Creamy Vegan Carbonara with Zoodles

My Creamy Vegan Carbonara is a plant-based twist on a traditional recipe.My mom taught me how to make carbonara when I was young with the usual butter, milk, flour, cheese, so in the more recent years I have had to “veganise” the cheese sauce. I don’t usually put vegan cheese in the sauce, however that is an optional extra if you wish to do so. I find it works perfectly simply with the nutritional yeast! The sauce is also fantastic to use with potato bake or on top of lasagne and the thickness can be altered simply by adding more or less soy milk. You also in no way need to use Zoodles (zucchini noodles). The dish works perfectly with normal wheat pasta, gluten free pasta if you’re low FODMAP or follow a gluten free diet, or pulse pasta if you want an extra protein hit!

Creamy Vegan Carbonara with Zoodles

Serves: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Sauce

• 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 2 heaped tablespoon nuttlex or vegan-friendly butter
• 750ml soy milk
• 2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 teaspoon canola oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 1/2 red onion
• 300g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 8 cherry tomatoes

Zoodles

• 8 zucchinis or cucumbers
• Spiralizing machine

Method

1. Prepare “zoodles” by spiralizing 8 cucumbers or zucchinis using a spiralizing machine (I personally enjoy using a mixture of both vegetables)
2. Distribute the raw veggies evenly between 4 serving bowls.
3. Begin by adding the oil to the pan and medium heat.
4. Once the oil had heated up, add in mushrooms and onion.
5. Continue to stir every so often until lightly browned, then add in garlic.
6. Once all elements are nicely browned, remove from heat and place ingredients in a bowl.
7. Add nuttlex into the pan on low heat and allow to melt.
8. Add in flour until thick balls have been made.
9. Slowly add in 1/2 cup of soy milk and mix until balls have been dissolved into a nice, smooth paste.
10. Continue to add another 2 cups of soy milk and continuously stir until mixture reaches a smooth, thick consistency.
11. Add in nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, and remaining soy milk and continue to stir for another 3 minutes.
12. If the mixture is too thick, add in additional soy milk.
13. Serve immediately on top of zoodles with freshly cut cherry tomatoes for presentation.

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