handy for me. :)

        Reply
    6. Tina says

      November 30, 2016 at 4:09 pm

      This looks delicious! Is there another non-dairy alternative I can sub for vegan butter?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 04, 2016 at 10:27 am

        I think you could just leave it out. It adds some buttery flavor, but isn't crucial for the recipe to turn out, and I'm sure it would still be delicious without it. :)

        Reply
    7. Shalini says

      January 05, 2017 at 1:09 am

      Is there a substitute for the red wine?

      Reply
      • Liz Babcock says

        January 13, 2019 at 5:17 pm

        I know that i have used grape jiuce in minestrone instead of the read wine which i didn't have and it was good...or a little lemon juice, some extra broth, and a pinch or two of sugar?

        Reply
    8. Rome says

      January 09, 2017 at 12:44 pm

      Made this last night and it was awesome. The perfect comfort food for a damp winter evening. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 10, 2017 at 9:12 am

        This is definitely a good one for a cold and damp night! Glad you enjoyed it!!

        Reply
    9. David says

      August 12, 2017 at 5:50 pm

      Is it possible to leave out or drastically reduce the 1/3 cup of olive oil without ruining the end result? Looks awesome though and will try it for tonight's dinner.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        August 13, 2017 at 9:29 pm

        I think you could cut it back a bit. Mushrooms soak up oil like crazy, so they might not come out as tender, but I think they'd still be delicious. :)

        Reply
    10. Barbara says

      August 12, 2017 at 8:13 pm

      The BEST meal I have eaten in a while. I had to sub a lot of ingredients such as wild mushroom mix for white mushrooms, an onion for the shallot, but this turned out so fantastic This one will go in my book of repeats and will become a family favorite! Delicious, absolutely delicious.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        August 13, 2017 at 9:31 pm

        Yay!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    11. Barbara Naylor says

      August 13, 2017 at 6:46 pm

      My mom is allergic to mushrooms, could she sub eggplant for mushrooms? Or do you have a suggestion?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        August 13, 2017 at 9:34 pm

        I think if anything eggplant would work well. I'd love to hear about it if you try. :)

        Reply
    12. Jen says

      August 16, 2017 at 8:01 pm

      I made this tonight. I followed exact recipe. Polenta was too sweet. I used unsweetened soy milk. The polenta also got runnier not thicker. Mushroom ragu part was deelish!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        August 20, 2017 at 11:28 am

        That's so weird! Was the vegetable broth you used particularly sweet! I actually bought a carton of a new-to-me brand the other day and found it way too sweet. That's the only thing I can think of that might have caused that. Glad you enjoyed the mushrooms though - you could alwasy serve them over pasta. :)

        Reply
    13. Den Brinson-Hill says

      August 22, 2017 at 7:41 am

      Hello there. Just a quick question. The tomato sauce in the recipe- do you mean tomato ketchup or tomato passata? Thank you

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        August 22, 2017 at 9:43 am

        It's actually neither. A product like this is what you're looking for: https://www.amazon.com/Hunts-Sauce-Tomatoes-15-oz/dp/B000Q3PPD8 It's a bit smoother and thicker than passata. If it's not available in your area I think you could get away with subbing passata. :)

        Reply
    14. Bristi says

      October 17, 2017 at 6:36 pm

      I just had polenta for the first time at a friends house and HAD to make it- I cannot wait to try this recipe! It has literally all things I love in it! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 18, 2017 at 9:12 pm

        Isn't it awesome?! I hope you enjoy this one!!

        Reply
    15. Megan says

      October 17, 2017 at 11:31 pm

      This is so delicious! I actually made it as a savory breakfast and I've been loving it.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 18, 2017 at 9:13 pm

        Ohhh...I like the way you think! Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    16. Nicole, VT says

      December 27, 2017 at 6:01 pm

      4 stars
      This was a fabulous recipe! The only change I made was to sauté the veggies in veggie broth rather than olive oil and I added kale at the end to beef up my greens intake. Otherwise this is a 10!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 29, 2017 at 10:01 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And some kale sounds like a delicious addition! Thanks Nicole!

        Reply
    17. KD says

      January 14, 2018 at 7:38 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe. Just prepared it and it has excellent flavor. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 14, 2018 at 9:43 pm

        Awesome!! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    18. Lynnette says

      January 29, 2018 at 6:07 pm

      5 stars
      Will be making it for the second time tomorrow. Absolutely delicious! We just found that there wasn’t enough of the mushroom mixture so will be doubling that. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 01, 2018 at 3:19 pm

        I'm so glad you're enjoying it!! Thanks Lynette!

        Reply
    19. Renee says

      March 08, 2018 at 12:16 am

      5 stars
      This was a fabulous meal. I will be doubling the mushroom mixture next time. I try to cook without oil and do so only a couple of times a month. Your recipe makes it into me "treat day" folder, it's so awesomely delicious. I already want it again.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 08, 2018 at 8:28 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks Renee!

        Reply
    20. Rebecca says

      April 10, 2018 at 4:00 am

      5 stars
      This dish is a great tasting, easy to make delight. I’ve made this dish 3 times already and double the ingredient size for leftovers the next night.
      Highly recommend this dish to all!

      Reply
    21. polly says

      April 10, 2018 at 3:29 pm

      hi !
      is there anything you would sub for the mushrooms please ? thankyou !

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 12, 2018 at 8:47 pm

        Eggplant might work, but I can't say for sure without having tried it myself. Please let me know if you do!

        Reply
    22. Sasha says

      August 07, 2018 at 2:56 am

      4 stars
      This looks so delicious that I think even my kids will like it. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        August 12, 2018 at 11:03 am

        Thanks Sasha!! I hope you and your kids enjoy it!

        Reply
    23. Jo Etta Cooper says

      August 27, 2018 at 11:19 am

      Is there a substitute for the red wine in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        September 03, 2018 at 5:02 pm

        You can just leave it out if it doesn't work with your diet. :)

        Reply
    24. Viki says

      October 02, 2018 at 6:02 pm

      It sounds so good, but how big is a serving? Those nutritional ratings for fat, carbs and sodium sound really high. Help me understand how this is healthy. Thanks in advsnce.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 07, 2018 at 4:36 pm

        It's been a while since I made this, but I think it was about a cup of polenta with a half cup or so of ragu. Not huge, but very filling!

        Reply
    25. Bette says

      January 21, 2019 at 3:51 pm

      Is there a way to cook mushrooms for they don't get slimy?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 27, 2019 at 3:32 pm

        Usually mushrooms get slimy because they're waterlogged. So clean them by wiping them with a damp cloth - don't put them under running water or submerge them.

        Reply
    26. Janet says

      March 12, 2019 at 6:55 pm

      This recipe is absolutely delicious!
      I’ve made it several times and it’s a hit each time!!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 17, 2019 at 5:19 pm

        I'm so glad you like it!

        Reply
        • Linda Anderson says

          May 05, 2019 at 6:16 pm

          5 stars
          This was delicious! Wish my husband liked polenta as much as I do but he would eat this over rice in a skinny minute!

          Reply
          • Alissa Saenz says

            May 12, 2019 at 4:25 pm

            I'm glad you like it! Rice is a great alternative! Pasta is another one that I think would be excellent. Thanks Linda!!

            Reply
    27. Isabelle says

      November 30, 2019 at 4:42 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is a winner!!! So delicious and satisfying even without cheese! This is going to be a keeper in my house for sure.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 01, 2019 at 2:25 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks Isabelle!

        Reply
    28. Stacy says

      February 04, 2020 at 10:40 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! That was super taste-y! My only alteration was to use less olive oil, and the dish turned out phenomenal. I feel like I just ate a 5 star dinner at a French inspired restaurant. ;)

      Reply
    29. Larissa says

      May 14, 2020 at 11:04 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is sensational. The polenta alone I make for numerous meals as a base, it's so creamy and tasty, especially with bonsoy. The ragu is so easy to make and tastes restaurant quality. I've had friends repeatedly request this, even my mum who is an old school die hard meat at every meal/meat and 3 veg gal. Love love love this!

      Reply
    30. Randall Richards says

      December 15, 2020 at 1:36 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! That was super taste-y! My only alteration was to use less olive oil, and the dish turned out phenomenal.

      Reply
    31. Ev J says

      October 06, 2021 at 2:56 pm

      5 stars
      I lost my recipe for Mushroom Ragu and was thrilled to find this post. Tastes even better than my old recipe. I did significantly decrease added fats to make it a bit healthier. Flavours were amazing!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Alissa Holding a Coffee Cup

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • The Best Vegan Banana Bread
    • Crispy Baked Teriyaki Tofu
    • Creamy Vegan Rice Pudding
    • Classic Lentil Soup

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact
    • Photo Use Policy

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more here.

    Copyright © 2013-2022 Tofu Press LLC & Alissa Saenz

    2022 shares
    • 642