This is hands down the best vegan carbonara you’ll ever eat! Silky spaghetti noodles are coated in an ultra-creamy, cheesy golden sauce and topped with vegan pancetta and black pepper.
This vegan carbonara recipe is not at all authentic (this carbonara recipe is), but it is delicious and I think you will love it! Traditional carbonara is made with pork, eggs and cheese, so of course this vegan version is completely different.
Stock up on more of the best vegan comfort food dishes with recipes like this one and so many others. Some of my favorites include Vegan Pot Pie, Vegan Chicken and Dumplings, and Vegan Shepherd’s Pie!
Why should you make this vegan carbonara?
- It’s an easy dinner recipe! You can make this easy dinner for any occasion. It’s an excellent weeknight dinner to serve to the family, but it also doubles as an impressive date night/ dinner party entree.
- The vegan pancetta is SO good. Seriously, the biggest reason my family always requests this dish for dinner is for the little bits of flavor packed pancetta tofu! They’re pretty addictive.
- It’s oh so creamy. The cheesy cashew based sauce is easy to make and full of flavor. You’ll love how decadent and creamy it really is!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
For the vegan pancetta:
- Tofu – Make sure it’s firm or extra firm so it holds its shape while cooking. You could substitute tempeh, soy curls or even mushrooms for vegan mushroom carbonara.
- Soy Sauce – You can use tamari for a gluten free substitute.
- Tomato Paste
- Olive Oil – You can swap this out for avocado oil if preferred.
- Garlic Powder
- Liquid Smoke – If you don’t have any liquid smoke, you can use smoked paprika instead.
For the creamy sauce:
- Cashews – You could try subbing with raw slivered almonds or sunflower seeds, if needed.
- Garlic – Freshly minced garlic yields the best aroma and flavor.
- Water
- Nutritional Yeast – You can leave this out if you’re not a fan.
- Lemon Juice – Only use freshly squeezed lemon juice, not the bottled alternative.
- Salt
The rest:
- Spaghetti Noodles – Any spaghetti noodles will work, from white to whole wheat or gluten free. I used brown rice noodles.
- Basil – Fresh basil adds the best touch of fresh flavor to this hearty dish.
- Vegan parmesan cheese – Either my recipe or I love Violife’s vegan parmesan, it tastes a lot like the real thing.
How to make vegan carbonara
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Make the vegan pancetta
Press the tofu, then cut it into into very small cubes. In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, tomato paste, olive oil, garlic powder and liquid smoke. Add the tofu pieces and stir well to coat in the sauce.
Dump the tofu/sauce mixture onto the prepared pan and spread the tofu out evenly.
Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, flipping the tofu over once halfway through cooking. Be careful not to burn the tofu. Remove and set aside.
Make the creamy sauce for vegan carbonara
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Pour the hot water over the cashews and let soak for 5 minutes.
Drain the cashews and discard the soaking water. Add them to a blender along with the rest of the sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.
Want a no blender required version? You can use this recipe for Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce instead for the sauce. I’d probably add some nutritional yeast, black pepper, and turmeric just like the cashew based sauce.
Stir it all together and enjoy!
Boil the noodles according to package instructions, then drain and return back to the pot. Add in the cream sauce and stir over low-medium heat until the sauce thickens somewhat.
Serve immediately with tofu “pancetta”, black pepper, fresh basil and vegan parmesan, as desired. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Yes! You can easily make sure the recipe is gluten free by using gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce and gluten free noodles.
Yes, you can substitute sunflower seeds for cashews. Or make this Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce instead (but make sure whatever cheese/milk you use is nut free.
In an airtight container in the fridge, any leftovers you have will stay fresh for about 2-3 days. It doesn’t freeze well.
Yes. You can use tempeh, soy curls or even mushrooms. Simple chop about 2 cups of whatever you want to use small, mix with the sauce and bake as directed. The tofu alternative probably won’t need as long in the oven, perhaps only 15-20 minutes.
Want more creamy vegan pasta recipes?
- Vegan Baked Ziti
- Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
- Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta
- Vegan Alfredo Sauce
The Best Vegan Carbonara
Ingredients
Vegan Pancetta
- 14 ounce block extra-firm tofu, pressed or use chopped mushrooms
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke or 2 tsp smoked paprika
Creamy Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon black salt or regular
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
The Rest
- 12 ounces spaghetti or other pasta
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
- fresh ground black pepper for serving
- Vegan Parmesan optional
Instructions
Make the Tofu "Pancetta"
- Press the tofu: Drain the tofu and wrap it in a clean tea towel. Place a plate or pan on top of the wrapped tofu, and put a couple of heavy books or a cast iron pan on top of that. Let the tofu press for at least 30 minutes if possible.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the tofu into small cubes. In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, tomato paste, olive oil, garlic powder and liquid smoke. Add the tofu pieces and stir well to coat in the sauce.
- Dump the tofu/sauce mixture onto the prepared pan and spread the tofu out evenly. Bake in the oven for 35-50 minutes, flipping the tofu over once halfway through cooking. Be careful not to burn the tofu; how long will depend on the firmness of your tofu and the water content, which can vary even after pressing. Remove once chewy and blackened in places and set aside.
Make the Cream Sauce
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Pour the hot water over the cashews and let soak for 5 minutes.
- Drain the cashews and discard the soaking water. Add them to a blender along with the vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, black salt and black pepper. Blend until very smooth. Set aside.
The Rest
- Boil the noodles according to package instructions, then drain and return back to the pot. Add in the cream sauce and stir over low-medium heat until the sauce thickens somewhat. If it gets too thick, add a little water and stir until it thins a bit.
- Serve immediately with tofu "pancetta", fresh basil, black pepper and vegan parmesan, as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten free: Make sure the recipe is gluten free by using gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce, and gluten free noodles.
- I also like this with mushrooms instead of tofu for the pancetta.
- Nut free: I haven’t tried it, but you may be able to use another non-dairy milk in place of the cashews and water. I would try a can of coconut milk or even soy milk (unsweetened, of course) and mix it with the nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice and salt to taste. Or make this Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce instead, and add the nutritional yeast, spices, black salt and pepper to it.
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. This dish does not freeze well.
Nutrition
*This recipe has been updated August 2024 with a more flavorful sauce. I think you’ll like the new & improved version even more than the original!
I’ve been making this for my family (includes 2 young kids) for over a year and it is a family favorite! It gets made at least 2-3 times a month. I even introduced my meat-eating neighbors to it and now they make it at home!
Hi Samantha. I’m so glad you are loving the carbonara, and that it is now part of your meal rotation! I’m glad your neighbors love it as well! Thanks for sharing your stellar review and feedback! Happy cooking!
I’m making this for dinner tonight for the first time so I premade the tofu pancetta and blended the sauce. I’m not even sure I’ll have any pancetta left by dinner, it is SO GOOD I can’t stop snacking on it!
This is me every time I make this dish, hah! Can’t stop eating the tofu pancetta. 🙂
I just made this! – well, the sauce, which was DELICIOUS and so simple! I had some vegan bacon, so I used that instead of making the tofu pancetta (if you’re in the UK I highly recommend diced This Isn’t Bacon, it went absolutely perfectly in this dish.) My (non-vegan!) boyfriend wanted carbonara so I decided to give this recipe a try and we both absolutely loved it. Rich, creamy, and flavourful. Definitely use black salt if you can, it adds that slight egginess that carbonara has. This recipe is now firmly in my repertoire!
Hi Georgina. Thank for sharing your glowing 5 star review! I love reading about your recipe experience and ideas! I’m thrilled you both loved the recipe and will be enjoying it often! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
This was great! My kids really don’t like the taste of nootch (weirdos!). Any thoughts on how this would be without it? I will probably try it again leaving it out. And will garnish my plate with it haha!
You can totally leave it out, I think it will be just fine! I love it too haha. Enjoy!
Would it be better to marinate the tofu overnight to make it more flavorful?
That would probably be really good, yes.
The sauce was suuuuper yummy and simple! The tofu was a little wetter, even after pressing for 1+ day. I might try to add a little corn starch to make it crunchier, and use the liquid smoke instead of the smoked paprika to make the pancetta taste stronger. Overall super filling meal that was visually gorgeous!
Delicious! Even my meat eaters loved it!
Can I make the sauce ahead of time, store in refrigerator until ready to use the next day and then add it to pasta?
Will the sauce keep overnight?
Yes, you can make the cheese sauce and tofu ahead of time. Just keep them in separate containers in the fridge overnight. Enjoy!
We made this recipe this past Sunday for my youngest birthday. It was so delicious and tasty. I’ve never used liquid smoke before and actually used the smoked paprika as well. Having the fresh basil and think it’s the absolute best thing to complement the other flavors. Will definitely make it again !!!
I’m happy you loved the recipe! This is a great recipe for a celebration! I appreciate you taking time to share your wonderful feedback and review. Enjoy all your future vegan carbonara meals!
Hi Nora, we just tried this Carbonara and it’s super yummy, thanks for sharing!
I ended up finishing the red sauce for the tofu with some corn tortilla tips bcs it was too good to go to waste haha.
The only thing I have encountered with most pasta and cashew sauces is that it comes dry really fast, what do you suggest to make it less dry?
Hi Dessa. You are welcome! Thank you for sharing your great feedback and review! I’m so happy you loved the carbonara! It’s best to eat it right after it cooks, as the noodles will absorb the sauce and thicken the longer it sits. When this happens, simply add a little warm water and mix until it’s no longer dry. Hope this helps!