Vegan Pasta Carbonara with Broccoli

Traditionally made with pancetta or salami, it’s easy to make vegan pasta carbonara with a simple swap-in of plant-based bacon or pepperoni. Plenty of broccoli gives this recipe a nice green vegetable boost. Add a colorful salad, and a great weeknight meal is yours!

Simple, quick, and straightforward, this is a sturdy everyday pasta dish that leaves you enough time and energy to make a bountiful salad as an accompaniment.

Vegan bacon or vegan pepperoni options

 Vegan bacon is easy to find in well-stocked supermarkets or natural foods stores. Or you can DIY with Sweet and Savory Tempeh Strips. Plant-based pepperoni or salami aren’t quite as easy to find, but there are a number of brands, and the list is growing all the time. Here are a few:

• Be-hive Seitan Pepperoni
• Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. – Perfect Pepperoni
• Green Slice Veggeroni
• Renegade Plant-Based Salami
• Very Good Butchers – Very Good Pepperoni
• Yves Veggie Pizza Pepperoni

Use your favorite pasta shape: Carbonara is traditionally made with spaghetti, but you can use fettuccine, linguine, or honestly, whatever shape you happen to have in your pantry.

Explore more …

• Vegan Italian Recipes
• Pasta with Vegan Bolognese Sauce

Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

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Yield: 4

Vegan Pasta Carbonara with Broccoli

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Traditionally made with pancetta or salami, it’s easy to make vegan pasta carbonara with a simple swap-in of plant-based pepperoni

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 10 to 12 ounces pasta, any long shape (see note)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5 to 6 ounces plant-based pepperoni or salami (or vegan bacon), cut into small bits
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 to 5 cups finely chopped broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, vegetable broth, or water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 to 4 tablespoons unsweetened plant-based creamer
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Packaged or homemade vegan Parmesan (see Notes) for topping, optional

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain. 
2. Meanwhile, heat half of the oil in a wide skillet. Sauté the pepperoni pieces over medium heat until crisp and golden brown on both sides, then remove and chop into small pieces.
3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat until golden. 
4. Add the broccoli and wine to the skillet. Cover and steam until the broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp. Remove from the heat.
5. In a serving bowl, combine the cooked pasta, bacon, broccoli-garlic mixture (with any remaining liquid), and parsley. Toss well. Add enough creamer to give the dish a bit more moisture. Season with salt and pepper, then serve.

Notes

Carbonara is traditionally made with spaghetti, but you can use fettuccine, linguine, or honestly, whatever shape you happen to have in your pantry.

Vegan Parmesan: Use a store-bought vegan Parmesan or hard vegan cheese; or, make your own! Simply combine 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1/2 cup almond flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small container and mix completely.

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See lots more delicious vegan pasta dishes and ways to veganize classic recipes.