Creamy Carbonara
This one is a proper crowd-pleaser and honestly one of our most-made recipes when we want something indulgent but completely plant-based. Creamy, rich, and deeply savoury, it's got that silky sauce clinging to every strand of pasta that makes you go back for seconds every single time. The portobello mushrooms bring a smoky, meaty bite that does a brilliant job of standing in for the usual bacon, and the cashew cream is so lush you'd never guess there's no egg or dairy in there. It takes a little bit of prep but trust us, the payoff is absolutely worth it. Make this tonight and you'll be sending us a thank you message, we promise.
Before You Start
- Cashews soaked in boiling water for at least 1 hour
- Powerful blender
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl
- Large pan of salted water
- Large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 140g cashews
- 120ml almond milk - plus more if needed
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 pack of silken tofu
- 1 tbsp brown rice miso paste
- 1 garlic clove - peeled
- Pinch of salt
- 4 portobello mushrooms
- 4 portions of tagliatelle
- Salt & pepper - to taste
Method
Prepare the ingredients
- Place the cashews into a bowl and cover with boiling water
- Leave to one side for at least an hour until needed
- Finely slice the portobello mushrooms and place into a large mixing bowl
Make the marinade
- Place all of the marinade ingredients into a small bowl and mix well
- Pour the liquid into the bowl with the sliced mushrooms and mix well until all of the mushrooms are coated in the marinade
- Leave to one side for 10 minutes
Make the sauce and cook the pasta
- Drain the cashews and place them into a powerful blender along with the rest of the sauce ingredients, blend until smooth - adding a dash more almond milk if needed to make a smooth, creamy sauce
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than stated on pack
- Once cooked, drain the pasta (saving some of the pasta water to mix through later)
While the pasta cooks, cook the mushrooms
- Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil
- Once warm, add the sliced mushrooms from the marinating liquid
- Mix well and cook for 10 minutes until they reduce in size and cook through
- Once cooked, stir through the sauce and drained pasta
- Mix well until all of the pasta and mushrooms are coated in the sauce, adding a dash of pasta water if needed to make the mixture smooth and creamy
- Taste and season with salt and pepper
Time to serve
- Spoon some fresh rocket onto 4 serving bowls and top with equal amounts of the creamy carbonara pasta
- Garnish with some pepper and vegan parmesan (if using)
Tips & Variations
- Soak time matters: We know it's tempting to rush the cashew soak but don't do it. A full hour minimum gives you that properly creamy, smooth sauce. If you're short on time, soak them in boiling water for at least 30 minutes and blend for longer.
- Get colour on those mushrooms: Don't crowd the pan when you're cooking the marinated mushrooms. Give them space and let them get a bit caramelised and golden. That's where all the flavour is.
- Save your pasta water: This is a big one. Before you drain the pasta, scoop out a mug of the starchy cooking water. Adding a splash to the sauce when you bring everything together helps it coat the pasta beautifully and keeps it from going thick and claggy.
Why This Works
The trick here is soaking the cashews properly. Give them a full hour in boiling water and they'll blend down into the silkiest, creamiest sauce you've ever made. The marinade on the mushrooms is doing a lot of heavy lifting too, building that smoky depth that makes the whole dish feel genuinely indulgent rather than just 'good for a vegan recipe'.