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Daniel Fast Vegan Carbonara

Though this Daniel Fast Vegan Carbonara recipe only uses a few simple ingredients, it’s truly the ultimate comfort food. And it’s Daniel Fast-approved!

Pasta with tofu and pine nuts on a black plate with glass of water in background.

You must also try this roasted vegetable soup from this list of Daniel Fast soup recipes. It’s one of the most popular recipes on this site!

Get ideas from these lists of Daniel Fast breakfast recipes and Daniel Fast recipes for the rest of the day and you’ll see how delicious eating healthier can be!

If this is your first time making vegan carbonara sauce, you’re going to be amazed at how easy it is to achieve all the same delicious flavors of traditional carbonara recipes that use egg yolks.

This vegan version is loaded with flavor and the best part is, it can be ready in under 30 minutes. It’s one of our favorite Daniel Fast recipes, and I think after you try it, you will see why.

My husband and I used to do the Daniel Fast in January every year. Now we’ve found we love the recipes and feel so much better eating this way that we use this recipe all year.

A handful of our favorites are traditional minestrone soup, Butternut Squash Risotto, Quinoa Sweet Potato Wraps, and quinoa tacos with beans.

Try the Vegan Hummus or this healthy nachos recipe when you want a snack. It’s great with veggies!

What Goes in This Vegan Carbonara Recipe

We usually have all these ingredients when we are participating in the Daniel Fast as we can make so many recipes with them.

Dried pasta, seasoning, tofu, peppercorns, vegan cream, pine nuts, salt on a white table.
  • Whole wheat pasta – We make spaghetti carbonara so we used whole wheat spaghetti pasta, but you can use any variety of whole wheat pasta you prefer like pea spaghetti.
  • Dairy-free heavy cream – Silk brand is our favorite because it has a wonderful thick and creamy texture. And, you can use it use it cup for cup like dairy in any recipe
  • Tofu – any brand of firm tofu will work. This recipe uses smoked tofu. It adds an extra layer of flavor. Use it to add protein and smoky flavor to most any of your favorite entrées

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions for Easy Vegan Carbonara

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Add salt and pasta to boiling water. Cook pasta according to directions over medium-high heat until al dente.

Cut the smoked tofu into small cubes and add it into a small pan over medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil.

Cook the tofu until crunchy and golden color. Add 2 tablespoon of soy sauce and stir.

Napkin, seasoning, peppercorns, oil, tofu in pan, vegan cream, and pine nuts, on a white table.

While pasta is cooking, add the heavy vegetable cream into a small pan over low heat.

Napkin, seasoning, peppercorns, vegan cream, and pine nuts, on a white table.

Add turmeric, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir with a whisk until well combined. Set it aside.

Napkin, seasoning, peppercorns, crispy tofu, sauce, and pine nuts, on a white table.

Once the pasta is done, add it to the pan with the creamy turmeric mix and stir to combine the cream with the pasta. 

If you find the creamy pasta sauce is a little too thick, add a couple tablespoons of pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency.

Pasta with sauce in pan.

Add the smoked tofu and lightly stir until combined. 

Top with the pine nuts for garnish and crunch.

In the unlikely event you have leftovers, you’ll need store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a couple of days.

Pasta with sauce and tofu in pan on white counter.

Tip: I like to serve pasta in an Armetale serving bowl as it stays hot. You can actually place this bowl in the oven before filling it so it stays warm. Cold foods stay cold in an Armetale bowl, too!

Pasta with crunchy tofu on black plate with glass of water and tofu on background.

Variations and Add-ins for the Best Creamy Vegan Carbonara

If you love this recipe as much as we do, you’ll want to make it time and time again. Here are some vegan variations and add-ins you may want to try next time:

  • Nutritional yeast: If you love to top your pasta sauces off with parmesan cheese but want to keep things vegan, nutritional yeast is a great substitution. Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast, which means it’s not a leavening agent. It’s a super healthy way to add vegan parmesan cheese flavor to your cooked pasta.
  • Lemon juice: Want to add a bright hint of flavor to your cream sauce? Add a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice to thee top of dish! It really wakes things up!
  • Sundried tomatoes: Take things one Italian step further. Marinated sun dried tomatoes add a zesty punch of flavor to this creamy sauce!
  • Sliced mushrooms: The smoked tofu lends a wonderful smoky flavor to this pasta dish, but there may be times you want to add a little more protein without using animal products. Mushrooms are a great plant based protein that you will often find in a classic carbonara recipe. Cremini mushrooms are amazing in this recipe.
  • Add your favorite seasonings: Smoked paprika, soy sauce and turmeric gives this vegan pasta recipe the most amazing subtle flavor. If you want a slightly more robust flavor, you can add roasted garlic cloves, garlic powder or onion powder in with the sauce. Unless you are trying to keep things low-sodium, you can also finish off the dish with a pinch of flakey Maldon sea salt.

More Delicious Vegan Recipes

Pasta with tofu on a black plate on white tablecloth with a glass of water in background.

Daniel Fast Vegan Carbonara

Though this Vegan Carbonara recipe only uses a few simple ingredients, it's truly the ultimate comfort food. And it's Daniel Fast-approved!
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegan
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 589kcal

Ingredients

  • 14 oz Whole wheat Spaghetti or other veggie with no white flour
  • ½ C Smoked tofu
  • 5 oz Dairy free whipping cream Silk brand is available at most grocers
  • ½ tsp Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 2 tsp Soy sauce
  • 1 T Olive oil
  • 2 T Salt
  • 1 tsp Black pepper
  • 2 T Pine nuts

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil
  • Add salt and pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions.
  • While pasta is cooking, add the heavy vegetable cream into a small pan over low heat.
  • Add turmeric, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir with a whisk until well combined. Set it aside. 
  • Cut the smoked tofu into small cubes and add it into a small pan over medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil.
  • Cook the tofu until crunchy and golden color. Add 2 tablespoon of soy sauce and stir.
  • Once the pasta is ready, reserve a little of the pasta water and add it to the pan of the creamy turmeric mix along with the pasta. Stir to combine the cream with the pasta. 
  • Add the smoked tofu and lightly stir until combined. 
  • Adding pine nuts for garnish and crunch.

Notes

You really want to get a good golden color on the tofu so it’s crunchy in the sauce.
Whenever making pasta with sauce, get in the habit of saving a little of the water when draining. It’s so easy to forget, but that starchy water really helps bind the sauce if it’s too thin.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 589kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 3664mg | Potassium: 280mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 126IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @kastilwell or tag #FFFP!

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