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    Oh My Veggies » Vegan Recipes

    Vegan Meaty Mushroom Marinara Sauce

    Published: Oct 4, 2019 · by Nicole · Updated: May 17, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Meaty Mushroom Marinara Sauce

    This Vegan Mushroom Marinara Sauce is packed with hearty mushrooms and savory flavor from garlic, red wine, and fresh herbs. Load up your stock pot and let it simmer to delicious perfection.

    pasta topped with vegetarian mushroom marinara sauce
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    • Tips, Tricks, and Variations
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    As a self-proclaimed pasta expert, I've tried more than my share of pasta sauces. In fact, making homemade pasta sauce is kind of my jam.

    And as a vegetarian, I love sauces that incorporate lots of fresh veggies and herbs for maximum flavor.

    Meaty Mushroom Marinara Sauce

    Mushroom sauces are my favorite because I like the "meaty" texture that the mushrooms add to a pasta dish. But usually store-bought sauces either have a few token slices in each jar or tiny little diced mushrooms that you can't even taste. Sad!

    So I decided to make my own mushroom marinara. Yes, it takes more time than opening up a jar, but this recipe makes a lot of sauce. So you can whip up a batch on the weekend, then freeze it in small portions to use throughout the week.

    Not only is this tastier than buying pasta sauce, it's much cheaper too. Trust me, it's totally worth the effort.

    Meaty Mushroom Marinara Sauce Recipe

    Tips, Tricks, and Variations

    Crimini mushrooms (also known as baby bella mushrooms) are ideal for this mushroom marinara sauce. They have the perfect texture and a nice, earthy flavor that works really well. But if you can't get your hands on any, regular white mushrooms will work as well.

    This recipe calls for red wine. You don't need anything too fancy, but you should use a wine that you would be happy to drink. No two buck chuck please! I used a cabernet sauvignon - but merlot or pinot noir are also good choices.

    Feel free to experiment with your own favorite combination of herbs and spices. You can use an Italian spice blend to make this even more simple, swap the dried herbs or fresh ones, or add some minced jalapeno for spice.

    While you're here, be sure to grab our FREE 5-Day Meatless Meal Plan. It's packed with tasty recipes to make vegetarian cooking easy and delicious!

    More Recipes

    If you love this recipe, be sure to check out these other delicious ideas:

    • The Internet's Best Pasta Recipes
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    • 20-Minute Vegetarian Pasta Dinners

    Recipe

    Meaty Mushroom Marinara Sauce Recipe

    Vegan Mushroom Marinara Sauce

    This Vegan Mushroom Marinara Sauce is packed with hearty mushrooms and savory flavor from garlic, red wine, and fresh herbs. Load up your stock pot and let it simmer to delicious perfection.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: Italian
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: how to make marinara sauce, mushroom marinara sauce, vegan marinara, vegetarian marinara
    Servings: 6 cups
    Calories: 193kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 lb cremini or white mushrooms sliced
    • ½ cup red wine
    • 56 oz crushed tomatoes canned variety with basil
    • 2 tbsp tomato paste
    • 1 tbsp dried basil
    • 2 tsp dried oregano
    • a pinch or two of red pepper flakes optional
    • 1-2 tsp white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly) optional
    • salt and pepper to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.
    • Add the garlic. Cook about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
    • Add the mushrooms; cook until their juices are released and then cooked off, about 10 minutes.
    • Stir in the wine and raise the heat to high. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid has almost evaporated.
    • Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, and pepper flakes (if using). Reduce heat to low, and simmer for an hour, or until the sauce has thickened.
    • If needed, add a teaspoon or two of sugar to cut the acidity, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Notes

    Yield is approximate, depending on how much you cook the sauce down.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 193kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 397mgPotassium: 1129mgFiber: 7gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 667IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 125mgIron: 5mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says

      October 28, 2013 at 8:50 am

      Scraping the sauce off the pizza? Girl, you're a weirdo but I love ya! LOL

      Luckily you can cook so you can whip up your own veggie filled goodness! 😉

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:29 pm

        I was such a picky eater when I was a kid. I still am, but just in different ways!

        Reply
    2. Jennie @themessybakerblog says

      October 28, 2013 at 9:19 am

      I do love me some meaty 'shrooms! This sauce looks wonderful. Pinned.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:28 pm

        Thanks for the pin!

        Reply
    3. Caitlin says

      October 28, 2013 at 9:58 am

      aww man, i LOVE tomato sauce. i would just eat it with a spoon when i was younger, especially the mushroom kind. i can't imagine how delicious this extra meaty version is. gotta try it!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:28 pm

        I could eat it with a spoon now (well, if it has lots of stuff in it!), but definitely not when I was a kid...

        Reply
    4. Kathryn says

      October 28, 2013 at 10:10 am

      Store bought marinara sauces are always such a disappointment - this looks totally delicious and so full of flavour.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:27 pm

        I use the store-bought kind, but homemade is definitely better. 🙂

        Reply
    5. dishing up the dirt says

      October 28, 2013 at 11:02 am

      I love a good homemade tomato sauce. The addition of the red wine sounds fantastic!

      Reply
    6. Maura says

      October 28, 2013 at 11:17 am

      YUM! Can't wait to make this 🙂

      Reply
    7. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

      October 28, 2013 at 11:57 am

      I love mushrooms, what a wonderful sauce!

      Reply
    8. Emma Jackson says

      October 28, 2013 at 12:14 pm

      I think I would add a smalled diced onion to this, yes.. no..?

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:26 pm

        Yes, you can definitely do that! Add it before you add the mushrooms; I'd cook it for about 5 minutes, until it's softened, then add the mushrooms.

        Reply
    9. Kim of Mo'Betta says

      October 28, 2013 at 12:25 pm

      My kids are anti-sauce! My 12 y/o scrapes sauce off her pizza too, and never eats it on pasta. And I agree, the red wine sounds like an awesome addition! I'll have to try mine sans mushrooms 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:25 pm

        Aw, another pizza scraper! That warms my heart a little bit. 🙂

        Reply
    10. The Peace Patch says

      October 28, 2013 at 12:32 pm

      I agree...pasta sauces must be chunkified, especially with mushrooms! Thanks for sharing your recipe. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:23 pm

        The chunkier the better!

        Reply
    11. Maria Tadic says

      October 28, 2013 at 1:12 pm

      Hahaha I can't believe you scraped off sauce from pizza! That's hilarious! But i know what you mean with the veggies - I always end up making tomato sauce the vehicle for adding in tons of veggies. Still tastes awesome, but loaded up with the good stuff. Now if only my husband liked mushrooms... 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:22 pm

        Plain tomato sauce is just so boring! You HAVE to add tons of veggies. 🙂

        Reply
    12. Holly says

      October 28, 2013 at 1:40 pm

      I love mushroom dishes but my husband doesn't. I think I cook up a batch of your sauce to freeze in portions so that I can enjoy it especially on nights my husband is traveling.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:18 pm

        I would be so sad if my husband didn't like mushrooms. 😉 And I'd definitely be hoarding mushroom sauce in my freezer!

        Reply
    13. Emma says

      October 28, 2013 at 1:48 pm

      I used to scrape the cheese off the pizza and just eat the base and tomato sauce! We could have shared!
      Lovely, simple recipe. My favourite marinara recipe has lentils and mushies .

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:17 pm

        You know, I thought about adding lentils to this sauce too! I've been meaning to give that a try for a while. I really should make it that way soon. 🙂

        Reply
    14. Angie@Angie's Recipes says

      October 28, 2013 at 3:37 pm

      My husband is not a fan of mushrooms, but I love it! The sauce looks super!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:17 pm

        So many people dislike mushrooms, but they are definitely one of my favorite foods!

        Reply
    15. Ginger says

      October 28, 2013 at 7:06 pm

      A woman after my own heart! I feel the exact same way about tomato sauce, and this recipe looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:16 pm

        There is too much mediocre tomato sauce in this world, right?! 🙂

        Reply
    16. Gretchen @ Two Healthy Kitchens says

      October 28, 2013 at 8:56 pm

      Haha! I used to disassemble my pizza when I was younger - I only wanted the sauce and bread! No cheese for me! I didn't like the texture of it! Imagine us having pizza together - both of us totally dismantling the whole thing! Lol!! Thankfully I've gotten over that whole issue! 🙂

      Your sauce looks amazing (I love mushrooms in my sauce, too!) and it looks easy to make. I've always wanted to try to make my own sauce, but frankly, I was scared to! Now - it doesn't seem scary at all!!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:15 pm

        Oh man, I would TOTALLY take your cheese. Before I learned the disassembly method, I would just eat the crust off the pizza. My family would get pizza for dinner and I would wait for everyone to finish and then I'd eat their crusts. 🙂

        Reply
    17. Lisa @ Greek Vegetarian says

      October 28, 2013 at 10:24 pm

      I couldn't live without my stash of tomato-based sauce portions in the freezer. And I'm with you on adding loads of veggies to chunk up the sauce. Not with you on scraping and reassembling pizza though! Hilarious.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:14 pm

        Our freezer is so full of sauces, it's ridiculous! I think I need to invest in a bigger freezer...

        Reply
    18. mjskit says

      October 28, 2013 at 10:47 pm

      I love vegetarian pasta dishes and this "meaty" sauce with those beautiful mushrooms is perfect!

      Reply
    19. Robin (Masshole Mommy) says

      October 29, 2013 at 8:50 am

      Nobody in my house will eat mushrooms, so I would have to leave them out. The recipe sounds great, though.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:13 pm

        You can put other veggies in here instead of mushrooms. 🙂

        Reply
    20. Mallory @ Because I Like Chocolate says

      October 29, 2013 at 5:00 pm

      Tomato sauce can be really bad, I'm with you. Especially when it comes to pizza, I just like to eat it white. But mushrooms make everything ok 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:11 pm

        Mushrooms DO make everything okay! 😀

        Reply
    21. Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

      October 29, 2013 at 5:44 pm

      I love that you seem to be a reformed picky eater - it gives me hope in regards to my picky toddler! 🙂

      A marinara packed to the gills (no pun intended) with mushrooms sounds so hearty and comforting. Love it.

      Reply
    22. Liz @ I Spy Plum Pie says

      October 29, 2013 at 6:01 pm

      So I never went so far as to actually scrape the sauce off my pizza, but I definitely hear you on the sauce-to-vegetable ratio! I pack my pasta sauces so full of veggies that it's really just a pile of veggies with a red tinge from the tomato!
      Next time I get some mushrooms in my veggie box I'll have to give this a try and load up my freezer!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:11 pm

        Yup, when I have pasta, it's usually more veggies than pasta or sauce. It's more filling that way! 🙂

        Reply
    23. Nichole @ Green Cuisine Queen says

      October 29, 2013 at 6:19 pm

      I totally agree with you on the pasta sauce. I posted a recipe on my blog a few weeks ago for spaghetti sauce, I used zucchini in mine! It's also good to add some veggie burger crumbles for extra flavor and texture.
      I love homemade pasta sauces, they're always much better!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 29, 2013 at 8:08 pm

        I love adding zucchini to my sauce too! So good. 🙂

        Reply
    24. Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says

      October 29, 2013 at 9:07 pm

      There's nothing better than homemade marinara sauce! I love how it's loaded with mushrooms - one of my favorite veggies!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 30, 2013 at 8:09 pm

        It's definitely one of those things that's better homemade. 🙂

        Reply
    25. Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective says

      October 29, 2013 at 10:24 pm

      Fresh tomato sauce is the BEST! Great recipe! 🙂

      Reply
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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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