Vegan Spaghetti Carbonara
This vegan spaghetti carbonara is meat, dairy and egg-free, but still just as tasty, creamy and quick to make. If you’re strapped for time but still want to enjoy a tasty homemade meal from scratch, this is the recipe to go with.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 2
- 3.5 oz whole-wheat spaghetti
- 1 medium zucchini, spiralized or very thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
Sauce
- ¼ cup cashews, soaked overnight or quickly soaked (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- ⅛ cup plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- 1-2 tablespoons hard vegan cheese, optional
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Spiralize the zucchini or slice it very thinly. Put the spaghetti in a pot of boiling water and cook following pack instructions.
For the sauce, combine cashews, olive oil, garlic, milk, lemon juice, pepper, salt, and paprika in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Heat a large frying pan on a medium to high heat and pour in a tablespoon of olive oil. Fry the zucchini slices with a good grinding of black pepper for a minute or two until the zucchini starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Working quickly, drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Toss the pasta in the pan with the zucchini, then remove from the heat and add a ladleful of the reserved cooking water and the cashew sauce.
Pour in a little more of the cooking water, if needed. You should have a silky and shiny sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with vegan cheese to serve. Eat straight away, as the sauce can become thick and stodgy if left for too long.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. To reheat, toss the pasta in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until heated through. Add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil if the texture appears too dry.
- To quickly soak the cashews, place your cashews into a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, remove from heat and cover. Let that sit for about 15 minutes. You can read more about how to soak cashews here.
Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 313mg | Potassium: 490mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 316IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3mg