Creamy Carbonara with Mushroom Bacon

RECIPE BY @TERIANNCARTY

This recipe might be the ultimate creamy vegan pasta ever. It's lovely to serve on any occasion — or even on weeknights if you want something extra special to serve over dinner. No worries as this recipe is delicious, dairy-free and guilt-free, thanks to the creamy cashew sauce. 

INGREDIENTS

• MUSHROOM BACON
• 5 cups sliced mushrooms (I used shiitake and cremini)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp vegan worcetershire sauce
• 1 tsp tamari
• 1 tsp yellow miso
• 4 dashes of liquid smoke (less is more here as it can be too overpowering)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch garlic powder
• cracked pepper, to taste
• CREAM SAUCE
• 1/2 cup soaked cashews
• 1 cup hot pasta water
• 1 tsp chickpea miso
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 clove garlic
• sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste
• PASTA
• 1 box farfalle, or pasta of choice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• a pinch of chili flakes
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• a huge handful of baby spinach
• vegan parmesan, to taste
• sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/2 - 1 cup pasta water (the cooking liquid from cooking the pasta)

METHOD

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°F (180°C).
2. Whisk sauce ingredients together. Pour over mushrooms and toss to coat.
3. Spread mushrooms on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes.
4. Next, make the sauce. For this recipe you will need 1/2 cup of soaked cashews. They don’t take as long as you may think. I soaked mine for 2 hours and the sauce was super creamy. I would recommend a high-speed blender and not a food processor for this.
5. Drain and rinse your cashews. Place everything in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside until ready to use. 
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water before draining.
7. Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil, chilli flakes and onion. Saute for several minutes until onion starts to soften. Add in garlic and frozen peas. Toss to combine.
8. Add in cashew sauce, 3/4 of the smoky mushrooms, spinach and cooked pasta. Toss to cook and heat through. Use the pasta water to thin out to desired consistency.
9. Add in vegan Parmesan, salt and cracked pepper and serve immediately.

Teri-Ann | @terianncarty | www.terianncarty.com

Teri-Ann is a food photographer, recipe developer and yoga teacher from Toronto, Canada. Teri-Ann adopted a vegan lifestyle 9 years ago soon after she got sober and broke free from a debilitating alcohol and drug addiction. She wanted to cleanse her body from the inside out and choosing a plant-based diet was one of the ways she achieved that. Teri-Ann now spends most of her days developing recipes, styling dishes, and shooting photographs for numerous clients as she builds her personal brand.