Easy Mushroom Ragu with Parmesan Polenta

Here’s the perfect compromise: creamy, cheesy polenta topped with a tomatoey herb- and garlic-loaded mushroom ragù that’s so savory, you might even forget it’s meatless.

Rich and savory portobello mushroom ragu served over creamy cheese polenta — a flavor bomb vegetarian main dish! Are you’re craving polenta for dinner? How about the heartiness of a rich-tasting, meaty ragu, only it’s completely vegetarian? You’re going to love this portobello mushroom ragu, a sauce that tastes complex and slow-cooked, but that actually comes together in just under an hour.

It makes a fantastic one-bowl meal served over creamy Parmesan polenta. After all, polenta is a gluten-free whole grain, and the robust, chunky sauce is vegetarian, full of fiber and mineral-rich portobellos. Although the combo of cheesy polenta and this super-tasty sauce feels totally indulgent, I have no problem whatsoever tagging this recipe as healthy.

One reason this dish tastes so delicious is that it includes ingredients that happen to be full of umami, a word that basically translates from Japanese to mean “yummy”!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• salt
• 1 pound (500 g) portobello mushrooms caps, sliced into 1-inch chunks
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 3 tablespoons (45 g) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/3-1/2 cup (75-125 ml) vegetable stock or water
• 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• For the polenta
• 4 cups (1 l) water
• 1 cup (250 ml) milk
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup (160 g) coarse or medium-grind cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter
• 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese