Beautiful pasta + creamy cashew carbonara sauce + flavorful TVP bacon = a match made in heaven! This totally unproven, but delicious vegan carbonara pasta dish needs to be on your dinner table soon!
This vegan carbonara pasta dish combines three of my favorite things:
- Fancy looking pasta: I use Mafaldine pasta.
- Homemade cashew cream: I use it for everything lately. Creamy pasta sauce. curry It is the perfect alternative to full fat coconut milk.
- Delicious TVP Bacon Bits: They are easy to make, crunchy and delicious. And I want to put them in everything.
I love simple pasta dishes that look fancy enough to serve on a date night or special dinner.
About the pasta: Mafaldine pasta is also known as “resinate” or “frilled pasta” because of its ruffled edges resembling a queen’s crown or ocean waves. The name “Mafaldine” is a reference to Mafalda, Princess of Savoy. Mafaldine pasta is a long, flat and wide noodle that is often cut into strips about 0.5-1 inch wide. Mafaldine pasta has a slightly rough texture that allows it to hold the sauce well, making it perfect for this creamy pasta dish.
A note on Blender: Cashew cream is really easy to make in a small blender (like a Nutribullet or Ninja). If your blender container is large, you may need to double or triple the cashew cream ingredients to get it working properly and really smooth.
How to Make This Vegan Cashew Carbonara Pasta with TVP Bacon
As always you’ll find the full recipe in the box below but I’d first like to give you an overview of the key ingredients with step-by-step photos.
material
You will need:
- For the cashew cream (if you don’t want or can’t make your own cashew cream, you can use store-bought unsweetened cashew cream, oat cream or soy cream)
- Cashews (I use roasted + salted; if you use unsalted cashews, add salt to taste)
- lemon juice
- the water
- For the vegan bacon bits:
- I am grainy/ I am fragmented/ TVP
- the water
- I am Willow
- Paprika powder
- dried thyme
- salt
- liquid smoke
- Plant-based, neutral oils such as canola oil or sunflower oil
- Pasta (I used mafaldine pasta but you can use whatever you like)
- fresh parsley (optional, for some color)
basic steps
More delicious vegan pasta recipes
Love it? Rate it!
I hope you enjoy this Cashew Carbonara Pasta with TVP Bacon recipe as much as I do! Let me know if you give it a try!
If you don’t want to miss a new recipe, subscribe to my newsletter, follow me on Instagram and Facebook!
Cheers, Bianca
Vegan Cashew Carbonara Pasta with TVP Bacon
Beautiful pasta + creamy cashew carbonara sauce + flavorful TVP bacon = a match made in heaven! This totally unproven, but delicious vegan carbonara pasta dish needs to be on your dinner table soon!
-
for Cashew cream: Add cashews, lemon juice and water to a blender. If you have time, soak it (even 10 minutes will be fine). Then blend until completely smooth.
-
for TVP Bacon Bits: Add soybeans, water, soy sauce, paprika powder, dried thyme, salt and liquid smoke to a hot pan. Stir to combine. Let it cook until the soya beans absorb the water. Then add oil and let it cook further until they are crispy and brown.
-
Boil the pasta in a large pot of water. Then drain but save the pasta water.
-
Add the cashew cream to the pan. Thin the sauce with pasta water as needed. Add more salt to taste. Then add the drained pasta.
-
Mix well until the pasta is coated with the carbonara sauce. Then add half of the vegan bacon bits and stir.
-
You can then add the pasta to the plates, top with the remaining vegan bacon bits and fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Calories: 679kcalSugars: 102gProtein: 32gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fats: 3gMonounsaturated fats: 8gSodium: 478mgPotassium: 491mgFiber: 9gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 264IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 7mg
Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a referral fee if you make a purchase through my links. Clicking on these links will not cost you any extra money, they will help me get this site up and running!