Quick and Easy Tomato and Mushroom Pasta
Tomato and mushroom pasta is a quick and simple vegetarian meal that packs flavours well above its pay grade thanks to a magical ingredient.
That magical ingredient is Mushroom ketchup, a delicious vegan/vegetarian and very traditional British condiment that tastes incredible.
Vegan Mushroom Pasta
Most people associate mushroom pasta with a creamy sauce; dishes like my creamy steak and mushroom pasta and creamy spinach and mushroom pasta probably leap to mind.
But I've always played with different ideas for mushroom pasta, as recipes like my balsamic mushroom pappardelle and chicken liver and mushroom pasta demonstrate.
My latest amble features an awesome tomato and mushroom pasta sauce.
It's a gloriously simple dish that cooks in right around 30 minutes, and aside from the mushrooms, it features mainly shelf-stable ingredients. Making this dish an ideal "chuck it together" meal for days when time is short.
Tinned tomatoes, dried herbs, a shallot and mushroom ketchup define the sauce.
And if you are following a vegetarian or vegan diet, you should definitely be packing mushroom ketchup in your kitchen cupboards!
This stuff is very special (even if you ain't a veggie), and it wipes the floor with anything on the supermarket shelves that calls itself (vegetarian/vegan Worcestershire sauce.
All you need is a couple of pans, a colander and about half an hour and your dinner is sorted!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is mushroom ketchup?
Mushroom ketchup is an old-school British condiment similar to Worcestershire sauce and Hendersons relish.
It is glorious, offering acidic, spicy, salty, umami flavours to dishes. Unlike Worcestershire sauce, it is both vegetarian and vegan-friendly. It is widely available in supermarkets.
Whilst the flavour is different to Worcestershire sauce, you can use it in exactly the same way in the same volumes.
Can I use an onion instead of a shallot?
Yes, but you only need a little bit, so using an onion can be wasteful. Onions are also tricky to cut as finely as a shallot.
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes, this sauce favours open, broad pasta shapes and everything from pappardelle to mafaldine to tagliatelle and linguine work well.
Can I make this in advance?
The sauce stores well and will last in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
But given that cooking this recipe only takes 5 minutes longer than it takes to cook pasta, you save very little time.
Serving Suggestions
I always keep my side dishes for pasta incredibly simple and low maintenance, and this tomato and mushroom fettuccine is no different.
I have opted for some store-bought garlic ciabatta in the pictures on this page. But some garlic baguette would be just as good.
I am also very fond of this soft potato focaccia recipe; it freezes wonderfully, and I often have some set aside and cook it from frozen in an air fryer.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- Colander.
- Stirring and serving spoons/kitchen tongs.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Tomato and Mushroom Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g Button Mushrooms 2 Cups
- 1 Small Echalion or Banana Shallot 20g
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 220 g Tin of Chopped Tomatoes 8oz
- 2 tablespoon Mushroom Ketchup
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Salt (plus extra for boiling the pasta)
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- 200 g Dried Pasta 7oz (I use fettuccine)
Instructions
- Cut the mushrooms into 2-3mm (⅛") slices.
- Cut the shallot in half, peel it and dice it as finely as you can.
- Peel the garlic cloves and finely dice them.
- Heat a 28cm frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.
- After the mushrooms have had 5 minutes, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente (10-14 minutes depending on the brand).
- As soon as the pasta goes into the pan, add the garlic, shallots, thyme and rosemary to the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour the mushroom ketchup into the mushroom pan and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tinned tomatoes to the mushrooms, stir, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the pasta is cooked.
- Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the pasta water (75ml or ⅓ cup).Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. Add as much pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Then serve.
