This delicious Vegan Pasta Carbonara is so easy to make and full of smoky flavor. A pasta meal that is gluten-free, egg-free and incredibly rich and delicious!
Vegan Pasta Carbonara
Gluten-free pasta is a weekly occurrence in our home. We love combining noodles, organic seasonal veggies and our own creamy sauces. There is something so comforting about that type of dish.
I wanted our version to replicate the creaminess of carbonara sauce without eggs, pancetta or cheese. Instead, I utilized raw cashews and smoky mushrooms for our twist on this classic dish.
Shopping List for This Dish
- pasta of choice (We love Tinkyada gluten-free pasta for its texture, taste and ease of cooking)
- 8-12 ounces mushrooms of choice (We used Baby Bella mushrooms because that is what we had on hand)
- coconut aminos
- yellow onion
- veggie broth
- raw cashews
- 4-6 large cloves garlic
- mellow miso
- nutritional yeast
- ground nutmeg
- Extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- coconut aminos
- frozen peas
- fresh thyme (dried is fine as well)
- smoked paprika
- sea salt
- fresh cracked pepper
How to make smoky mushrooms to replace the pancetta in this recipe.
Making smoky mushrooms is easy. First, remove the stems and brush any debris from the mushroom caps. Dice the mushroom caps into equal sizes and toss with a little extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil. Combine a generous pinch of smoked paprika and sea salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the mushrooms and toss to coat. Transfer mushrooms to a lined baking pan and roast at 350 degrees F. for about 20 minutes.
Roasted mushrooms can be used in pasta dishes, tossed into salads or used as a topper for your favorite veggie burgers. YUM!
Making the Carbonara Sauce
This vegan version of carbonara sauce uses raw cashews which can be soaked ahead of time if you are not using a high-speed blender like a Vitamix.
A quick sauté of onion and garlic and then everything goes into your blender. Blend until creamy and set aside.
- raw cashews
- sautéed onion & garlic
- veggie broth
- fresh ground nutmeg
- fresh cracked pepper
- mellow miso
- nutritional yeast
Putting it all together
Sauté onion, peas, garlic and thyme. This goes very quickly. After the onions are soft, add in your cooked pasta, carbonara sauce and smoky mushrooms. Give a good toss and serve warm with a nutty topping and fresh parsley.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Stay healthy my friends and please message me if you have any questions or need a substitution.
Vegan Pasta Carbonara
By Published:
- Yield: 4-6 Servings
This delicious Vegan Pasta Carbonara is so easy to make and full of smoky flavor. A pasta meal that is gluten-free, egg-free and incredibly rich and delicious!
Ingredients
- 8-12 ounces baby bella mushrooms stems removed and diced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil Used in small amounts throughout this recipe
- 1 tablespoon coconut amino
- 12 ounces gluten-free pasta
- 1 10-ounce package frozen peas
- 2 cups (about 1 medium onioin) diced yellow onion divided 1/2 cup for the sauce and 1/2 cup to sauté with peas and garlic
- 4-6 medium-large cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 heaping cup raw cashews soaked for 2 hours if not using a high-speed blender
- 1 heaping teaspoon mellow miso
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 heaping tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Begin by roasting mushrooms. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prep mushrooms by wiping away any dirt and debris. Remove the stems and dice into equal size pieces.
- Toss diced mushrooms with 2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil, 1/8 tsp. smoked paprika and a generous pinch of sea salt.
- Spread mushrooms evenly onto the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Create Carbonara sauce. First, use 1/2 of prepared onion (about 1 cup). Heat 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil in a heavy bottom skillet with diced onion and a pinch of sea salt. Sauté onion about 3-5 minutes. Add in 4-6 cloves of garlic and thyme. Give a good stir to combine. The garlic cooks quickly - about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Using a high-speed blender, add the cooked onion and garlic mixture with raw cashews, veggie broth, miso, nutritional yeast, nutmeg and fresh cracked pepper. Blend until creamy. Set aside.
- Prepare pasta according to package directions. I like to get my water boiling at this stage and get my pasta going.
- Using the same heavy-bottom skillet used for the sauce, sauté remaining 1 cup of diced onion. Again, this takes about 3-4 minutes. Add in frozen peas, a generous pinch of sea salt, fresh cracked pepper and an additional clove of minced garlic. Allow peas to cook through. Stir until everything is soft. About 3 minutes.
- When your pasta is ready, drain and add to your onion & pea skillet with the prepared mushrooms and sauce. Gently toss until everything is coated. Serve warm with a nutty crumble and some fresh parsley
- Cuisine: vegan