Once in a while I get my hands on a cookbook that I just cannot stop using. Julie Hasson’s Vegan Casseroles is one of them, and Chloe Coscarelli’s Vegan Italian Kitchen is my latest. I’ve tried a handful of the recipes, each of which I would absolutely make again. You don’t really need any hard-to-find ingredients, and if you have a good blender or food processor, most of them come together quickly and easily for a really impressive meal. I shared my version of this dish on Instagram not too long ago and asked Chloe if I could share the recipe here. If nothing else, you’re going to hang this Shiitake Bacon recipe on your fridge so you can make it every week!
Do you have a favorite vegan cookbook? Tell me in the comments!
Vegan Pasta Carbonara with Shiitake Bacon
Ingredients
For the Shiitake Bacon
- 1 lb shiitake mushrooms trimmed and thinly sliced (about ¼ inch thick)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1¼ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the Pasta
- 1 lb long pasta spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 14 oz soft tofu
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 Tbs lemon juice
- 2 & 1/2 tsp sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish
Instructions
Make the Bacon:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes, turning frequently with a spatula, until lightly browned and crisp.
- Once cooked, set aside and prepare the pasta.
Make the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and let cook until soft. Add garlic and let cook a few more minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a blender, combine onion, garlic, tofu, water, lemon juice, and salt. Process on high until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add sauce to pasta and toss to coat. Season with pepper and add more salt to taste. Let pasta sit for about 5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken slightly. Top with shiitake bacon, parsley, Parmesan topping, if using, and serve.
Bake & Destroy! Seriously, you have my go to brownie recipes and my boyfriend’s been making your totchos regularly and using the nacho cheez with burritos. So good!
Been using Vegan Secret Supper lately too.