Veggie Marsala
Hands up if you ever cook with alcohol?
I must admit, I do it very rarely. A splash of white wine in a mushroom risotto is not unheard of, but that’s usually about as far as I go – I very rarely use port, or brandy, or sherry, or any other kind of spirit. new things without having to commit to buying a full bottle (much cheaper).
However, using alcohol in your cooking can actually be quite a sophisticated way to bring out the flavours of your other ingredients – in short, as the alcohol evaporates, it carries flavour from the other ingredients up to our noses, and since smell is such a big part of enjoying a meal, cooking with alcohol can really help to bring a dish to life!
I’ve always thought chicken marsala looked interesting (apart from the chicken, obviously), and have wanted to try a vegetarian version – and I’m glad I did. It is delicious!
If you’ve never tried marsala (a fortified wine), the flavour of this veggie marsala is a difficult one to describe – it’s slightly sweet, and super silky and luxurious. That’s really the only way I can describe it – you’ll just have to try it for yourself. The sauce is packed with vegetables, and it perfectly coats the tagliatelle for a creamy, comforting dinner. This is exactly my kind of food (pasta, veggies, booze! Can it get any better?). I packed my veggie marsala with vegetables – mushrooms, courgette (zucchini), tomatoes, shallots, aubergine (eggplant) – so you will never miss the meat.
I’m glad I was finally able to give this veggie marsala a try!
Veggie Marsala
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 2 medium aubergines (eggplants)
- 2 tbsp oil, divided
- ~ 7 shallots or tiny onions, peeled and halved
- 1 tsp sugar
- 200 g (~ 2 cups) small mushrooms (I used small chestnut mushrooms), cut in half
- 1 courgette (zucchini), cut into chunks
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tbsp plain flour
- 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) marsala wine
- 250 ml (~ 1 cup) vegetable stock
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ~ 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp creme fraiche (or double / heavy cream)
- Cooked tagliatelle, to serve
- Fresh parsley, to serve
Instructions
- Cut the aubergines (eggplants) into chunky dice (~ 2 inches in size). Lay the pieces out on a baking tray, and toss with 1 tbsp oil. Roast at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for 25-30 minutes, until soft.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1tbsp oil in a large frying pan, and add the halved shallots. Cook over a medium-low heat for a couple of minutes, then add the sugar and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, until the shallots are fairly soft and just beginning to caramelise. Add the mushrooms, courgette (zucchini), and garlic, and cook over a medium heat for a further 5-10 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft. Add the cooked aubergine to the pan.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, and mix to coat. Add the marsala wine, and turn the heat up a little to bring the liquid to a boil, scraping any crispy bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow it to cook for a few minutes until halved in volume. Add the vegetable stock, mustard, and halved tomatoes, and simmer for a few more minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and add the creme fraiche. Mix well to give a glossy sauce. Serve with tagliatelle.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
I’m wondering if this can be made the day before and then heated in the oven? Of course, I would wait to add the pasta until serving.
Yes absolutely :) Though I would probably reheat on the stovetop rather than in the oven. If you do use the oven you might need to add an extra splash of water to stop it drying out, and cover the dish with a lid.
This recipe completely surprised me with the sweet rich savory flavor. You don’t even need noodles to eat with it, just enjoy it in a bowl solo! Mo
Thanks Molly!
Seems to be a delicious and mouth-watering dish. Thanks for sharing the veggie Marsala recipe. I have never tried Marsala before, but reading through the article; it motivated me to try this dish:)
My husband and i recently transitioned to a vegan lifestyle. Well…90% vegan lol. Neither of us cook much and i manage to mess up simple things. This was pretty delicious! First time I’ve had eggplant in anything and i loved it! Thanks so much for showing us we can still enjoy marsala without the chicken!
Thanks Yolisa! If you’re not too confident in the kitchen I hope you’ll find lots of recipes here you enjoy – I only post really simple stuff :)