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    Home » Recipes » Pasta & Noodles

    February 25, 2018 89 Comments

    Fast and Easy Vegan Carbonara

    12.7K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    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.

    Fast and Easy Vegan Carbonara! This 20-minute pasta recipe is so easy to whip together. A simple creamy sauce coats the noodles with chewy, salty, smoky, bites of sun-dried tomato. Perfect for a busy weeknight meal, made from ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Egg-free, dairy-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipe #veganpasta

    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.

    Fast and Easy Vegan Carbonara! This 20-minute pasta recipe is so easy to whip together. A simple creamy sauce coats the noodles with chewy, salty, smoky, bites of sun-dried tomato. Perfect for a busy weeknight meal, made from ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Egg-free, dairy-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipe #veganpasta

    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.

    Fast and Easy Vegan Carbonara! This 20-minute pasta recipe is so easy to whip together. A simple creamy sauce coats the noodles with chewy, salty, smoky, bites of sun-dried tomato. Perfect for a busy weeknight meal, made from ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Egg-free, dairy-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipe #veganpasta

     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.

    Fast and Easy Vegan Carbonara! This 20-minute pasta recipe is so easy to whip together. A simple creamy sauce coats the noodles with chewy, salty, smoky, bites of sun-dried tomato. Perfect for a busy weeknight meal, made from ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Egg-free, dairy-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipe #veganpasta

    Whisk in all of the remaining ingredients. Cook the sauce for about 5 minutes until thickened, whisking as needed.

    Fast and Easy Vegan Carbonara! This 20-minute pasta recipe is so easy to whip together. A simple creamy sauce coats the noodles with chewy, salty, smoky, bites of sun-dried tomato. Perfect for a busy weeknight meal, made from ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Egg-free, dairy-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipe #veganpasta

    If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash more plant-based milk, and if the sauce is too thin, simply cook it longer.

    Fast and Easy Vegan Carbonara! This 20-minute pasta recipe is so easy to whip together. A simple creamy sauce coats the noodles with chewy, salty, smoky, bites of sun-dried tomato. Perfect for a busy weeknight meal, made from ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Egg-free, dairy-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipe #veganpasta

    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! This 20-minute pasta recipe is so easy to whip together. A simple creamy sauce coats the noodles with chewy, salty, smoky, bites of sun-dried tomato. Perfect for a busy weeknight meal, made from ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Egg-free, dairy-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipe #veganpasta

    Print Recipe
    5 from 79 votes

    Fast and Easy Vegan Carbonara

    This 20-minute pasta recipe is so easy to whip together. A simple creamy sauce coats the noodles with chewy, salty, smoky, bites of sun-dried tomato. Perfect for a busy weeknight meal, made from ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. 
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    ingredient tag: noodles & pasta, tomatoes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 551kcal
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    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
    US Customary - Metric
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    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

    Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 720mg | Potassium: 968mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 8.1mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 3.8mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Bon appetegan!

    Sam.

    « Vegan Hashbrown Potatoes
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maria says

      December 14, 2020 at 10:04 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
    2. Sandra says

      November 01, 2020 at 12:00 pm

      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.

      Reply
    3. Rachel says

      August 01, 2020 at 10:50 pm

      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.

      Reply
    4. Rachel says

      August 01, 2020 at 10:43 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Kristen says

        August 09, 2020 at 11:48 am

        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!

        Reply
    5. Jesse says

      May 16, 2020 at 12:30 am

      Hullo, I have tried this before with Almond milk and it was very nice 🙂 do you think it would work with coconut milk?

      Reply
      • Steve says

        July 19, 2020 at 8:36 pm

        5 stars
        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!!!

        Reply
    6. Alice says

      May 02, 2020 at 11:23 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Alice says

        May 02, 2020 at 11:25 am

        I never ate Carbonara though so I don't know how it should be tasting!

        Reply
        • Stefano says

          May 24, 2020 at 9:05 pm

          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.

    7. Jenny says

      April 28, 2020 at 5:29 am

      5 stars
      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

      Reply
    8. Elvi says

      April 07, 2020 at 1:51 am

      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.

      Reply
    9. Mel says

      February 22, 2020 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        February 26, 2020 at 6:44 pm

        So happy you enjoyed!

        Reply
    10. Meggie Wolfe says

      February 14, 2020 at 8:27 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        February 22, 2020 at 11:42 am

        Aww that's wonderful, so happy you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    11. Iwan says

      February 14, 2020 at 11:40 am

      5 stars
      Amazing! Super fast, easy and tastes amazing. A favourite!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        February 22, 2020 at 11:37 am

        Awesome!!

        Reply
    12. Jessica S. says

      February 12, 2020 at 12:46 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        February 22, 2020 at 11:24 am

        So happy you enjoyed! You can try my mushroom bacon recipe if you like. 🙂

        Reply
    13. Morgan says

      January 31, 2020 at 12:56 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        February 07, 2020 at 11:14 am

        Wonderful!!

        Reply
    14. Darcey says

      October 31, 2019 at 11:06 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 01, 2019 at 4:39 pm

        Oh that's so awesome, Darcey! Love that 🙂

        Reply
    15. Alexis says

      September 16, 2019 at 10:23 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        September 18, 2019 at 11:17 am

        So happy you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    16. Bianca says

      September 10, 2019 at 4:23 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        September 16, 2019 at 12:12 pm

        Wow that's so amazing!! Thrilled you both loved it so much, Bianca 🙂

        Reply
    17. Anna says

      June 21, 2019 at 3:58 pm

      Why don't you just use vegetarian bacon instead of sundried tomatoes??????

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        June 24, 2019 at 3:45 pm

        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!

        Reply
        • Anna says

          June 25, 2019 at 2:56 am

          Cool! Eat this yesterday with vegan bacon and nutritional yeast, it's the best!

    18. Carla Sue DuCray says

      April 19, 2019 at 1:23 pm

      This looks delish! What can I use in place of the nutritional yeast ~ I sadly have a family member who can't tolerate it.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        April 22, 2019 at 4:24 pm

        There isn't a great substitute for nutritional yeast so I would just skip it and up the other seasonings as needed. Enjoy!

        Reply
      • Missy says

        March 27, 2021 at 10:06 am

        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!

        Reply
    19. Cyndi says

      March 06, 2019 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        March 08, 2019 at 9:56 am

        Aww that's wonderful!! Thrilled you are enjoying this pasta so much, Cyndi 🙂

        Reply
    20. Michael McDowell says

      January 30, 2019 at 9:47 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        February 05, 2019 at 1:27 pm

        Hahaha, love it! So happy it was a hit, Michael 🙂

        Reply
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    I'm Sam. Bestselling cookbook author and full-time vegan recipe creator! I LOVE vegan food, but it didn't start that way. As someone who comes from a family of hunters, butchers, and chefs I'm the last person I thought would go vegan. Here's My Story →

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