Tender spaghetti with smoky soy curl pancetta and a luscious eggy sauce makes this vegan carbonara the absolute best twist on an Italian classic! Ready in 35 minutes!
Guys, you really need to try this one! The flavour, the texture, everything about this dish is just spot on!
A classic carbonara dish is made using Italian bacon (aka pancetta), and a sauce made primarily of eggs and Parmesan cheese. Not very vegan, which is why this one was particularly fun to adapt!
If you’ve recently gone plant based and have been missing a good carbonara dish, you are going to LOVE this!
Why you’ll love it!
- Soy curls do an incredible job of mimicking pancetta in this vegan carbonara which a classic Italian carbonara sauce will have. Actually, soy curls work so well in a variety of dishes, like my vegan orange chicken or these vegan bacon bits, from which this pancetta recipe was inspired.
- Even though this dish is pure comfort food, it’s actually quite nutritious too, using protein dense ingredients like tofu, and soy curls.
- It’s creamy, filling, satisfying, great for serving a crowd and so incredibly flavourful.
- This vegan carbonara is also free from nuts and oil, keeping the fat content low and making it suitable for a WFPB (whole food plant based) diet. Even so, it’s still incredibly rich and luscious, that you’d never guess it’s low fat!
How to make it
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Gather all your ingredients. Then break your soy curls into smaller pieces and place in a mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the Tamari, maple syrup, smoked paprika and black pepper. Mix well. (photos 1-2)
Then pour the mixture over your curls and mix until the pieces are evenly coated. (photos 3-4)
Fill a pot with water (to cook your pasta) and put it to boil, while you prepare your vegan carbonara sauce and the pancetta. Once boiling, start cooking your spaghetti according to package directions for ‘al dente’ pasta.
Add all the carbonara sauce ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Set aside. (photos 5-6)
Heat a non stick pan and once hot, add the ‘pancetta’. Dry sauté to brown the pieces, for about 5 minutes. Then turn off the heat. (photos 7-8)
By this point, your pasta should be cooked, so drain immediately and add to the pan with your ‘pancetta’ and pour the vegan carbonara sauce on top. (photos 9-10)
Mix well to evenly coat your spaghetti and serve immediately. (photos 11-12)
Garnish your vegan carbonara with more black pepper, (classic versions use a fair bit of black pepper) fresh parsley and some vegan Parmesan cheese.
How long does it keep?
Your vegan carbonara tastes best when freshly made. As it cools, the pasta will continue to absorb the sauce. However, you may store leftovers in a sealed container in your fridge for 3-4 days.
I do not recommend freezing as it will affect the overall texture.
How to reheat leftovers
To reheat your vegan carbonara, you’ll need to add some liquid back into the dish, since it will absorb the sauce, as it cools.
Add some broth, plant milk, or a combination of both to your pan and reheat on stove top.
Can I make any substitutions?
If you need it gluten free, just sub the pasta for your favourite gluten free variety.
The black salt aka Kala Namak is a vital ingredient in this dish. It’s what gives the sauce it’s eggy flavour, and I do not recommend skipping it. If you don’t have, or cannot find it, you may sub for sea salt, but with slightly different results.
Use any plant based milk you like. We like soy, but any non dairy milk will do.
For the pasta, spaghetti is a classic choice, but you may sub for another variety, if preferred.
Can I make this dish soy free?
If you can’t have soy, you may use sliced mushrooms or cooked or canned chickpeas to replace the soy curls. Marinate either one in the pancetta marinade for a couple of minutes and dry fry as directed.
For the vegan carbonara sauce, you may sub the soft tofu for one third of a cup of raw cashews. Keep in mind this will increase the calories and fat.
Expert Tips
- Salt your pasta water! Be sure to add enough salt to your pot of water for best results. Here’s a handy guide to help if needed.
- Do not overcook your pasta. Follow the directions for ‘al dente’ pasta. If your package does not include directions for ‘al dente’ then undercook your pasta by 1-3 minutes. ‘Al dente’ means that the pasta is still firm once cooked, and not mushy! This gives you optimal texture in every bite.
- Make sure to reserve some pasta water for ‘swooshing’ in your blender when draining your noodles. If you forget, you may use some broth, or fresh water, and add a little salt, so not to dilute your carbonara sauce too much, but the starchy water works best.
- Serve your vegan carbonara immediately, as the pasta will absorb the sauce as it cools.
More vegan pasta dishes
- Vegan Pasta e Fagioli
- Vegan Baked Pasta
- Healthy Cauliflower Bolognese
- Vegan Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
- Pasta Aglio e Olio
- Vegan Penne Alla Vodka
If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.
Buon appetito
Rosa
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Vegan Pancetta
- 4 oz Butler's soy curls about half a package
- 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce if not avoiding gluten
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the Vegan Egg Sauce
- 300 g soft tofu
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black salt also known as Kala Namak
- 1/3 cup unsweetened soy milk or non dairy milk of choice
For the Pasta
- 1 lb (16 oz) spaghetti or spaghettini gluten free if preferred
Optional Garnishes
- vegan Parmesan cheese recommended
- black pepper recommended
- parsley
- chili flakes
Instructions
- Add the soy curls to a mixing bowl and break them using up your hands. You want them to resemble small pieces of pancetta, but they don't have to be perfect.
- In a small bowl, combine the pancetta seasoning: tamari, maple syrup, smoked paprika, black pepper. Mix well, pour it over the soy curls and mix until evenly coated, and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil to cook your pasta. While waiting for your water to boil, heat a deep, nonstick pan, until hot. Add the soy curls once hot and dry sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until browned, without burning. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- By now your water should be boiling, so begin cooking your spaghetti according to package directions for al dente pasta. While it's cooking, add all the sauce ingredients to your blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
- Drain the pasta, but RESERVE half a cup of the cooking water. Add the drained spaghetti to your pan with the pancetta, then pour your carbonara sauce on top. Add the reserved pasta water to your empty blender and give it a swirl to collect any extra sauce and seasoning on the sides and pour that over your pasta.
- Mix well and serve with extra black pepper, fresh parsley and vegan parmesan cheese.
Colleen Bittner
This introduced me to soy curls. My non vegan husband is even a believer, This also made me a firm believer in the kala namak salt to create egg flavors in sauce. THANKS so delicious
Rosa
Oh yay! Thrilled to hear that Colleen. Thanks so much for the review. 🙂
Linda
This looks and sounds delicious. Growing up, my parents used to make this, not vegan of course. I’d love to try your veganized version… Where can I find soy curls? Is there a link so I can find them online?
Rosa
Hi Linda, you can check any local health food stores. Or you may purchase online. You may click the link in the recipe card that reads “Butler’s Soy Curls” to take you to the Amazon page. Hope you enjoy. 🙂
JennyL
This was SOOO good! I have made hundreds of soy curl recipes but this was brilliant and now my favorite. I used whole wheat fusilli and a whole box of silken/firm tofu, which worked great. Served with roasted artichokes on the side. Thanks you for this tasty recipe–husband and I both loved!
Rosa
Yay! Thanks so much for the review Jenny. Thrilled you both enjoyed. 🙂
Stella
Sooo good! Made it because I found out that it was carbonara day and I luckily had all of the ingredients at home. Thank you for this awesome and creative recipe.
Rosa
My pleasure Stella. So glad you enjoyed!
Mary Dakin
Made this today and must say it was extremely tasty and easy to make. Your directions were easy to follow.
Rosa
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing Mary. So glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Lindsie
Are the soy curls supposed to be pre-soaked for this recipe?
Rosa
Hi Lindsie, no need to presoak.
Mary
Holy moly!!!! This was good! Thanks for this delicious veganized classic Italian dish! Impressive!
Rosa
Yay, thrilled you enjoyed Mary. Thanks for the review. 🙂