Meatless "Meat" Sauce with Chickpeas and Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 10 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed
• 6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1¼ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Pulse the mushrooms in two batches in a food processor until chopped into ⅛–¼-inch pieces, 7–10 pulses, scraping down the bowl as needed. (Don’t clean the workbowl.)
2. Heat 5 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned with a fond forming on the bottom of the pot, about 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, pulse the onion in the food processor until finely chopped, 7–10 pulses. Add it to the pot and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil with the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes in a small bowl.
4. Stir the tomato paste into the pot and cook, stirring constantly, until rust-colored, 1–2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, push the vegetables aside, and cook the garlic mixture in the center until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and broth, bring to a simmer, then simmer on low for 5 minutes.
5. Pulse the chickpeas until chopped into ¼-inch pieces, 7–10 pulses, then rinse in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear and drain well. Add to the pot and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
6. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.