Mushroom Bolognese
This meat-free bolognese packs in so much flavour! Swapping mince for mushrooms saves on calories and makes this a quick, tasty, slimming friendly dinner.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories119
- Carbs17g
- Protein6.3g
- Fat1.2g
- Saturates0g
- Sugars13g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
Who doesn’t love a bolognese? Whether you serve it with spaghetti or your favourite pasta shapes, it’s a classic midweek meal that’s always a crowd pleaser.
This meat free version is not just for vegans and vegetarians! Instead of the traditional beef mince, we’ve made this Mushroom Bolognese using finely chopped mushrooms. To save on prep time, you can even whizz these up in a food processor. They cook down into a rich, flavourful bolognese that’s every bit as satisfying as the meaty version.
An added bonus of swapping mince for mushrooms is that this recipe is super low on calories, while still being hearty and filling. Each portion of Mushroom Bolognese comes in at just 119 calories – perfect for serving with your favourite Italian-style side dishes.
What diets is this Mushroom Bolognese suitable for?
Mushroom Bolognese can be enjoyed on vegan and vegetarian diets, as long as you use Henderson’s relish rather than Worcestershire sauce.
This recipe is dairy free and it can be made gluten free as long as you use gluten free stock cubes.
If you’re cooking for people with allergies, be extra careful when checking ingredients and preparing food.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Mushroom Bolognese?
We’ve used a red wine stock pot to give our Mushroom Bolognese a deep, rich flavour without adding too many extra calories. These can be found in most supermarkets alongside other stock cubes and stock pots.
If you prefer, you can add 100ml of red wine and a splash of red wine vinegar instead of the red wine stock pot. If you make this substitution please remember to adjust the calories accordingly.
If using 100ml of red wine, you will need to use less vegetable stock so that your bolognese has the right consistency. Instead of making up the stock with 300ml of boiling water, use 200ml.
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‘This is a really tasty meat free Bolognese. Very versatile - can be used with pasta, as a topping for jacket potatoes or just on its own with lots of lovely veggies. Freezes really well too.’
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These red wine stock pots add rich flavour without being high in calories.
A food processor isn’t essential but it can really help to cut down on prep time. Great for busy days!
How many calories are in this Mushroom Bolognese?
There are 119 calories in each portion of this Mushroom Bolognese recipe, which means it falls into our Everyday Light recipe category. If you’re counting calories or following one of the popular diet plans like Weight Watchers, this recipe fits in perfectly!
NHS guidelines suggest men should aim for 2,500 calories per day to maintain a healthy body weight, and women require around 2000 calories. Each person has different calorie requirements depending on their goal, so you may want to adjust your daily calorie intake according to your own personal goal.
Step 1
Spray a large saucepan with low calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat.
Step 2
Add the carrots, onions and celery and sauté for 10 minutes until soft.
Step 3
Add the garlic and herbs and cook for a further minute.
Step 4
Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir for 2-3 minutes until they begin to cook down.
Step 5
Stir in the tomato puree, tomatoes and the red wine stock pot.
Step 6
Add the stock and Henderson’s relish and bring to the boil.
Step 7
Turn down the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until all the vegetables are soft and the sauce is rich and thick.
Step 8
Serve with your choice of accompaniment.
What could I serve with this Mushroom Bolognese?
This recipe is perfect for serving with some freshly cooked spaghetti. A 125g portion of cooked spaghetti is around 173 calories, which would make the full serving of spaghetti bolognese 292 calories.
This recipe is super versatile however, so you can also serve it with less traditional sides. How about trying any of the following:
How do you know when Mushroom Bolognese is cooked?
You should cook this Mushroom Bolognese until the vegetables have softened and the sauce has become rich and thick. This will take around 25 minutes.
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep Mushroom Bolognese in the fridge?
Once it’s been served, we’d recommend that you eat this recipe within 4 hours.
You can save any leftovers by allowing them to cool and then storing them in a container with a lid in the fridge. Leftover Mushroom Bolognese will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze Mushroom Bolognese?
This recipe CAN be frozen, but please do remember to do the following:
- Divide it into individual portions to help it cool more quickly.
- Make sure that you freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Choose a container or a bag that is suitable for freezing.
- Label your dish with the name of the recipe and the date that you froze it.
How do I reheat Mushroom Bolognese?
From chilled: Place in a microwavable container with a loosely fitting lid and heat for 3-4 minutes until piping hot, stirring halfway through. Alternatively reheat in a saucepan over a low to medium heat until the mixture bubbles.
From frozen: Allow to defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.
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Mushroom Bolognese
This meat-free bolognese packs in so much flavour! Swapping mince for mushrooms saves on calories and makes this a quick, tasty, slimming friendly dinner.
-
Prep Time
20 MINS
-
Cook Time
33 MINS
- KCals 119
- Carbs 17G
Instructions
- Spray a large saucepan with low calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat.
- Add the carrots, onions and celery and sauté for 10 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic and herbs and cook for a further minute.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir for 2-3 minutes until they begin to cook down.
- Stir in the tomato puree, tomatoes and the red wine stock pot.
- Add the stock and Henderson's relish and bring to the boil.
- Turn down the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until all the vegetables are soft and the sauce is rich and thick.
- Serve with your choice of accompaniment.
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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If you’ve made Mushroom Bolognese and love it, let us know by tagging us in your photos!
5 comments
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NancyMonday 21st November 2022
Can this be done in a slow cooker and if so for how long and which setting?
HollyMonday 28th November 2022
Hey Nancy, yes this recipe would work in the slow cooker, we have a conversion guide HERE which includes a time and temperature guide, hope that helps!
SueSunday 3rd April 2022
Just wondering what you can use instead of red wine stock pot
HollyTuesday 5th April 2022
Hey Sue, We’ve used a red wine stock pot to give our Mushroom Bolognese a deep, rich flavour without adding too many extra calories. If you prefer, you can add 100ml of red wine and a splash of red wine vinegar instead of the red wine stock pot and adjust the calories accordingly. If using 100ml of red wine, you will need to use less vegetable stock so that your bolognese has the right consistency. Instead of making up the stock with 300ml of boiling water, use 200ml. Hope that helps!
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