A traditional carbonara is made with eggs, bacon or pancetta, and cheese (hello cholesterol bomb). So it's basically just about the least vegan dish there could be... which is why I had so much fun playing around in the kitchen and veganizing it! Not only did I figure out a way to get the creamy blissful sauce and the chewy delicious bites, but this turned out to be a super fast and easy vegan carbonara recipe. Just the way this girl likes it!
For the bacon, I really wanted that salty, smoky, chewy bite. So I marinated some sun-dried tomatoes in soy sauce and liquid smoke.
For the sauce, I wanted that creamy, slightly sticky, rich tasting sauce. So I sautéd up some onions and garlic and then made a super easy creamy sauce using plant-based milk which I seasoned it with black salt to get that signature eggy flavour.
Then I just boiled up some pasta (I opted for bucantini this time) and tossed it all together in a hot pan.
The result? A 20 minute, easy vegan carbonara with the most glorious, creamy coated pasta noodles, and salty, smoky bites of scrumptiousness throughout.
Perfect for a busy weeknight meal, made from ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Oh my, oh my, I have found a new favourite.
To make Fast and Easy Vegan Carbonara: mix together the sun-dried tomatoes, soy sauce, and liquid smoke in a small bowl and set aside to absorb the flavours while you prepare the rest of the dish.
You want to make sure that you pick up the dry sun-dried tomatoes and not the kind in oil so they can absorb the flavours. If you only have the kind in oil on hand, then shake off the excess oil as much as possible.
The sun-dried tomatoes will be super salty when you taste them as they are, but when you toss them with the creamy vegan carbonara, they chill out and add gorgeous salty pops of flavour throughout, just like bacon.
Whisk in all of the remaining ingredients. Cook the sauce for about 5 minutes until thickened, whisking as needed.
If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash more plant-based milk, and if the sauce is too thin, simply cook it longer.
Add the cooked pasta and the marinated sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce and toss well to combine. Serve hot. Garnish with parsley and parmegan if desired.
Fast and Easy Vegan Carbonara
Ingredients
- 400 g pasta of choice (spaghetti, fettucini, bucantini, or gluten-free if preferred)
For the smoky sun-dried tomato bites:
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (the dry kind, not in oil), sliced
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
For the carbonara:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free if preferred)
- 2 ½ cups plant-based milk (such as soy or almond)
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ¾ teaspoon black salt (also called kala namak), use regular salt if preferred
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Mix together the sun-dried tomatoes, soy sauce, and liquid smoke in a small bowl and set aside to absorb the flavours while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When hot add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onion turns translucent and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the flour and stir to coat the onions, let cook for about 60 seconds, then whisk in all of the remaining ingredients. Cook the sauce for about 5 minutes until thickened, whisking as needed. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash more plant-based milk, and if the sauce is too thin, simply cook it longer.
- Add the cooked pasta and the marinated sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce and toss well to combine. Serve hot. Garnish with parsley and parmegan if desired.
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Emma says
Loved this recipe! Didn’t have any tomato’s so decided to swap that out for some vegan bacon - but the carbonara sauce was perfect and I was surprised how creamy and egg-like it was!
So nice to find a vegan recipe that doesn’t use nuts as the base, we try to avoid nuts in the house due to allergies so this was perfect.
Beata says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I've never had a real carbonara so I had no idea what the flavor profile is like, but as a non-vegan (with strong vegan tendencies), I know what pork, cheese and eggs taste like, and I was sure that a combo of these would be fantastic, so I was definitely curious about the vegan rendition. I have to say that I really liked the creamy goodness of this recipe!
Used shirataki spaghetti noodles to cut down on the carbs. Only had the sundried tomatoes in oil so I rinsed them before submerging in the marinating liquid. I didn't measure the marinating liquid; just dumped some liquid smoke and soy sauce in the bowl, lol. I did drain the extra marinating liquid from the sundried tomatoes before adding them to the dish.
For the sauce, I loosely measured some almond flour to further cut down on the carbs and the sauce did thicken up very nicely. Used unsweetened soy milk and at least 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast to amp the flavor and up the proteins. I also added a little turmeric for color!
I like how this sauce can be more or less eggy, depending on when you add the kala namak. I like the eggy flavor so I added a little extra right onto my bowl whereas my boyfriend did not, and we were both happy! Topped the whole thing with freshly cracked Tellicherry peppercorns - YUM!!!
I am already planning to make this again, maybe with the tofu ham cubes from the split pea soup recipe next time? Can't wait! I was hoping for leftovers but there was hardly anything left after my boyfriend and I went back for full size seconds, lol.
Thank you, Sam!!!!!
Maria says
This was OMG goodness! (Now I won't lie when I was at While foods for the 1st time ever ((yes I know)) I saw REAL Parmigiano!!!! so I juat had to add that instead of nutritional yeast) BUT I'm sure it would have been just as amazing without. There were no pictures Fortunately because it was SO yummy it was gone. The sun dried tomatoes (let's be honest aren't anything close to bacon) were AMAZING! I'm using it again but just on a salad with (not vegan) ceasar (and yes the rest of the Real Parmigiano) salad to accompany the vegan mac n cheese from this blog! I can't wait, I wrote this while my butternut squash is simmering! Cheers! Eat on!
Sandra says
I haven't tried this yet, but it looks really yummy! I ordered the black salt using your link; I don't like to use some huge sellers, but I also want to support you in your endeavors. Thanks for providing so much info and assistance for vegans, new and otherwise.
Rachel says
I discovered one day quite by accident how to make a vegan white sauce. Use however you want. I didn’t use flour. I added tahini to see what that did flavor-wise and it thickened my coconut milk (canned-not beverage) right up.
Thank you for this recipe! I was thinking marinated tempeh. But I like the rendition with the doctored sundrieds. Very resourceful and creative.
Rachel says
Please tell me where you get your black salt. I cannot find it anywhere. Only Mediterranean or Hawaiian black salt, which is not it. I’ve been told the Himalayan Black Salt (kala namak) is not even truly black. Looking for the authentic kala namak salt.
Kristen says
Rachel - I get kala namak at an Indian grocery shop. You’re right it’s not black - it’s pink!
Sam - i have powdered smoke, not liquid. Any idea how to convert this? I’ve read powdered is more pungent than liquid - but can’t seem to find a standard conversion online (perhaps it varies too much btwn brands) Thank you!
Jesse says
Hullo, I have tried this before with Almond milk and it was very nice 🙂 do you think it would work with coconut milk?
Steve says
I was craving this recipe so made it with what i had on hand. I used unsweetened coconut milk and it was fantastic! I skipped the liquid smoke (not a fan) and added diced mushrooms to enhance the meat feel. Loved it!!!
Alice says
Thank you for the recipe. I've never even had dried tomatoes. With the liquid smoke, they're fabulous. So fabulous indeed that I would have at least doubled the amount.
The sauce was quite tasteless and very thick,but really easy to make. I'll try it again soon.
Alice says
I never ate Carbonara though so I don't know how it should be tasting!
Stefano says
Try adding another tablespoon of nutritional yeast, carbonara tastes of parmesan and black pepper mostly. Cracked black pepper (generously) once off the heat and before serving will give it an authentic Italian taste. Carbonara means roughly, "From the manner of coal miners." because of the heavy amount of black flecks of black pepper resembling coal dust.
Jenny says
Just make this for dinner (with mushrooms, peas and spinach instead of sun dried tomatoes as traditional is not my strong suit ) - the sauce is delicious! Massive hit with my fussy omni flatmate and my omni boyfriend chef
Elvi says
Made this recipe tonight cause I was craving a good carbonara like the one I grew up eating. Unfortunately it didn’t hit the spot. Liked the sundried tomatoes to replace the pancetta but really didn’t enjoy onion in this recipe. I realize that I should have listened to my gut feeling and left the onions out. There are NO onions in a carbonara. If you ever decide to make this recipe. Skip the onions. Also, it is a little under seasoned, add more salt. The sauce does get really thick when you add it to the pasta, keep a little pasta water to add to the sauce to make it even yummier.
Mel says
I've had a bag of sun-dried tomatoes in my cupboard for so long, finally figured I'd use them for this. Such a great idea, really adds that extra texture and flavour to the meal! I used BBQ sauce instead of liquid smoke cause I still haven't figured out where to find some and I think they turned out fine. The sauce is super creamy which I loved, but a bit less flavourful or salty than I would have liked. Added some Himalayan salt after the fact and some olives because yolo.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed!
Meggie Wolfe says
This was THE BOMB and just what I was craving. I actually had some of your banana peel bacon in the fridge and used that instead of the sun-dried tomatoes- it was great! The whole recipe came together easy and quick. Then topped it off with some parm and it was delish.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful, so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Iwan says
Amazing! Super fast, easy and tastes amazing. A favourite!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!!
Jessica S. says
My husband LOVES this and my boys are *willing* to eat. That's amazing success in my household. I may switch out most of the sun-dried tomatoes for mushroom bacon next time.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed! You can try my mushroom bacon recipe if you like. 🙂
Morgan says
This was delicious! I made it a couple minutes ago and it is so filling and GOOD! I can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!!
Darcey says
Made this tonight for our (recently) vegan Italian exchange student, and she was flabbergasted at how much it tasted like the version she remembers. Will definitely be making this again.
Sam Turnbull says
Oh that's so awesome, Darcey! Love that 🙂
Alexis says
Awesome dish Sam. Made this for dinner tonight and even my non-vegan boyfriend enjoyed it. My birthday is next week so looking forward to trying out your vanilla cake recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it!
Bianca says
Made this last week and it was absolutely delicious!! I love pasta but my wife is not a fan so I am constantly searching for pasta recipes she will like to have more often. She said this is one of the most delicious vegan recipes I have made and she is looking forward to having it again!
thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Wow that's so amazing!! Thrilled you both loved it so much, Bianca 🙂
Anna says
Why don't you just use vegetarian bacon instead of sundried tomatoes??????
Sam Turnbull says
My readers are from all over the world and not everyone has access to plant-based meat alternatives. I love to make my recipes using ingredients everyone should easily be able to get at their local grocery store. I also find this more interesting and creative than just replacing pig bacon with vegan bacon. But of course, if you would prefer to sub a store-bought vegan bacon, go for it! Enjoy!
Anna says
Cool! Eat this yesterday with vegan bacon and nutritional yeast, it's the best!
Carla Sue DuCray says
This looks delish! What can I use in place of the nutritional yeast ~ I sadly have a family member who can't tolerate it.
Sam Turnbull says
There isn't a great substitute for nutritional yeast so I would just skip it and up the other seasonings as needed. Enjoy!
Missy says
Love this recipe with a few modifications! Had to use the sundried tomatoes in oil so I didn't do the marinade. I used chickpea pasta AND mixed in homemade moza at the end. Topped it with homemade paramsean and tvp bacon bits. I have been missing creamy pasta and I was so happy when I took my first bite. Thank you!
Cyndi says
I’ve made this recipe several times and I have to say... This is my absolute favorite pasta dish!
My 2 young kids devour it and my non-vegan husband really likes it too. I usually double the sun dried tomatoes because we like a lot of that smokey salty goodness!
Thanks for creating such wonderful, flavorful dishes. Your site is bookmarked and frequently visited. Keep up the amazing work girly!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful!! Thrilled you are enjoying this pasta so much, Cyndi 🙂
Michael McDowell says
Made this tonight for a vegan potluck. HUGE hit! Definitely lives up to the name. 100% will make again. The only critique is that I didn't double the recipe, since I only had a small portion at the potluck and within a blink of an eye it was all gone! Mmm!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha, love it! So happy it was a hit, Michael 🙂
Layla says
Hi Sam,
Just wanted you to know that I came across this recipe on youtube with my (carnivore) boyfriend, and we ate it for an entire week and modified the recipe multiple times to make lots of different dishes. Your videos are wonderful and I hope you continue to receive success! x
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much, Layla!! Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe so much 🙂
Yen says
Usually when i try a new vegan recipe, i almost never end up liking it. This however is AMAZING! Made it just now. I didn't have sun dried tomatoes so instead i sauteed some mushrooms in soy sauce and threw that in at the end and it was perfect. Only other thing i changed was i used almond milk. This tasted great. Two for two on your recipes as I've tried the vegan chili and loved it as well. Will be making more of your recipes very soon.
Thanks for sharing!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Thrilled you are enjoying my recipes so much, Yen 🙂
Jo says
We made this recipe for dinner and absolutely loved it! We made some slight alterations for what we had on hand:
Added an extra 1/2 tsp of black salt
Added an extra 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast.
Used a mixture of oatly culinary cream and oat milk.
Used corn flour to make it GF.
It was so delicious! Can't understand how anyone can say this is bland. It's simple but really tasty.
Sam Turnbull says
That's wonderful, Jo! Thrilled you loved it so much 🙂
Tee Jacober says
Hi! Made this for lunch today and while it didn't look like yours, or taste like the original I still found it incredibly tasty! This is definitely going on my "keep" list! Thank you
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, well I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Conrad says
I made this today with a few twists (didn't have liquid smoke, so I added some smoked paprika to the soy sauce before marinating the tomatos, I also added some baked zucchini because yumm). The sauce was indeed creamy, it's almost strange how eggy it tastes with the black salt. I think I'll try almond milk next time, I feel like soy milk leaves a bit of an aftertaste. I haven't had a carbonara in about 15 years, so I can't really compare it to the original, but it was definitely everything you promised 🙂 My boyfriend loved it too despite not being a pasta guy at all. I'm actually eating reheated left-overs as I'm writing this 🙂 Thanks for your lovely blog and ingenious recipes, Sam! <3
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Conrad!
Alocasia says
Made this recipe tonight, and we love it. I did add chili flakes and some additional kala namak, and I used coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.. Fantastic recipe.. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much !
Jenn says
Made this tonight. Agreed with some other comments that the sauce was a tiny bit bland, but I added in some hili flakes and extra nooch and loved it! I also ended up rinsing the tomato bits because I find liquid smoke so overwhelming... they were pretty salty but delicious in the pasta! I made the amount for two servings, but I ate almost all of it myself. So fantastic!
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed, Jenn 😉
Jatal says
This was fantastic! I didn't have sundries tomatoes handy so, instead I used steamed broccoli and mushrooms. I also added crushed red pepper for some spice. I will definitely make this again.
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Steve says
I really liked this! Easy, fast, and tasty. What more do you want?
I am new to vegan cooking and this web site has been a great help. I'm looking forward to trying more of the recipes.
Sam Turnbull says
Thrilled you are enjoying it, Steve 🙂
Kaedama says
Delicious and easy to make! I loved that the sauce was really creamy and could be dressed up different ways.
For example, I added mushrooms and frozen peas, but it would also be great with broccoli or oven roasted brussel sprouts.
I didn’t have liquid smoke, but added a dash of cumin and cayenne to the soy sauce and it worked well.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it, Kaedama 🙂
Cher says
My husband and I really didn't care for this. The sauce was bland & neither of us cared for the tomatoes. Plus the recipe wasn't clear if the extra marinade should be added or not. I added it and honestly it was the only flavor the sauce had even with adding extra nooch.
Sam Turnbull says
Sorry you didn't enjoy it, Cher.
Suzy says
Yes, yes, and yes! This was fabulous!!! I had some Rippl (vegan) half and half that I had leftover and it really made for a dreamy creamy sauce! My only error, and I'm not sure how it affected it, was adding "all the remaining ingredients" (including the tomatoes!) to the sauce. Then I read further down where they weren't supposed to be added until the cooked noodles were. I think they nicely imparted the smoky flavor into the sauce, so it's an "error" I'll likely make again and again! This will stay in rotation for sure. So quick and easy. I served with steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Perfect dinner!
Sam Turnbull says
It's totally ok to add the tomatoes earlier, it just may tint your sauce a little brown. So happy you enjoyed it, Suzy!
Julianne Cochran says
So delicious! Thank you for making my evening!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Julianne 🙂
Patti says
Brilliant! I absolutely love the smoky, salty sun dried tomatoes!!
That is genius, Sam! Thank you : )
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo! Thanks Patti! Thrilled you enjoyed 🙂
Joanne says
Wow! This was so easy and delicious! I also added more nutritional yeast - love that stuff! I had a beautiful bunch of broccoli so I added a handful of florets to the pasta for the last 3 minutes. Once again, no leftovers! I restrained myself, but spouse finished it off! Fortunately, he bikes long distances.....
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Awesome! Thrilled you both enjoyed it so much 🙂
Bruce says
So. Friggin. Delish. I want this all the time. I made it with brown rice spaghetti and coconut milk so it came out super creamy and slightly sweet. The sun-dried tomatoes with liquid smoke and soy is brilliant. I want them on all the things!
Sam Turnbull says
Bahahaha! Love it! 😀
Heather says
This worked great even with me running out of milk and adding pasta water. Also did frozen white onions because I hate cutting onions and the store was out of the frozen yellow. Kid wasn't impressed only because she hates tomatoes unless it is ketchup. Will definitely make again. With ALL the dairy milk next time.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful, so happy you enjoyed it, Heather 🙂
blinktech says
Crunchy and chewy snacks like these are my favorite kind. Btw, I am a New Girl fan too. Binge watched all seasons
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thanks for being a fan!
Tori says
Hi Sam! This looks amazing and I will definitely be cooking this one up soon. I've been cooking out of your book as well, which my whole family agrees is our favorite recipe book by far. I made some more of your chocolate chip cookies last night as well! I am so excited to make more delicious dishes from it! I do have a recipe suggestion, a vegan Clam Chowder! I loved clam chowder before, and during trips to the coast I always wish there was something I could make that was similar! I've seen several vegan versions of the dish, but they all include mushrooms as the sub for clams. Mushrooms as great for others, but I really do not like them as they make me sick. If anyone could make a mushroom-free (or mushroom optional) Clam Chowder, it would be you! Just a gentle request! <3
Sam Turnbull says
Aww wow, that's amazing! So happy you are enjoying my book so much 🙂 Clam chowder is a great idea, I will add it to my recipe idealist! I do have a potato chowder which may help the cravings in the meantime. Thanks for the idea! 🙂
Tori says
Thank you, that's so awesome! I will definitely check out your potato chowder soon! 🙂
Amber Lihou says
This was so delicious. Quadrupled the amount of nooch though (can never have too much!). Picky hubby also loved it. Going on the favourites list!
Thanks for another great recipe. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Bhahaha! Love it! So happy you enjoyed it so much, Amber 🙂