Carbonara may not be the first dish you think of when you want to make a delicious meal, but that will all change when you make this amazingly delicious vegan carbonara recipe.
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I have cracked the code on vegan carbonara. Yes, after dozens of trial and errors, I’ve found out how to get this deliccious.
Warm and creamy pasta dishes are ultimate comfort foods. They fill our bellies and make us feel wrapped up in memories.
If there’s one pasta dish people swear can’t be made vegan, it’s carbonara—and that’s exactly why I had to crack the code. After years of creating dairy-free, egg-free versions of classic comfort foods, I can confidently say this vegan carbonara holds its own. The real hack? Building that silky, “eggy” richness by layering flavors—think creamy cashews (or tofu), a little kala namak for depth, and sautéed smoky bits to mimic pancetta. It all comes together in one pan, and the result is a cozy, glossy, twirlable bowl of pasta that feels indulgent but is still totally doable on a weeknight.
Let me show you how easy it is to recreate this comfort-food staple—no eggs, no dairy, just plant-based magic.
It’s perfect for any night, since it comes together in under 30 minutes, start to finish, and can feed a crowd.
What is Carbonara?
Pasta Carbonara is a classic creamy Italian pasta dish made with eggs, cheese, and bacon or pancetta. Nothing in there comes close to be dairy free or vegan; however, we are making our version vegan! Spaghetti is the most common pasta used, but fettuccine, linguine, and bucatini can also be used.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy – This recipe is super easy to make. From the tofu bacon just needing tossed in a marinade, to the pasta sauce just taking minutes to make, it’s a simple recipe that tastes amazing.
- Leveled-Up – This recipe is creamy, decadence at it’s finest. It’s warm and inviting and makes you feel like you just took a bite of pasta from your favorite upscale fine-dining place.
- Prep Ahead – This recipe can be made two to three days in advance. We love that you can have a delicious and creamy pasta ready for days in advance.
Ingredients for Vegan Carbonara
Gather your ingredients:
Spaghetti (or other pasta)
Spaghetti is the typical pasta used for carbonara. In the photos I’m using bucatini because I love how a simple switch makes it feel more restaurant-quality.
Substitute: You can also use any gluten-free pasta for this recipe.
Vegan Tofu Bacon
We’re going to be using our tofu bacon recipe for this pasta. For that you’ll need
- extra firm tofu
- soy sauce
- nutritional yeast
- olive oil
- maple syrup
- vegan worcestershire sauce
- liquid smoke
- spices: smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
Substitutes: The tofu could be swapped with pumfu (pumpkin tofu), sliced carrots, mushrooms, rice paper and more.
In a pinch the vegan worcestershire sauce can be switched with steak sauce (like A1).
The soy sauce can be swapped with tamari, coconut or liquid aminos, or a no soy soy sauce.
Vegan “Egg” Sauce
Carbonara is traditionally made with multiple eggs and yolks for a creamy yolky sauce. We’re going to recreate that with some plant based ingredients. You’ll need:
- silken tofu
- pumpkin puree
- vegan butter
- nutritional yeast
- yellow mustard
- white miso
- spices: garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, black salt (kala namak)
Substitutes: The silken tofu can be swapped with white beans or raw cashews and the pumpkin puree with mashed sweet potatoes. White miso can be omitted or subbed with a soy sauce alternative above.
Other Pasta Ingredients
You’ll also need shallots and garlic, non-dairy milk, and vegan parmesan to finish out the recipe.
Other must try vegan pasta dishes:
🥳 Get the Full Recipe
Vegan Carbonara
Ingredients
For Tofu Bacon
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
For the "Egg" Sauce
- ½ cup silken tofu
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons white miso
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon black salt (kala namak)
For the Pasta
- 16 ounces bucatini pasta (or spaghetti)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 shallot, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup non-dairy milk
- 4 ounces vegan parmesan
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
For tofu bacon
- Preheat oven to 400˚F (220˚C). With your pressed and drained tofu, cut into ½" cubes. Mix together all the bacon marinade ingredients and whisk together well. Carefully toss together the marinade with the tofu, making sure to coat all the sides of the pieces.
- Lay out the tofu cubes on a baking sheet in an even layer. It's best if you can get space between your pieces. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
For the "Egg" Sauce
- Into a small blender or a bowl, add all the "egg" sauce ingredients and blend or whisk really well until you have a smooth, cohesive sauce mixture. Set aside.
For the Pasta
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Once boiling, add and cook pasta according to instructions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- In a large skillet, add the diced shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes until it become translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add in the set aside "egg" sauce, non-dairy milk, parmesan, lemon juice, black pepper and salt. Stir together really well. Add ½ cup (or more) of the reserved pasta water.
- Stir in cooked pasta and mix together well. Top with the vegan tofu bacon, and more vegan parmesan, salt, pepper, and parsley. Serve warmed.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can reheat this dish if needed. You may want to add a splash of your favorite non-dairy milk before cooking.
This post was originally published on April 22, 2019 and updated on November 22, 2025.
Sorry just came out too oniony for me
Thanks for the feedback
Hi! I can’t find the old carbonara recipe with sweet onion. Can you maybe share it again?
Thank you!
I just sent it to the email address you used for this comment. Enjoy!
I JUST BECAME VEGAN I’M 74 YEARS OLD
NEED HELP
THANK YOU
Hi Vanessa! Welcome. Here’s a post on tips for going vegan: https://makeitdairyfree.com/tips-for-going-vegan/
I hope this helps. Please email us if you have any specific questions – [email protected]
Loved this! Always look to Andrew for great vegan options. I’m not vegan, but we try to work in some vegan dishes into the mix each week.
Love this! Thank you so much for using our recipes when your looking for plant based options. It means so much to us!
Really loved the ease and simplicity of this meal. I used MyBacon for the bacon, and it was really delicious! I might add a bit more onion next time I make it, but that’s about it. Yum!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Made this 2 nights in a row now. So quick to make and so rich but not too heavy like regular carbonara. It doesn’t have that weird almond milk taste like a lot of vegan creamy recipes we’ve tried. Thank you so much!!
You are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing! Completely made our day!