This Vegan Spaghetti Carbonara is the mind-blowing recipe you didn't know you needed. It is simple, completely plant-based, and it tastes just like the real thing! Have this dish on your table in under 30 minutes!
My all-time favorite pasta dish is a traditional Spaghetti Carbonara. Traditionally, it includes spaghetti pasta mixed with an egg and Parmigiano sauce and some crispy pancetta (or bacon). As a vegan, almost all of that is off-limits, right? Not anymore!
This vegan spaghetti carbonara recipe manages to hit all of the right notes of salt, fatty, and creamy, all while being 100% plant-based!
Unlike my Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo recipe, this vegan spaghetti carbonara is creamy and delicious without the need for a flour roux. Though this vegan carbonara doesn't contain any animal products, it is still very rich and fatty, and it would pair very nicely with a bright Kale Salad
Why you'll love this recipe
- Simplicity - Overall, this recipe is super straightforward and way easier than making real carbonara! Just boil the spaghetti, sauté all the ingredients into a sauce, and enjoy!
- Comfort Food - vegan carbonara is the ultimate comfort food. It just can't get much cozier than a creamy, luscious take on a traditional Italian dish.
- Food Safety - Traditional carbonara makes its sauce using raw egg yolks and just lightly cooking them. If done incorrectly, this can dramatically increase the likelihood of a food-borne illness. With vegan carbonara, that is not a concern. No eggs or meat means no chance of undercooked products!
What Ingredients are in this Recipe?
- Spaghetti - I used spaghetti alla chittara, where the sides are square-shaped instead of fully round like normal spaghetti. Any kind of spaghetti will work, and substituting it with gluten-free pasta should be just fine!
- Vegan Bacon - I have used both Upton's Naturals Seitan Bacon and LightLife Smart Bacon, and both have been great. Use whatever kind of plant-based bacon you can get your hands on.
- Non-dairy Milk - I used almond milk, but oat, soy, or another nut milk will be fine as well, just ensure that it is unsweetened and unflavored!
- Vegan Parmesan - There are now lots of brands of vegan parmesan. However, Violife parmesan block is what I used. If you can manage to find that, I highly recommend using and grating that one fresh. If you can't find it, pre-grated vegan parmesan will do.
- JUST Egg (optional) - This is a vegan egg replacer. It is optional as it enhances the dish, but is not necessary for its completion.
- Black Salt (Kala Namak) (optional): This ingredient is also optional. I have made this recipe many times without using it. If you have it on hand, only use a tiny pinch to enhance the egg flavor.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Prep Ingredients & Sauté
Start by finely dicing half of a shallot or onion (1 ounce diced). Dice and separate ½ the package (2.5 ounces or 6 slices) of vegan bacon as well.
At this time, begin bringing a separate large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt and add 6 ounces of spaghetti to the boil. Stir.
To a hot pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add the diced shallot and sauté until translucent. Add the vegan bacon to this pan and cook on medium-high heat until it gets crispy
Step 2: Create the Carbonara Sauce
Lower the heat to medium once the bacon is crispy. Add 1 cup of non-dairy milk of choice (unsweetened and unflavored). Stir to combine and heat up.
Once the sauce is beginning to bubble, stir in half a cup of grated vegan parmesan, along with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
Let this simmer until the sauce thickens.
Step 3: Finishing Touches
Once the spaghetti is cooked to your liking, add it directly from the pot to the sauce using tongs or a pasta scoop. Stir until all of the spaghetti is coated in the sauce.
If you have Just Egg and choose to use it in this recipe, now is the time to add that to the sauce. Combine it well and then turn off the heat.
Plate your vegan carbonara and top with more black pepper, salt, and the remainder of the vegan parmesan.
Expert Tips & Tricks:
- I used Upton's Naturals Bacon Seitan or LightLife Smart Bacon. Alternatively, there are many other recipes for homemade vegan bacon.
- I highly recommend using Violife Parmesan. However, any brand of vegan parmesan will suffice.
- JUST Egg is a great ingredient, but it is not essential in vegan carbonara. To omit, add an extra 1-2 tablespoon non-dairy milk.
- My best tip for this recipe is to splurge a little bit on the ingredients. Make sure you get high-quality pasta and the best vegan alternatives that you can find.
Recipe FAQs
If you want to make vegan carbonara with another pasta shape, I recommend using angel hair or fettuccine. Short pasta shapes like penne or rigatoni are also great!
Since traditional and vegan carbonara dishes are quite rich, a bright and citrusy salad would be a great side dish! A salad with the base of arugula or spinach would be ideal.
Vegan Carbonara should not taste like alfredo. Both the original version and my vegan version should have more emphasis on the fatty, salty, umami flavors more so than a creamy white sauce.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Spaghetti Carbonara
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 ounce Diced Shallot ½ shallot
- 2.5 ounces Vegan Bacon 6-7 slices, half a package
- 6 ounces Spaghetti
- 1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- ½ cup Vegan Parmesan grated
- ¼ cup JUST Egg optional
- ½ teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- Black Salt (Kala Namak) optional
Instructions
- Dice the shallot and the vegan bacon slices.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat
- Add the shallot and bacon and cook, stirring continuously, until crispy
- Begin boiling the spaghetti
- Add 1 cup almond milk to the pan and whisk together with the crispy bacon and shallots
- Stir in ½ cup vegan parmesan and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Season with salt and pepper
- Allow the sauce to simmer for 3-5 minutes until thick
- Transfer the cooked spaghetti directly from the pot of water to the pan of sauce and stir to combine
- Once the spaghetti is well combined, stir in the Just Egg until the sauce thickens and becomes slightly yellow in color.
- Transfer the pasta and sauce to a serving dish and garnish with more parmesan and cracked pepper.
Notes
- I used Upton's Naturals Bacon Seitan or LightLife Smart Bacon. Alternatively, there are many other recipes for homemade vegan bacon.
- I highly recommend using Violife Parmesan. However, any brand of vegan parmesan will suffice.
- JUST Egg is a great ingredient, but it is not essential in vegan carbonara. To omit, add an extra 1-2 tablespoon non-dairy milk.
- My best tip for this recipe is to splurge a little bit on the ingredients. Make sure you get high-quality pasta and the best vegan alternatives that you can find.
Anonymous says
One of my favorite pastas ever!