Meatless “Meat” Sauce with Chickpeas and Mushrooms

• from America’s Test Kitchen

Serves 8-12 (Makes 6 cups or enough for 2 lbs pasta)

10 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed

6 Tblsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp table salt

1 onion, chopped

5 garlic gloves, minced

1 ¼ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp pepper flakes

¼ cup tomato paste

1 (28 oz can) crushed tomatoes

2 cups vegetable broth

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed  *make sure you rinse, otherwise the sauce will be to think

2 Tblsp chopped fresh basil

Instructions: 

1. Pulse mushrooms in two batches in food processor until chopped into ⅛-¼ inch pieces (7-10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl.   (Don’t clean bowl)

2. Heat 5 Tblsp oil in dutch oven over med-high heat.  Add mushrooms and 1 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned - about 8 mins. 

3. While mushrooms cook - chop onions. Pulse in the food processor until finely chopped about 7-10 pulses.   Transfer to pot with mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent, about 15 mins.   

4. Combine remaining tablespoon of oil and garlic,  oregano and pepper flakes in a bowl

5. Add tomato paste to pot and cook, stirring constantly until mixture is rust colored, 1-2 mins.   Reduce heat to medium and push vegetables to the side of pot.  

6. Add mixture from step 4. Stirr constantly for about 30 seconds.

7. Stir in broth and crushed tomatoes. Bring to simmer over high heat. 

8. Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

9. While sauce simmers, pulse “RINSED” chickpeas in the food processor until chopped into ¼ inch pieces (7-10 pulses).   Transfer to the sauce and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.  

10. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

11. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.