Crowded Kitchen

MENUMENU
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Sign Up
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Us
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
×
Home » Recipes » Pasta

Vegan Carbonara

Published: Dec 29, 2021 · Modified: Aug 14, 2023 by Lexi

223 shares
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This Vegan Carbonara Pasta is the easy, insanely delicious, tastes-just-like-the-real-thing recipe that you need in your life. It's creamy, rich, and has the characteristic salty, chewy bites from easy mushroom "bacon" that makes carbonara so delicious. No dairy, no eggs, no meat – but just as mouthwatering.

Close up view of vegan carbonara pasta garnished with parmesan and parsley in white bowl.
Jump to:
  • 🍝 Why We Love This Recipe
  • 🥓 Ingredients
  • 📋 Ingredient Notes
  • 🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
  • 💭 Expert Tips and FAQs
  • 📖 Related Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Reviews

🍝 Why We Love This Recipe

  • Tastes just like the real thing: Traditional carbonara contains egg, cheese and meat, so veganizing it was definitely not the easiest task. After several tries, we nailed the perfect recipe that retains the same flavors and textures as the original!
  • Quick and easy: This vegan carbonara looks (and sounds) fancy, but it comes together in just about 30 minutes!
  • Delicious weeknight dinner: Once you try this vegan carbonara, you'll want to make it over and over again. It's a definite crowd pleaser and something that both kids and adults will enjoy!
  • No cashews: This vegan carbonara is made with no cashews, meaning it's much quicker to make (no soaking time) and allergy friendly for those with nut allergies.

🥓 Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients you'll need to make this vegan carbonara:

overhead view of ingredients for vegan carbonara in small prep bowls.

📋 Ingredient Notes

  • Black salt: The most unusual ingredient in this recipe is black salt, aka Kala Namak. It's a rock salt that has a sulfuric, pungent smell and taste that's similar to egg, which is why we use it in this recipe. Traditional carbonara gets its creaminess not from heavy cream, but beaten eggs. This is (of course) a bit hard to replicate with vegan ingredients, but we found that a small pinch of black salt really made up for that lack of eggy flavor. It can be purchased at most speciality food stores like Whole Foods, and is commonly used in vegan egg substitute recipes like omelettes, frittata and more.
    • If you don't have black salt: it's perfectly fine to substitute in regular kosher salt, but you won't get that eggy flavor that makes this vegan carbonara taste a bit more traditional. That being said, we totally get that it can be a pain to buy an ingredient just for one recipe, so it's up to you!
  • Pasta: Spaghetti is traditional for carbonara, but this vegan carbonara will also work well with linguine, fettuccine or even something like rigatoni. If you're gluten free, simply sub in your favorite alternative pasta.
  • Mushrooms: Basic cremini or white button mushrooms are perfect in this vegan carbonara. If you want to get a bit more fancy, you can use wild mushrooms, or something a bit more flavorful and meaty like shiitake mushrooms.
  • Liquid smoke: To mimic the smoky, meaty flavor of guanciale (Italian cured pork), which is an essential ingredient in carbonara, we use a small amount of liquid smoke and soy sauce to add flavor to the mushrooms. It's cheap and available at most grocery stores near the barbecue sauce section. We use it all the time in vegan recipes to add depth of flavor!
  • Nutritional yeast: This is another essential for mimicking the cheesy, eggy flavor of traditional carbonara. Nutritional yeast (aka "nooch") is an inactive form of yeast that has a buttery, cheesy flavor and is an excellent source of B vitamins. It's easy to find in just about any grocery store and comes in handy for so many vegan recipes!
  • Vegan parmesan: Feel free to use your favorite brand in this vegan carbonara. We personally love Follow Your Heart shredded parmesan in this recipe.
  • Milk: Just about any dairy free milk will work here, but we prefer using full fat oat milk, which is super creamy and neutral in taste. Whatever kind you use, just make sure that it's unsweetened and unflavored!

🔪 Step-by-step Instructions

PREP: To cook the pasta, add 12 cups of water to a large pot with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente and reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water when you drain. This will be used to loosen up the pasta sauce before serving.

(1) To make the mushrooms: in a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, liquid smoke, apple cider vinegar, agave, onion powder and pepper. Add in mushrooms and toss well to coat.

(2) Heat a large skillet (big enough to toss the pasta) over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté over medium for 6-7 minutes, until the mushrooms start to soften, then increase heat to medium-high and continue cooking for a few more minutes until the mushrooms start to brown. Remove from heat and set aside. 

before and after cooking vegan mushroom bacon for carbonara.

(3) To make the sauce: While the mushrooms are cooking, heat olive oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Add in the milk ½ cup at a time, whisking well between each addition, until it starts to thicken. 

(4) Whisk in the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, parmesan, black salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. 

making vegan carbonara sauce in small saucepan.

(5) Assembly: Add the cooked pasta and the sauce to the mushrooms and use tongs to coat well. Add in ¼-3/4 cup of reserved pasta water to loosen up the sauce if needed. 

Serve your vegan carbonara topped with freshly parsley and enjoy. 

overhead view of vegan carbonara pasta in a large skillet with parsley.

💭 Expert Tips and FAQs

  • Don't forget to save some pasta water! Reserved pasta water is great for loosening up the vegan carbonara sauce before serving, which tends to thicken up pretty quickly if it's not kept warm. Since it's salted and starchy from the pasta, it's much better than using regular water.
  • If you don't like mushrooms, you can also make our tofu bacon bits to use in this vegan carbonara. They have a fantastic meaty texture, but take a little bit longer to make than the mushroom version in this recipe.
  • Use a skillet big enough to toss the pasta. To avoid cleaning an extra skillet, use an extra large one to cook the mushrooms in. It will seem huge with just the mushrooms in there, but it comes in handy when you need to toss in the pasta and sauce without making a big mess. If you don't have a big skillet, you can also use a dutch oven.
  • Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a 4 days. Reheat in the microwave and stir well until heated through.
  • What to serve with vegan carbonara? A few of our favorite side dishes include:
    • Italian Chopped Salad
    • Arugula Caprese Salad
    • Garlic Bread
    • Roasted Parsnips or another vegetable of choice
    • A glass of red wine, of course! 😉 Chianti and Pinot Noir are especially great paired with vegan carbonara.
Person serving vegan carbonara pasta with two forks from large skillet.

📖 Related Recipes

  • Overhead view of pasta al forno in a round cast iron pan.
    Pasta al Forno
  • Overhead view of vegan lasagna soup in a bowl.
    Vegan Lasagna Soup
  • overhead view of vegan mac and cheese in pot
    The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese
  • overhead view of vegan tofu marsala in a large pan.
    Tofu Marsala

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

Print

📖 Recipe

clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Close up view of vegan carbonara pasta garnished with parmesan and parsley in white bowl.

Vegan Carbonara


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 servings
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This Vegan Carbonara Pasta is the easy, insanely delicious, tastes-just-like-the-real-thing recipe that you need in your life. It's creamy, rich, and has the characteristic salty, chewy bites from easy mushroom "bacon" that makes carbonara so delicious. No dairy, no eggs, no meat – but just as mouthwatering.


Ingredients

Vegan Carbonara:

  • 12 ounces spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened dairy free milk (we used oat)
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ⅓ cup vegan parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
  • 1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • ¾ tsp black salt (kala namak)*
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

Mushroom "Bacon"

  • 3 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ teaspoon agave, maple syrup or brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper


Instructions

  1. To cook the pasta, add 12 cups of water to a large pot with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente and reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water when you drain.
  2. To make the mushrooms: in a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, liquid smoke, apple cider vinegar, agave, onion powder and pepper. Add in mushrooms and stir well to coat.
  3. Heat a large skillet (big enough to toss the pasta) over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté over medium for 6-7 minutes, until the mushrooms start to soften, then increase heat to medium-high and continue cooking for a few more minutes until the mushrooms start to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. To make the sauce: While the mushrooms are cooking, heat olive oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Add in the milk ½ cup at a time, whisking well between each addition, until it starts to thicken.
  5. Whisk in the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, parmesan, black salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon.
  6. Assembly: Add the cooked pasta and the sauce to the mushrooms and use tongs to coat well. Add in ¼-3/4 cup of reserved pasta water to loosen up the sauce if needed.
  7. Serve with freshly parsley and enjoy.

Notes

Black salt/kala namak: It's a rock salt that has a sulfuric, pungent smell and taste that's similar to egg, which is why we use it in this recipe since traditional carbonara gets its creaminess from beaten egg. It's available at most specialty food stores, but if you can't find/don't have any, you can substitute with regular kosher salt.

Mushrooms: Basic cremini or white button mushrooms are perfect, but feel free to use shiitake or other wild mushrooms.

Milk: Just about any dairy free milk will work here, but we prefer using full fat oat milk, which is super creamy and neutral in taste. Whatever kind you use, just make sure that it's unsweetened and unflavored!

Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a 4 days. Reheat in the microwave and stir well until heated through.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 346
  • Sugar: 3.1 g
  • Sodium: 423.4 mg
  • Fat: 11.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 49.2 g
  • Fiber: 2.6 g
  • Protein: 11.4 g

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #crowdedkitchen

More Vegan and Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

  • Overhead view of pumpkin orzo on a beige plate with fork on side.
    Pumpkin Orzo
  • Overhead of the finished vegan couscous salad in a big bowl.
    Vegan Couscous Salad
  • Overhead of the finished vegan lemon pasta in a skillet.
    Vegan Lemon Pasta
  • Overhead view of french onion pasta in large skillet with serving spoon.
    French Onion Pasta

Comments

    Let us know what you think! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  1. Harlee says

    December 14, 2022 at 9:56 am

    The bacon mushrooms are always a winner! The dish was balanced and delicious! I made it with gluten-free pasta and the leftovers held up perfectly. Family loved it, thank you!

    Reply
Lexi and Beth toasting with wine.

Hi, we're Lexi and Beth, a mother-daughter team from Michigan. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of how we bring our family together around the dinner table despite various dietary differences.

More about us →

Seasonal

  • close up overhead view of vegan bean soup in a bowl on white linen surface.
    Three-Bean Vegetable Soup
  • Front view of strawberry pop tart.
    Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts
  • Overhead view of slice and bake cookies on a pink plate.
    Slice and Bake Heart Cookies
  • close up view of a passion fruit martini in a glass with dark backdrop.
    Passion Fruit Martini

Popular

  • Overhead view of fruit and nut crackers on a plate.
    Gourmet Fruit and Nut Crackers
  • overhead view of vegan mac and cheese in pot
    The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese
  • Overhead view of hot honey chicken plate.
    Hot Honey Chicken Plate (Sweetgreen Dupe)
  • Overhead view of potato leek soup.
    Super Green Sheet Pan Soup

See more-->

Footer

Back to top ↑

About

  • Learn About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • See our Portfolio

Newsletter

  • Sign up for weekly emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Work With Us
  • As Seen In

Copyright © 2025 Crowded Kitchen