Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (2024)

I’ve got some exciting news to share with all of you today!!

This post may contain affiliate links.

In just underone week, I’ll be heading to the Tuscany region of Italy to embark on a weeklong DaVinci Storyteller Experience sponsored by DaVinci Wine! AHHHHH, so exciting!!! Set in the picturesque town of Vinci, Italy (the birthplace of Leonardo Da Vinci), this immersive experience is focused on the Cantine Leonardo da Vinci, an innovative growers’ cooperative committed to producing authentic Tuscan wine, including the flagship DaVinci Chianti.

Throughout the week, I’ll be diving into all things Cantine Leonardo Da Vinci, including vineyard tours, culinary experiences, delicious food and wine galore, plus meet and greets with local chefs, wine growers and other personalities in and around Vinci. Joining me on this trip are some food blogger favorites including Alana from Fix Feast Flair, Molly from my name is yeh and Rebecca from Foodie with Family. This is going to be such a fun week!

In anticipation of this trip, I’ve developed a new tomato sauce recipe infused with the flavors of Tuscany. Particularly mushroom and Chianti! Continue reading for the recipe plus more on DaVinci Wine.

Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (2)

Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (3)

Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (4)

I’ve mentioned before on KK that I’m part Italian. 50% Italian actually. My mother’s side of the family comes from Naples and Sicily, so my Italian recipe repertoire is definitely more influenced by those regions. Over the past few years, I’ve also infused American and California flavors into my Italian cooking (Wild Ramp Pizza for example).

Tuscan flavors, however, are something that I’m not overly familiar with. After doing a little research, I found that Tuscan cuisine includes:

  • Regional and seasonal vegetables
  • Fresh fruit
  • Olive oil
  • Mushrooms (porcini and truffles)
  • Beans
  • Bread
  • Cheese
  • Beef (Florentine steak)
  • Game (boar, rabbit, deer)
  • Wine (Chianti, Brunello and more)

I know that’s not much right now (and quite vague), but I will definitely have a better grasp of Tuscan cuisine after going through this Storyteller experience. For now, I’ve decided to focus on mushrooms and Chianti.

This Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce is a variation of my mother’s Homemade Tomato Sauce. The base herbs and aromatics are similar, but I’ve added dried porcini mushrooms, fresh cremini mushrooms, thyme, bay and reduced DaVinci Chianti to the mix.

Rich with notes of ripe plums, cherries, pepper and red fruit, the Chianti is cooked briefly with dried porcini mushrooms. The mushrooms then steep in the wine for 30 minutes, get strained out and chopped. The mushroom-infused wine is then reduced significantly to concentrate flavors. Reduced wine and mushrooms are added back into the sauce later on, adding a big boost of flavor. The finished sauce has the most incredible depth of flavor with mouth-watering savory notes (umami!) from the wine and mushrooms.

Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (6)

Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (7)

Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (8)

While in Tuscany, I’ll be posting frequently on Instagram, and I’ll also be setting up a live feed article that will follow one of the hashtags from the trip. So far I’ve tried 3 of the 4 DaVinci wine varietals (Chianti, Chianti Riservaand Pinot Grigio), and they’re all really, really tasty. DaVinci also has a Brunello di Montalcino that I’ll get to try while in Italy. Can’t wait!!

If you’d like to connect with DaVinci Wine, please follow them here:

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Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (9)

Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce

by Brandon Matzek

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 8 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup Chianti (I used Da Vinci Wine Chianti here)
  • 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, lightly rinsed if dusty
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 smallish onion, finely chopped (heaping 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 large carrot, finely chopped (heaping 1/2 cup)
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped (heaping 1/4 cup)
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and finely chopped
  • 2 28- ounce cans crushed tomato
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil

Instructions

  • Bring Chianti and dried porcinis to a simmer in a medium pot set over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, then take the pot off the heat and cover. Let steep for 30 minutes, then scoop out the porcinis with a slotted spoon and reserve. Return the pot with the wine over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to 3 – 4 tablespoons of liquid. Chop the porcinis and set aside along with the reduced wine.

  • Warm olive oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once you see the oil shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot and celery, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic, a pinch of red pepper flake, and the cremini mushrooms, then continue to sauté until vegetables are soft but not brown, stirring occasionally.

  • Add crushed tomato, tomato paste, water, bay, thyme, sugar, reserved chopped porcini, reduced wine, a few pinches of kosher salt and several turns of freshly ground black pepper, stirring to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to low then simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour.

  • To finish the sauce, stir in chopped parsley and basil. Season to taste with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  • Serve this sauce with your favorite pasta. I like to add two or three sizable spoonfuls of sauce to freshly drained spaghetti, tossing to coat. This will ensure that the spaghetti absorbs the flavor of the sauce. Place a mound of spaghetti on a plate then top with extra sauce (I like it saucy :)), chopped parsley and/or basil, grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!

As a 2015 DaVinci Storyteller, this post was written in partnership with DaVinci Wine. DaVinci Wine has provided me with this experience. All thoughts, opinions and recipes are my own.

As the other Storytellers post their recipes, I will share photos and links below:

Alana’s Kale Ricotta Cavatelli

Molly’s Zhoug Risotto with Fresh Tomatoes, Onions and Za’atar

Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (11)

Rebecca’s Slow-Cooker Italian Pork

Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (12)

11

Brandon

I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, co*cktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!

Wild Mushroom Tomato Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is wild mushroom sauce made of? ›

Heat the olive oil and butter in a saucepan, add the mushrooms and parsley, and sauté for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add the white wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Then stir in the double cream and season well with salt and black pepper.

Why is my mushroom sauce not thickening? ›

2 Answers. One of the simplest and most straight forward: dissolve some starch (cornstarch is common in the US; alternates include potato starch, arrowroot, or tapioca) in some water, into a smooth slurry. Add the slurry to your simmering sauce base, stirring, and let it cook for a minute or so.

How to make tomato sauce more flavorful? ›

Pungent fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and marjoram can liven up tomato sauce with their bold, distinctive flavors. Add 1 to 2 sprigs of one or more of them to your favorite sauce, cover, and simmer at least 5 minutes to allow them to infuse in the sauce. Remove the sprigs before serving.

How long does mushroom sauce last in fridge? ›

This delicious sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

What is a thickening agent for mushroom sauce? ›

How do you thicken the cream of mushroom soup? If you feel the soup is too thin, then just before adding the cream, take 1 tbsp of corn starch and 1 tbsp of cold water and mix together, then pour into the soup. Stir until thickened. This will take a couple minutes to thicken.

What does mushroom sauce contain? ›

It is made with mushrooms, butter, cream or olive oil, white wine (some variations may use a mellow red wine) and pepper with a wide variety of variations possible with additional ingredients such as shallot, garlic, lemon juice, flour (to thicken the sauce), chicken stock, saffron, basil, parsley, or other herbs.

How do you thicken mushroom sauce without cornstarch? ›

Make a roux with a bit of flour to help thicken the sauce. Add milk, stir to work out any lumps of flour, and cook until thickened. Stir in some parmesan, pour your mushroom sauce over pasta/chicken/etc., and enjoy!

How long does it take for mushroom sauce to thicken? ›

Add broth, cream and parmesan. Stir, then lower heat to medium so the sauce is simmering - do not boil rapidly, cream may split. Stir occasionally and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes until it thickens. It shouldn't be super thick, this is a rich sauce.

Why did my mushroom sauce curdle? ›

Sauces curdle for two reasons - too high heat and not enough liquid. If your sauce curdles, add water or another liquid a spoon full at a time. You'll be amazed!

What does adding butter to tomato sauce do? ›

Similar to creamy sauces like Alfredo, or meaty sauces like ragu, tomato sauce is naturally low in fat, and as a result, sometimes becomes too thick and too starchy when it's been tossed with pasta. The addition of butter helps to loosen and emulsify the sauce, making it smooth and creamy.

Why does my homemade tomato sauce taste bland? ›

Flat or bland sauce likely needs a hit of something acidic to lift and enhance its flavors, such as a small splash of high-quality, flavorful vinegar, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or a few drops of not-too-fiery hot sauce.

Can you freeze wild mushroom sauce? ›

TO STORE: Store leftover mushroom sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. TO REHEAT: Warm the sauce in a saucepan set over medium-low heat or microwave it until it's warmed through. TO FREEZE: Transfer the mushroom sauce to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

How do you keep mushroom sauce from turning GREY? ›

What I have done to not get the gray colour is:
  1. Fry your button mushrooms in butter, until soft adding a bit of salt and pepper.
  2. make a Béchamelsauce with butter (1 Tablespoon),flour (1 Tablespoon) and milk (1 Cup)
  3. Once your sauce is done, take it off the stove and stir/fold in the mushrooms.
Feb 19, 2015

Can you freeze tomato mushroom sauce? ›

It can be frozen for up to 2 to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the sauce overnight in the refrigerator before reheating it gently on the stovetop over low to medium heat.

What Flavour is wild mushroom? ›

This mushroom is one of our favourites, they have a mushroomy flavour with a slightly nutty and sweet side. Ideal for use in any dish you would normally put a mushroom in. The texture is slightly firmer than normal supermarket mushrooms meaning you get more of a meaty bite from them in stews or pies.

What is the wild mushroom that tastes like chicken? ›

Some species, especially Laetiporus sulphureus, are commonly known as sulphur shelf, chicken of the woods, the chicken mushroom, or the chicken fungus because it is often described as tasting like and having a texture similar to that of chicken meat.

What is a good substitute for wild mushroom paste? ›

The most accessible and affordable ingredient you can use as a ground or powdered shiitake, oyster, cremini, and porcini mushrooms substitute is soy sauce. Not only does it have a salty, savory flavor, but it's also popular for its umami-ness! In fact, it's considered an ancient umami seasoning in Asia.

What is considered a wild mushroom? ›

A mushroom is the fruiting body of an organism that lives in the soil. Some speculate they comprise an interconnected mushroom community that spans the globe. Truly wild mushrooms don't grow in a controlled environment, they are foraged in the woods, in exactly the place where conditions are ideal for them to grow.

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