Ingredients:

  • 500g Cremini or Baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned and halved
  • 150g Raw walnut halves
  • 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp Tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 large Yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 medium Carrots, finely diced
  • 2 stalks Celery, finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp Red pepper flakes
  • 3 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 120ml Dry red wine
  • 800g Can crushed tomatoes
  • 250ml Vegetable broth
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast
  • 0.5 cup Fresh parsley or basil, chopped
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
  • 500g Spaghetti or Pappardelle

Instructions:

  1. Place the 500g of mushrooms in the food processor. Pulse 5-7 times until they look like coarse crumbs. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the 150g of walnuts, pulsing until they are about the size of lentils. Note: Don't over process or you'll end up with a paste.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in your pot over medium high heat. Add the mushroom and walnut mixture. Cook 8-10 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and they start to sizzle and brown.
  3. Stir in 1 tsp tamari. Cook for another 2 minutes until the mushrooms turn a deep, dark brown. This is where the flavor lives, so don't rush it.
  4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 6-8 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent.
  5. Add the 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp oregano, and 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes. Stir for 1 minute until the kitchen smells fragrant.
  6. Push the vegetables to the edges and drop 3 tbsp tomato paste in the center. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring the paste constantly, until it turns a dark rust color.
  7. Pour in the 120ml of red wine. Use your wooden spoon to scrape all the browned bits off the bottom. Simmer for 3 minutes until the wine has reduced by half.
  8. Stir in the 800g crushed tomatoes, 250ml broth, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is thick and velvety.
  9. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, and half of the fresh herbs. Check for seasoning and add salt or pepper as needed.
  10. While the sauce simmers, boil 500g of pasta in salted water. Save a splash of pasta water, then toss the noodles directly into the sauce. Stir vigorously until the sauce clings to every strand.