Simply Pasta is a new recipe column in which Best of Vegan contributor Teri-Ann Carty delves into her 20-year experience in fine dining and shares her best practices and recipes for making amazing pasta. In the first installment of Simply Pasta, she shares her recipe for creamy, umami-packed vegan coconut mushroom carbonara.
There are fewer things in life that give me greater pleasure than a big old bowl of pasta. The flavors, the variety and the countless ways to create recipes always have me turning to pasta when given the choice to get cooking. I have been creating pasta bowls for years now, taking classics that I used to eat as a non-vegan and turning them into plant-based creations. I am so pleased to be here with you all sharing my pasta bowls! The first installment of my new column is a doozy.
I created this mushroom carbonara last year but decided it needed an upgrade with not one but two variations of “bacon” (never too much bacon, am I right?). I wanted to try my coconut bacon as an addition to the mushrooms and I am here to tell you it’s a WINNNNNER.
Carbonara is classically made with egg yolk and a copious amount of parmigiano but this vegan version will have even your non-vegan friends and family wondering, HOW did you do it?? (The answer to that is the magic of the almighty cashew. A vegan’s best friend in the kitchen if you ask me.) That to me is always a sign that you have landed on a game-changing recipe. I used cremini mushrooms for this recipe as they had the right size and density but I am certain you could swap out and use portobello, king oyster, or even oyster or shitake if you’re feeling fancy. The smoky salty goodness will be gobbled up in no time. Just try not to eat it all before plating your pasta.
Ingredients
- Mushroom and Coconut Bacon
- 2 cups thickly sliced cremini mushrooms
- 2 cups large flaked coconut
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Maple syrup
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp tamari
- 1 tsp mellow miso
- 4 dashes of liquid smoke - less is more here
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- Cracked pepper to taste
- Cream Sauce
- ½ cup soaked cashews
- 1 cup hot pasta water
- 1 tsp chickpea miso
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- sea salt & cracked pepper
- Pasta
- 1 bag of spaghetti
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Pinch chili flakes
- ½ yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup frozen peas
- Big fistful baby spinach
- Vegan parmesan - homemade or VIOLIFE
- sea & cracked pepper
- ½-1 cup pasta water
Instructions
- To make mushroom and coconut bacon
- Pre-heat oven to 375°F/190°C convection (if you have, if not, don’t worry). Whisk sauce ingredients together. Pour over mushrooms and coconut and toss to coat.
- Spread mushrooms and coconut on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes. Keep a close eye. The coconut can turn on you quickly.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool. The coconut will firm up out of the oven taking on a crisp bacon texture.
- To make the sauce (see notes)
- Drain and rinse your cashews.
- Place everything in a high-speed blender and blend till creamy. Set aside.
- To make the pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water before draining.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, chili flakes, and onion. Sauté for several minutes until onion starts to soften. Add in garlic and frozen peas. Toss to combine.
- Add in sauce, ¾ of the smoky mushrooms, spinach, and cooked pasta. Toss to coat and heat through.
- Use the pasta water to thin out to desired consistency. Add on vegan parmesan, salt, and cracked pepper, and coconut bacon, and serve immediately.
Notes
PN/SAVE/SHARE THIS RECIPE
Recipe, text, and photography by Teri-Ann Carty.
If you loved this vegan coconut mushroom carbonara recipe, you might also like…
https://bestofvegan.com/vegan-spaghetti-carbonara-with-smoky-oyster-mushroom-bacon-and-peas/
https://bestofvegan.com/55-incredible-pasta-recipes-you-wont-believe-are-vegan/
