Mushroom ragu with courgetti recipe

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This recipe for mushroom ragu with courgetti cuts the calories by swapping out spaghetti for spiralized courgettes, topped with a rich mushroom and Quorn mince sauce.

mushroom ragu with courgetti
  • healthy
Serves4–6
SkillEasy
Preparation Time10 mins
Cooking Time35 mins
Total Time45 mins
Five A DayOne
Cost RangeCheap
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories125 Kcal6%
Sugar9.5 g11%
Fat2.9 g4%
Saturated Fat0.8 g4%
Salt0.6 gRow 4 - Cell 2
Protein10.8 g22%
Carbohydrates11.6 g4%
Salt0.6 gRow 7 - Cell 2

Cut the calories by swapping out spaghetti for courgetti, topped with a rich mushroom and Quorn mince sauce.

This is one of our favourite low calorie pasta recipes. Spaghetti is such a go-to comfort food, and while we'd never suggest cutting it out completely, this lighter version makes a lovely change. A portion of cooked pasta would be about 155 calories without sauce, and around 31g of carbohydrate. The same amount of courgetti spaghetti contains about 21 calories, and less than 2g carbohydrate. Toss the sauce through the courgettes for maximum flavour, and we think it's delicious.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp light olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 stick each carrot and celery, finely chopped
  • 500g mixed mushrooms, finely chopped or blitzed
  • 300g Quorn mince
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 250ml stock (e.g Marigold vegetable bouillon powder)
  • 700g passata

For the courgetti:

  • 4 courgettes, cut into long noodles
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • fresh basil or fresh oregano, optional

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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Method

  1. Heat the oil in a sauté pan or deep frying pan. Gently cook the onion, carrot and celery for 10mins, until softened. Remove to a plate. Turn up the heat and add the mushrooms to the pan and fry until any water has evaporated (you need lots of heat for this). Add the Quorn mince, stir, then add back the vegetables, along with the tomato purée, stock and passata. Simmer for 20mins.
  2. Add the stock to a pan of boiling water and cook the courgette noodles for 1-2 mins, until just tender. Toss with a little olive oil and divide between 4 serving plates. Top with a generous portion of ragu and serve.

Top tips for making mushroom ragu with courgetti

For a meatier option, swap out the quorn for minced turkey or very lean beef and adjust the calories accordingly. If you can’t buy a mix of mushrooms we’d recommend chestnut or portobello mushrooms as both are packed full of an earthy, rich flavour which will really transform the dish.

How do I spiralize courgettes?

The easiest way to spiralize courgettes is with a spiralizer. You can buy them online or in cookshops, starting from around £10-£15. Unless you're regularly cooking vegetable noodles for a big family, there's no need to go for an electric one. The handheld versions are simple and effective. Just follow the instructions on your spiralizer for perfect results.

What if I don't own a spiralizer?

Don't worry, you can make them by hand if you have a vegetable peeler or a box grater. With a vegetable peeler, peel down the length of the courgette to create a long, fat ribbons. Lay these one on top of the other and use a sharp knife to slice them into noodles. On a box grater, you can use the larger cheese grating section to create noodles. Press hard and use long motions to get nice long noodles.

Can I just buy courgettes readymade into noodles?

You can, but we'd really recommend spiralizing your own courgettes, rather than buying the pre-prepared packets, as can be quite watery and tasteless. If do buy a packet and you find the courgetti too watery, try cooking it for just one minute, or even slightly less. Drain well and add to the pan with the sauce in before serving immediately. Alternatively, don't boil it at all - heat a teaspoon of oil in a wok and stir fry for 2 minutes until it softens slightly.

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Jessica Dady
Food Editor

Jessica Dady is Food Editor at GoodtoKnow and has over 12 years of experience as a digital editor, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the must-buy seasonal food hampers and advent calendars for Christmas to the family-friendly air fryers that’ll make dinner time a breeze, Jessica loves trying and testing various food products to find the best of the best for the busy parents among us. Over the years of working with GoodtoKnow, Jessica has had the privilege of working alongside Future’s Test Kitchen to create exclusive videos - as well as writing, testing, and shooting her own recipes. When she’s not embracing the great outdoors with her family at the weekends, Jessica enjoys baking up a storm in the kitchen with her favourite bakes being chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and a tray of gooey chocolate brownies