Vegan Carbonara Recipe
Servings 2
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ⅛ tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 ¼ cup non-dairy milk
- ½ tbsp nutritional yeast
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz. cooked vegan spaghetti pasta
- chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Combine the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, soy sauce, and liquid smoke in a bowl. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, stir, and cook for another minute.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic mixture and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles gently and the raw flour smell dissipates, about 3 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the non-dairy milk.
- Add the nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to taste. Continue cooking on medium heat, stirring often, allowing the sauce to thicken. After about 2 to 3 minutes the sauce should be smooth and silky.
- Add the pasta and sun-dried tomato mixture to the warm sauce, tossing to coat the pasta evenly.
- Serve warm, garnished with chopped parsley.
Video
Notes
Ingredients
- Spaghetti pasta is the most traditional choice for carbonara, but you could also try other long, thick cuts like bucatini or linguine.
- Dry sun-dried tomatoes are important to this recipe, you don't want to use oil-packed here. Look for the dried version in the dehydrated fruit section of your market.
- Plant based milks like almond milk or soy milk are my recommended picks for this recipe, but most any non dairy milk should do the trick here. Just be sure it is unsweetened and unflavored.
Variations
- Gluten free: simply use gluten free vegan pasta and instead of 2 tbsp regular flour, use 1 tbsp of cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
- Veggies: stir tender greens like baby spinach into the sauce before tossing with the pasta; the leaves will wilt quickly.
- Toppings: try some additional tasty toppings like chopped vegan bacon, spicy red pepper flakes, or vegan parmesan cheese.
Storage
- Leftover carbonara can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this dish or its components.
Reheating
- Gently warm your leftover carbonara in a skillet over medium heat, tossing until warmed through. A splash of non-dairy milk may be helpful to reconstitute the sauce.