Author: The perfect way to welcome spring is with this creamy pasta with vegan pancetta and peas! Ready in just 30 minutes, this super creamy pasta is swirled with pops of sweet peas, and topped with smoky vegan pancetta which is made from tofu! This recipe is easy to make and bursting with flavor.
Does a vegan cream sauce always make you think a pasta recipe is going to require a lot of work? Not this time! One of my favorite things about this creamy pasta with vegan pancetta and peas is how simple the sauce is. It's made with pantry ingredients and whatever unsweetened plant-based milk you have on hand, so there's no need for soaking cashews in advance. (Let's be real, how often do we forget to soak the cashews?!) The tofu pancetta adds an irresistible smoky flavor that pairs so well with the creamy sauce, but if you're short on time, you can easily swap in your favorite store-bought vegan bacon, or skip it for a creamy pea pasta.
Why This Is My Favorite Creamy Vegan Pasta for Weeknights
- Ultra creamy: The rich, velvety sauce is thick enough to coat every bite of pasta.
- Ready in 30 minutes: The cream sauce is made the same way you'd make a dairy-based sauce, which means no soaking cashews and much shorter prep time.
- Easy to customize: Use this recipe as a template, swapping out the tofu pancetta or peas for other proteins and veggies.
Ingredients for Creamy Pasta With Vegan Pancetta and Peas
For the Vegan Pancetta:
- Soy sauce, tomato paste, liquid smoke, olive oil, onion powder, and black pepper: These pantry ingredients make the tofu taste surprisingly like pancetta!
- Extra-firm tofu: I like the texture of extra-firm tofu when using it as a swap for meat.
For the Creamy Pasta:
- Pasta: A variety of shapes work well for this recipe. I used fettuccine here.
- Vegan butter: I love cooking with this homemade vegan butter.
- Onion and garlic: To build a savory base of flavor.
- Flour: For our roux, which thickens the sauce.
- Unsweetened plant-based milk: Soy or oat milk creates the richest sauce, but any plain, unsweetened plant milk works.
- Frozen peas: Sweet, convenient, and always taste fresh.
How to Make Vegan Creamy Pancetta & Pea Pasta
- Make the Vegan Pancetta: Mix together the soy sauce, tomato paste, olive oil, onion powder, liquid smoke, and pepper. Toss with the tofu cubes until evenly coated, then bake or air fry until browned, slightly chewy, and crispy around the edges.
- Make the Creamy Sauce: Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet or pot. Sauté the onion and garlic until softened, then stir in the flour and cook for about a minute. Gradually whisk in the plant-based milk until smooth, then simmer until thickened.
- Add the Peas: Stir in the frozen peas and cook for a few more minutes until tender.
- Combine Everything: Toss the cooked pasta with the creamy sauce, adding a splash more plant-based milk if needed to loosen the sauce. Top with the crispy vegan pancetta and serve immediately.
Tips and Variations
- Try another protein: The vegan pancetta is made from tofu. If you prefer you can use another vegan bacon recipe or vegan bacon substitute such as my mushroom bacon. Or if you prefer pasta without pancetta, feel free to omit it for a simple creamy pea pasta.
- Use the right milk: You can use any kind of plant-based milk for this recipe, but I prefer a plant-milk that is higher in fat to make this dish extra rich. I used soy milk this time. Make sure your plant-based milk is plain and unsweetened (you do not want to make this with vanilla milk)!
- Swap in fresh peas if you have them: I use frozen peas in this recipe because they are so easy to get at any grocery store and they always taste perfectly fresh. If you have fresh peas on hand however, feel free to sub those!
Serving Suggestions
Pair this creamy vegan pasta with:
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of plant-based milk to bring the creamy sauce back to life.
More Creamy Pastas Recipes
If you try this creamy pasta with vegan pancetta and peas, let us know by leaving a comment and rating it. I'd love to see what you made. Share your creation in the It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken Community (this is where we're all hanging out now!) or tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Creamy Pancetta & Pea Pasta
This pasta takes just 30 minutes to make and is super creamy with pops of sweet peas, and topped with smoky vegan pancetta which is made from tofu! This recipe is easy to make and is bursting with flavor!
Servings:
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Ingredients
For the Vegan Pancetta:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (350g/ 12.3oz) block extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into small cubes
For the Creamy Pasta:
- 1 lb pasta of choice, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter or olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 2 ½ - 3 cups plant-based milk, (such as oat or soy)
- 1 teaspoon salt, (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups frozen peas
Instructions
For the Vegan Pancetta:
- You can make the vegan pancetta in your oven or in an air-fryer. Oven method: Preheat your oven to 325F (170C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Air fryer method: Preheat your air fryer to 300F (150C).
- In a medium bowl mix together the soy sauce, tomato paste, olive oil, onion powder, liquid smoke, and pepper. Add the tofu cubes and toss well to evenly coat.
- Oven method: spread the tofu cubes evenly over the baking sheet, and bake for about 25 minutes, stopping to flip the tofu halfway through until the tofu has darkened and reduced in size. Air fryer method: spread the tofu in the air fryer and cook for about 20 minutes, shaking halfway through, until the tofu has darkened and reduced in size.
To make the Creamy Pasta:
- While the tofu is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Melt the vegan butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and begins to brown. Sprinkle over the flour and stir continually while cooking for about 60 seconds. Whisk in 2 ½ cups plant-based milk, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in the peas and simmer for another 5 minutes to cook the peas.
- Add the pasta and toss well to coat. If your pasta is a bit dry, add more plant-based milk as needed, up to ½ cup more plant-based milk. Top with the vegan pancetta and serve hot.
Notes
Make-ahead/ storage: You can prep the vegan pancetta and the creamy sauce ahead of time store in separate containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just heat and toss with hot pasta when ready to enjoy. You can also store leftover fully prepared and then cooled pasta in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 6 servings) | Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 864mg | Potassium: 567mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1095IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 3mg
Stella says
I'm super excited to try this! I'm even venturing into using soy milk, however I'm going to try the powdered version because I have trouble with too much calcium. Wish me luck!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That sounds great, Stella! Powdered soy milk should work just fine. Wishing you the best of luck and a super tasty pasta 🌱
Stella says
Thank you!
Serena says
This pasta dish is so delicious! Sometimes I make it with store-bought vegan pancetta because I'm lazy but the tofu pancetta is great too!!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Barb says
I made the pancetta three times last week. So good. I'm addicted.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Wonderful!
Roseanna says
Pasta Paradise! I made Pancetta and enjoyed it. The tofu baked adds a nice flavor to the dish. I cannot resist making new recipes, it is so fun. I like the light airy feeling effect from a good pasta dish that is not too heavy.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We love to hear it!
Isabelle says
Thank you so much for the pancetta recipe. This is a huge gamechanger for me. When I was growing up we used to eat a pancetta pasta dish that was my favourite meal, and I gave it up when I started my plant based journey. I used this pancetta recipe and made it with the dish I grew up with and it was a wonderful experience to have that meal again. The tofu pancetta was a great substitute. Thank you so much for bringing that meal back for me!!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Wonderful! We're so glad it's something you can enjoy again!
Lola says
Made the pancetta two days in a row! So easy but so satisfying and delicious! I don’t do oil so I left it out and just spritzed the pan. This will definitely be a recurring treat in our house!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We're so glad you enjoyed it!
Ann M. says
I was so hoping I wouldn’t like this because the older I get, the fatter pasta seems to make me. Unfortunately for my waistline, this was absolutely delicious! Even without the pancetta it would be a great dish because the cream sauce is so flavorful! I made my own almond milk so I could use the pulp to make your crackers - also delicious. Talk about a win-win!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha, so happy you enjoyed it Ann!!
Allison Reinke says
This was very easy to make. The tofu really added a wonderful flavor to the dish.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it!
healthcare8055 says
i have been learning about food and nutrition recently and vegan lifestyle is turning out to be one of the best options in nutrition and health.
thank you.
Sam Turnbull says
Absolutely! A well balanced vegan diet is the healthiest diet 🙂
Shannon says
I just came across this recipe!! It looks amazing and I have everything I need!!! I can't wait to try it!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! I hope you love it 🙂
Sherry Rieder says
Thank you for the idea of baking tofu in the oven. Apparently I haven’t been paying attention because I try to cook it in a frying pan. The oven method works so much better to cook it evenly. I really should get an air fryer.
Keep up your good work.
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome Sherry! I love baking tofu. Try my fan-favorite tofu bites for another baked recipe 🙂