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This is hands down the world's best vegan carbonara, made the traditional Italian way and completely cruelty free. Try it today and be amazed at what vegan cookery can create!

Yes, the title that caught your attention is true. Trust me and I will take you through the easy steps in how we create the best vegan and plant based carbonara anywhere in the world and all from the comfort of your own kitchen. This vegan carbonara has nothing to envy when compared to those served in the best restaurants of the Italian capital.

Carbonara is a famous dish from Rome and it contains only 5 key ingredients. Pasta, egg yolk, bacon, grated cheese and black pepper.

Did you know...?

The ingredient that gives the dish the name is the pepper. The name is, in fact, based upon the idea of "carbon"ara = coal which gives the dish its signature taste of peppery heat. You should see the flakes of pepper throughout the dish, a dish coated with a beautiful egg yolk sauce.

While pepper is an essential ingredient, the most important one of the carbonara is without doubt the egg yolk. The sauce of the traditional recipe basically consists in beaten egg yolks that will gently cook with the aid of some hot pasta water, whilst still being creamy and glossy. Clearly eggs are something that are a no go for plant based food. This is where this amazing recipe can be introduced: in as little as 3 quick and easy steps you will achieve the perfect vegan egg yolk and that WILL change you life.

You have no doubt seen carbonara on the menus of restaurants around the world, or sold as ready meals in local shops, but many of these are not real carbonaras, at least not the authentic Roman version.

If you use any of these common ingredients mentioned below you are NOT making a traditional carbonara, but a reinterpretation:

- garlic
- onion
- cream
- wine
- vegetables

There are many variations but I want to show you the classic recipe because this is Italian cooking so why any other variation?

As with many dishes, it finds itself from humble beginnings. Rumor has it that a Roman cook put the dish together using the few ingredients American soldiers had with them after the liberation.

So many thanks to you, Sir Roman cook, for giving birth to such a humble yet mouthwatering dish that is now appreciated all over the globe!

What we need for Vegan Carbonara

There are not many choices to make with this dish due to its simplicity but one of the few is the type of pasta you wish to use. Traditional carbonara is made with spaghetti but you can use, if you wish any other long style pasta such as linguine or bucatini. You can even use bronze pasta for a less rustic version if you wish.

Now for the "bacon", the element that will give a smoky element which works incredibly well with the peppery finish. There are countless options for what you can use here, the first choice is home made or store bought. Personally I love a seitan based bacon for this dish, it has the perfect texture and smoky taste I am looking for. There are son many option on the market I am sure you have your own favourite and I am sure it will work well here. I like to use a Swedish brand available here in the UK.

You can, if you really wish depending on taste or dietary requirements use tofu or tempeh although this is straying off the path maybe a little too much.

Now the egg yolk, a non negotiable element of carbonara and, unfortunately, I have yet to find a good store bough egg that I am happy with. This is why I strongly recommend you try this recipe to make your own. It is easy and fast and I am confident you will be amazed by the result. It ill give you the perfect yolk, something that made even my rather picky husband super happy.

This egg mixture will provide the body of our sauce and is made possible by an ingredient called black salt aka kala namak. Once you have tried it I am sure you will want to try all manner of other egg based dishes to see just what magic it can help create. Quiches, omelettes, scrambled eggs, stuffed eggs, pies and savory muffins are all possible.

How can you have a good carbonara without cheese? I mean you could if you are intolerant to dairy but since we are vegan and we are making a happy carbonara there is no need to miss out by having a sad carbonara, is there?
As per the vegan bacon, use what you like best; any that reminds you of pecorino or parmesan will do. You can use the countless offers in the grocery store or try to make a totally homemade version, following the recipe of my fantastic aged chickpea cheese.
There's only one rule here: do not omit it!

Salt and of course pepper. The pepper element should not be missing. It must be generously and packed of peppery heat.

Now all that is left is for you to enjoy your 100% cruelty free carbonara!

World's Best Vegan Carbonara Recipe

Ingredients:
300 g Pasta
100 g Plant Based Bacon (use your favourite)
1 dose Vegan Egg Yolk
40 g Grated Vegan Cheese
1 Ladle of Pasta Water (the water you cooked the pasta in)
Black Pepper
Salt

Method:
1. Make the Vegan Egg Yolk following this recipe.
2. Bring salted water to a rolling boil and then cook the pasta very al dente. The pasta will finish cooking later. Set aside but save at least 1 ladle of the water.
3. Caramelize your plant based bacon in a pan with a little oil.
4. Add the al dente pasta to the pan with the bacon.
5. Now pour in a ladle of the cooking water you saved to the pan and cook for a further minute.
6. Add the vegan yolk you made in step 1 along with pepper and half of the grated cheese. Cook for a further 2 minutes.
7. Serve straight from the pan with a handful of the remaining cheese and more freshly grated black pepper.

Notes:

Do not cook the pasta completely in step 2. The pasta will naturally cook when you bring the dish together in steps 4 through 6. Cook the pasta to the instructions on the packet - 3 minutes.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

World's Best Vegan Carbonara

This is hands down the world's best vegan carbonara, made the traditional Italian way and completely cruelty free.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Ingredients

▢ 300 g (10.58 oz) Pasta
▢ 100 g (0.4 cups) Plant Based Bacon use your favourite
▢ 1 dose Vegan Egg Yolk
▢ 40 g (0.3 cups) Grated Vegan Cheese
▢ 1 Ladle of Pasta Water the water you cooked the pasta in
▢ Black Pepper
▢ Salt

3 people

Instructions

Make the Vegan Egg Yolk following this recipe.
Bring salted water to a rolling boil and then cook the pasta very al dente. The pasta will finish cooking later. Set aside but save at least 1 ladle of the water.
Caramelize your plant based bacon in a pan with a little oil.
Add the al dente pasta to the pan with the bacon.
Now pour in a ladle of the cooking water you saved to the pan and cook for a further minute.
Add the vegan yolk you made in step 1 along with pepper and half of the grated cheese. Cook for a further 2 minutes.
Serve straight from the pan with a handful of the remaining cheese and more freshly grated black pepper.

Notes