Easy Vegan Carbonara: A 20-Minute Plant-Based Recipe
Whip up a delicious, creamy vegan carbonara in just 20 minutes! This easy plant-based pasta uses sun-dried tomatoes for smoky bites. Egg & dairy-free weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- ½ cup raw cashews soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, then drained
- 1 cup unsweetened plant milk almond, soy, or oat milk
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground, plus more for garnish
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- ½ cup pasta water reserved from cooking pasta
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or deep pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- In a blender, combine the soaked and drained cashews, plant milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the onion and sun-dried tomatoes. Pour the creamy cashew sauce over the pasta. Toss everything together, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a few splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to create a glossy, emulsified sauce that coats the pasta beautifully. Continue to toss for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh black pepper and chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
For best results, make sure your cashews are well-soaked and blended until completely smooth; this ensures a silky sauce. If you don't have time to soak, boil them for 5-7 minutes instead. This dish is best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of plant milk or water to loosen the sauce.
