This easy vegan carbonara isn’t like the carbonara pasta’s that you’re used to. Made with just a few ingredients and prepped in just a few minutes this dish is a fast and easy meal waiting to happen!
You’re going to love this vegan carbonara recipe. It’s packed with great flavors and textures in every bite from the soft pasta to the creamy sauce, crunchy pine nuts, and toasted smoked tofu in every bite, this vegan dinner dish is really hard to beat! Serve it up as a fast dinner option on a busy night or bring it out as a dish to impress your dinner guests and it’s going to be a hit either way.
What is Vegan Carbonara Pasta?
Traditionally carbonara pasta is a creamy pasta dish made using an egg-based sauce. Some people like to add in cheeses to make it more flavorful but because we’re removing all animal products from this recipe we are not using eggs or cheese (although you could add in some nutritional yeast if desired). Even without the “main” ingredients, you’re still going to get a creamy rich sauce-covered pasta.
Ingredients you’ll need for spaghetti carbonara:
Spaghetti noodles
Smokes tofu
Vegetable heavy cream
Smoked paprika
Turmeric
Soy Sauce
Olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
Pine nuts
For exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to Make Vegan Carbonara Pasta
Prepare the pasta by bringing a pot to a boil and adding in 2 tablespoons of salt and your pasta. Cook according to the package instructions until the pasta is al dente.
While that is happening, cook your vegetable-heavy cream over low heat in a small pan.
Add in a teaspoon of turmeric, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir together with a whisk until combined and then set aside.
Cut your smoked tofu into small cubes and place them into another small pan over medium heat and cook with a teaspoon of olive oil.
Cook until the tofu is crunchy and golden in color.
Add in two tablespoons of soy sauce and stir together.
Once the pasta is cooked and ready, add it to the pan with your creamy turmeric mixture and then stir to cream together with the pasta.
Add in the smoked tofu and toss to combine.
Plate your carbonara and finish by garnishing with some pine nuts. This will help to add in some crunch for a more diverse bite.
Serve warm and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
Pasta. Just because we used spaghetti noodles in this recipe doesn’t mean that you have to as well. You can use any noodle if you prefer. Most of the time carbonara pasta is served with a long thin noodle type (like spaghetti) but that doesn’t mean that you have to be traditional and so so as well. Use whatever noodle you have on hand even it is penne or rigatoni.
Smoked paprika. If you cannot find smoked paprika in the seasoning aisle of a grocery store near you then you can simply use regular paprika instead. The dish won’t be as flavorful as it could be, but it should still taste great. Smoked paprika really does help to add in another layer of great flavor so make sure to look for it before giving up, you won’t regret it.
Pine nuts. Adding the pine nuts to the top of the dish is completely optional and not necessary but it does help to add in another layer of texture so that the pasta doesn’t feel too soft or mushy without it.
FAQs
How long is vegan carbonara pasta good for?
This pasta is best served warm and hot when ready but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
What can I do to fix dry pasta sauce?
If you feel as though your sauce is a tad dry, add in a little bit of reserved pasta water to help add in more moisture and hydrate the sauce. Yes, this means that you should reserve water just before draining the pasta, just in case it’s needed.
What can I use if I don’t find vegetable heavy cream?
You can use any other vegan-friendly heavy cream alternatives. Some great examples are soy-based, olive oil-based, or coconut cream. Do keep in mind that coconut cream would change the flavor profile of the dish so it may be best to stick with the more neutral-flavored ones like olive oil or soy.
Looking for more delicious vegan recipes? Check out these great ideas!
14 oz (400 gr) Spaghetti pasta ( or any shape you prefer)
60 gr smoked Tofu
5oz (150gr) Vegetable heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon Turmeric
2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
2 Tablespoon Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Tablespoon Pine nuts, or as much as you like
Instructions
To prepare the vegan carbonara pasta, pour some water into a pot and bring it to a boil.
When it boils, add 2 tablespoon of salt and the shape of pasta you prefer; we used spaghetti. Cook according to the time indicated on the package.
In the meantime, add the heavy vegetable cream into a small pan over low heat and add a teaspoon of turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir with a whisk until well combined. Set it aside.
Cut the smoked tofu into small cubes, add it into a small pan over medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil. Cook the tofu until crunchy and golden color. Add 2 tablespoon of soy sauce and stir all together.
Once the pasta is ready, add it to the pan with your creamy turmeric mix and stir to combine the cream with the pasta. Add the smoked tofu and combine.
Plate your Carbonara pasta into a plate and finish it by adding some pine nuts for garnish; the pine nuts will give some extra crunchiness to your Carbonara Pasta. Your pasta is now ready to serve; enjoy.
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