You can enjoy a delicious and creamy vegan pasta carbonara in just 25 minutes. This is a gluten-free version, which is also healthier and lower in fat.
Pasta carbonara is made with egg yolks, parmesan cheese and extra virgin olive oil, but in Spain is usually made with cream, even in some Italian restaurants, I don’t know why. When I made the traditional recipe for the first time, I fell in love with it and it was actually one of my favorite pasta recipes.
I hadn’t tried this delicious pasta dish since I went vegan, until last April at the best Italian restaurant I’ve ever been, which is in Edinburgh by the way and also last month at a beautiful restaurant in Rome.
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When I tried it again after more than three years, I knew I had to make my own version at home and here it is. It’s inspired in the traditional recipe and I used our eggplant bacon. I think it’s the best plant-based carbonara ever! Cooking at home is awesome because you can make dishes using your favorite ingredients and what you have on hand.
If you like this vegan pasta carbonara, check out these pasta recipes: vegan pasta Alfredo, lentil bolognese, 15-minute coconut green pasta, simple vegan piquillo pepper pasta and pasta arrabiata.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment below, share it, rate it or tag a picture @simpleveganblog on Instagram and hashtag it #simpleveganblog. We’d love to see what you cook!
Vegan Pasta Carbonara
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6-8
- Category: Entrées, Sides & Main Dishes, Gluten Free
- Cuisine: Vegan, Italian-Inspired
You can enjoy a delicious and creamy vegan pasta carbonara in just 25 minutes. This is a gluten-free version, which is also healthier and lower in fat.
Ingredients
- 18 ounces pasta of your choice (500 g), we used brown rice spaghetti
- 10 ounces firm tofu (275 g)
- 1/2 cup plant milk of your choice (125 ml), we used soy milk
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast (8 tbsp)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (4 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tahini (or extra virgin olive oil)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 ground black pepper
- Vegan bacon to taste, we usually add 3 slices for each serving
- Fresh parsley to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions.
- Place the rest of the ingredients (except the bacon and the parsley) in a blender and blend until smooth.
- When the pasta is ready, strain it and place it in a frying pan or in the same pot you’ve cooked the pasta, add the sauce and the bacon (chopped) and cook over medium-high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Serve with some fresh parsley on top, more pepper and more bacon (optional).
- Store the pasta carbonara in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Use any type of pasta you want.
- Adding 1 tsp of turmeric powder you’ll get a beautiful color, but if you’re not a big fan of this ingredient, omit it or add just 1/2 tsp.
- If you don’t eat soy, you could try to use overnight soaked cashews instead of the tofu and any other plant milk instead of the soy milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe using nutritional yeast instead of the vegan parmesan cheese and without the bacon
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 2.2 g
- Sodium: 195.9 mg
- Fat: 7.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 61.3 g
- Fiber: 10.6 g
- Protein: 22.9 g
This was so yummy!
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Hi Jan! Thanks a lot 🙂 I’m so glad you liked it!
What is the white substance on top of the pasta, below the eggplant bacon? (Looks like a fried egg but I know It’s not…)
Hi Susan! It’s the sauce, we added more on top 😉
This recipe looks great! I just made this and it was AMAZING! Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Megan! Thanks a lot 🙂 I’m so glad you liked it!
This was amazingly good! Any idea on how to make it a touch creamier?
I added a little black salt for the sulfur taste of eggs.
Hi Bryan! So glad you liked it 🙂 Add more milk if it’s too thick or more tofu if is too liquid. You could also add more fat (tahini, any nut butter, oil). Have a nice day!
If using soaked cashews instead of tofu, how much cashews are needed? And then blend them after?
Hi Annabelle! I haven’t tried this recipe with cashews myself, so I can’t help you, sorry! Yes, you need to blend the sauce 🙂
The pasta is very dry. i think 1/2 lb of pasta would be better then 1 lb.
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Hi! As you can see in the pictures, our pasta wasn’t dry at all. Have you followed all the steps and used the same ingredients?
I have not made this recipe yet. Need a reply to the following questions: Can other nuts be used instead of cashews? Is unsweetened Almond milk ok? I’m assuming the soaking of the nuts is to soften them up, discard the liquid and then grind them into a paste?
Hi Robert! As you can read in the recipe, you can use any type of milk you want. I’ve never tried this recipe using other nuts, but I think it could work. Yes, just soak them, discard the water and blend them with the rest of the ingredients. Hope you like it!
Incredible recipe! I made it with vegan Easy egg instead of tofu and used smoked tofu for the bacon and the taste is amazing! Carbonara used to be one of my favourite meals and I’m so happy to have it back!!!
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Hi Claire! Sounds great 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Cooked it for my boyfriend for his night shift.. ended up eating most of it😊
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Hi Loretta! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
Please do not do that, in Italy people can kill if you use cream or bacon instead of (guanciale) pork chicks or if you add onions for the carbonara, give another name, veggie pasta, tofu pasta but not carbonara, is an insult to the tradition of one of the most famous disces in Italy. Carbonara need only 4 ingredients, cured pork chicks ( guanciale) pecorino romano, eggs & freshly grounded pepper, any recipe different from this one can not be called carbonara.
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