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Home » Foraging » Mushrooms » Polenta with Mushroom Ragu

Polenta with Mushroom Ragu

By Hank Shaw on May 12, 2022 - 8 Comments

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5 from 9 votes
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Mushroom sauces may well be the pinnacle of meatless foods, and an Italian mushroom ragu may well be the king of them all. And as much as I love them with pasta, polenta with mushroom ragu is way more comforting, a warm embrace on a cool evening.

A bowl of polenta with mushroom ragu, with dried mushrooms alongside.
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

There are endless permutations of the mushroom ragu, from those using workaday white button mushrooms to fancy versions with expensive porcini and matsutake mushrooms. Lots of choices in ingredients, too: tomatoes or no? Red wine or white? Vegetarian or with meat?

In this case, I have made a red wine mushroom ragu — basically a thick, chunky pasta sauce — with a little tomato, herbs and lots of dried wild mushrooms.

I designed this sauce to go with polenta, Italian grits. The reason I like polenta with mushroom ragu is because the deep, dark sauce integrates better with polenta than pasta, although both are nice.

This sauce isn’t very fatty, either, so the butter and cheese in the polenta add some needed richness.

Ingredients for mushroom ragu: onions, dried mushrooms, herbs and tomato.
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

The Mushrooms in Mushroom Ragu

Dried wild mushrooms are my go-to for this recipe. Can you use fresh? You bet, but some of the flavor in this mushroom ragu comes from the soaking water from the dried mushrooms. One way to boost the flavor quotient is to sprinkle in some porcini powder, if you have some.

Morels or spring porcini are great options in springtime, and my preferred mushrooms for this sauce are boletes (porcini and their relatives), black trumpet mushrooms, morels, maitake (hen of the woods), shiitake, the various wild, edible agaricus species, like meadow mushrooms, blewits and cremini.

An easy way to get there is to look for those packets of dried “forest” mushrooms you see in the produce section of supermarkets. They are usually various dried boletes.

Bottom line is you want earthier, darker mushrooms here. But…

A Lighter Ragu

If you want to make this in warmer weather, or if you don’t have any of the abovementioned mushrooms, you can serve your polenta with mushroom ragu a little more on the lighter side. Here’s how:

  • Use white mushrooms, chanterelles, maitake, lion’s mane, yellowfoot chanterelles, or meadow mushrooms.
  • Switch the red wine for white.
  • Use a light stock, like chicken or vegetable.

All of that will lighten up things for a summer supper. I’d still go with the polenta, though.

Polenta or Pasta?

Kinda your call. Like I mentioned, polenta tastes richer and soaks up the mushroom ragu better, in my opinion, but pasta is faster and easier.

If you go with pasta, the shapes you’ll see are all over the place, from tagliatelle to penne to everything in between. If it’s me, and with this sauce, I do like long pasta over short here. The ragu is diced pretty small, so it will do better with, say, spaghetti or linguine or pappardelle than if it were chunky.

In general, chunky sauces go with short pasta, smoother ones with long. This one’s in between.

Close up of a bowl of polenta with mushroom ragu.
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

Storage

Like most sauces, mushroom ragu one is better the second (or even third) day. So make a lot and reheat it for leftovers. It will keep a week.

Mushroom ragu freezes well, and you can pressure can it, too. Generally speaking, it will go for 25 minutes at whatever PSI is appropriate for your altitude.

Looking for other great pasta or polenta sauces? Try my recipes for venison ragu, duck sugo, tomato sauce with fennel, and an old school Tuscan hare ragu with pappardelle.

Closeup of a bowl of polenta with mushroom ragu.
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Polenta with Mushroom Ragu

Keep in mind this sauce is perfectly good with pasta, too. I like a hearty, long pasta like spaghetti, pappardelle or tagliatelle.
Prep Time45 mins
Cook Time2 hrs
Total Time2 hrs 45 mins
Course: Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 570kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

MUSHROOM RAGU

  • 3 ounces dried mushrooms, or 1 1/2 pounds fresh
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • A 6 ounce can of tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • Salt
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 cups mushroom soaking water
  • 1 quart stock (beef, chicken or vegetable)
  • Freshly ground black pepper

POLENTA

  • 2 cups polenta
  • Salt
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese

Instructions

MUSHROOM RAGU

  • Put the mushrooms in a bowl, pour a pint or two of boiling water over them and cover the bowl. Let this steep while you chop all the other vegetables and herbs.
  • Squeeze out most of the water in the rehydrated mushrooms (reserve the water), mince the mushrooms and pour the soaking water through a strainer with a paper towel set inside into another bowl. This removes any dirt or debris in the soaking water.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the onion and cook until it's turning a little brown on the edges. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook another 4 or 5 minutes.
  • Mix in the tomato paste and herbs and let this cook, stirring often, for a couple minutes. You will have to work the tomato paste into the mushroom mixture.
  • Pour in the wine, turn the heat to high, let it come to a boil and let it boil a minute or two. Add the soaking water and stock. Mix well, add a little salt and let this simmer down, uncovered, for at least 1 hour. It will be very soupy at first. You want it to all cook down over time.
  • Once the sauce has reduced to a consistency you like, add salt if you need to, and grind fresh pepper over it. Serve with the polenta.

POLENTA

  • Polenta takes about 30 to 40 minutes to make, so you'll want to start before the mushroom ragu is totally done. Start by bringing 7 cups of water to a boil. Add salt, then stir in the polenta slowly in a steady stream, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. If you get lumps, use a whisk to break them up.
  • Turn the heat down to a simmer, and cover the pot. Stir the polenta frequently to prevent it from sticking. Depending on how coarse the polenta is, you will need 20 minutes to 40 minutes for it to become smooth and soft, not gritty.
  • When it's getting close — and if it's too thick you can add a little water as you go, just not a lot at one time — stir in the butter a tablespoon at a time, letting each one melt before adding the next. When you are ready to serve, mix in the grated cheese.

Notes

If you are in a hurry, you can halve the liquids so the sauce comes together faster. 

Keys to Success

  • Time is your friend. The longer this cooks, the better it will be. 
  • If you are using fresh mushrooms, add them with the onions. 
  • If you happen to have it, add a tablespoon or two of porcini powder to the mix in the beginning. It adds a ton of flavor. 
  • If you want meat in this, use 4 slices of bacon instead of olive oil, removing and chopping the bacon after it’s rendered its fat. Eat some or add it back to the ragu at the end. 
  • If you don’t have pasta or polenta, this is great with crusty bread or mashed potatoes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 469mg | Potassium: 903mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1009IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 3mg
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Filed Under: Featured, Foraging, Italian, Mushrooms, Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi, Recipe

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for Tony WaisanenTony Waisanen says

    October 2, 2022 at 2:58 pm

    Loved the recipe!
    Appreciated the suggestions about using bacon, incorporating fresh mushrooms and adding porcini powder.
    We’re looking forward to leftovers.
    Will definitely make again and share with friends.
    Thanks.

    Reply
  2. Avatar for Steve EngelhardtSteve Engelhardt says

    May 23, 2022 at 8:57 am

    Another amazing recipe Hank! I used dried and fresh mushroom and doubled the batch. I am VERY glad I did or there would not have been any leftover ragu for a second meal. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Alan BergoAlan Bergo says

    May 21, 2022 at 8:15 am

    A classic!

    Reply
  4. Avatar for John McVickerJohn McVicker says

    May 12, 2022 at 6:14 pm

    Loved this just as advertised, with polenta and red wine, the last of last fall’s dried moritakis and half fresh trumpets, oysters, and creminis.
    Thanks Hank!

    Reply
  5. Avatar for LydenLyden says

    May 12, 2022 at 10:14 am

    This looks a really good unusual & substantial recipe for mushrooms. I think I will be trying this soon.

    Reply
  6. Avatar for lowandslowlowandslow says

    May 12, 2022 at 7:08 am

    It just so happens I have about a Lb. of crimini that needs to be used.How many ounces of dried would be needed to finish the dish? Thanks

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      May 12, 2022 at 8:52 am

      Lowandslow: You don’t necessarily need to buy more dried mushrooms, but one packet would work if you want to use them. About 1 to 2 ounces dried.

      Reply
  7. Avatar for Steve MillerSteve Miller says

    May 12, 2022 at 5:43 am

    I will be making this, my wife loves mushrooms in any way.

    I will try it with a risotto, which she will appreciate more than a polenta.

    Thanks for the idea and recipe.

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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