Vegan Carbonara with Coconut Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 lbs dried spaghetti or other pasta of choice
- a bit of olive oil to toss
- for the carbonara sauce
- 1 1/2 cup cashews (200g) or blanched almonds
- 1 2/3 cup water (400ml)
- 2 heaped tsp vegetable broth
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavour (optional)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 14 oz mushrooms (400g) sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup frozen peas (150g) thawed
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- for the coconut bacon
- 1 heaped cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 4 tsp tamari sauce or soy sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke or sub more tamari
- 2 tsp maple syrup or coconut syrup
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Preparation
Spaghetti carbonara
Place cashews in a bowl and let them soak overnight
Alternatively, you can boil them for 15 minutes)
Then drain and rinse the cashews
Add them in the blender along with the water, vegetable broth, and yeast flakes
Blend until smooth and creamy
Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions
Then drain, toss with a little olive oil (to avoid sticking) and put back into the pot
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms (if using) until soft and browned, about 7-8 minutes
Add the garlic and cook for a further minute
Add the cashew cream along with the pasta and peas to the carbonara sauce
Toss to combine
If the sauce gets too thick, add a bit more water or non-dairy milk (for more creaminess), or simply cook it longer, if it is too thin
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Serve hot with coconut bacon and enjoy!
Coconut bacon (make this ahead)
Preheat your oven to 325 °f (160°c)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
In a large bowl, mix together the tamari, liquid smoke, maple syrup, oil, and paprika powder
Add the coconut flakes, tossing gently to combine until well coated
Allow to marinate for a few minutes
Spread out evenly onto the baking sheet
Bake for approx
Minutes until golden brown and dry, stirring occasionally
Remove from the oven and let cool completely
The mixture keeps for at least 1 week stored in an airtight container
Enjoy!
