Vegan & easy carbonara with a twist. Let’s give a twist to this delicious Italian dish, which is usually made with eggs and bacon, and make it plant-based and a little bit more nourishing. It takes 20 minutes to prepare and makes the perfect week night dinner.
Ingredients you’ll need:
Whole-grain spaghetti – any pasta of your choosing. You can go the traditional way, with whole-wheat pasta, or choose a more peculiar one, made of lentils or chickpeas, for some extra protein.
Frozen peas – which are going to be our main source of protein. To guarantee the perfect amino acids’ profile of your dish, the combination of some kind of legume and whole-grain is a must. In this case, you’ll have the pasta (grain) and the peas (legume), which turn this pasta into a balanced and complete vegan meal.
Broccoli – either frozen or fresh. Rich in many nutrients, including fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium. Recent research has shown that the best way to eat this nutrient-rich veggie is by gently steaming it. In this dish we’re going to lightly sauté it, so we can have all the flavour and yet preserve most of the nutrients. Did you know that only half a cup of raw broccoli have 70% of your daily required amount of vitamin C?
Sliced mushrooms – to add a chewy texture and their lovely umami flavour. Any kind of mushrooms will work, just make sure you adjust the cooking times accordingly!
Cherry tomatoes – little pockets of flavor, to add some freshness and lycopene – a cancer-fighting antioxidant!
Soy cream – although many believe so, the real carbonara doesn’t actually have cream. Its creaminess is achieved through eggs and cheese. In this version, I’m adding the soy cream to add the creaminess that’s missing from the absence of cheese and egg. You can always substitute it with plant-based milk for a lighter version, coconut milk, cashew cream or blended silken tofu, for example.
Nutritional yeast – to add the mandatory cheesy flavor to this pasta.
Onions, garlic, olive oil, plant-based milk, flour, salt and spices and fresh parsley.
Other main dish recipes you might enjoy:
Ravioli with Lemon Rosemary Sauteed Mushrooms
Harvest Stuffed Balsamic Butternut Squash
Portuguese Mushroom and Bean Stew
Bulgur Mediterranean Salad
Asian Noodles Salad with Peanut Sauce and Tofu
I love seeing pictures of your remakes of Zest’s recipes. If you try this recipe take a picture and tag @zest.andthecity on Instagram or use the hashtag #zestandthecity, so I can see and share your remakes. Join our community on Instagram, Facebook and, YouTube!
